How to improve your personal profile on LinkedIn – a quick guide.

An online presence is important for career advancement and also for networking. LinkedIn is the largest professional network and is perfect for building and maintaining your personal brand. A well-crafted LinkedIn profile can lead to job opportunities, collaborations and valuable connections. Here’s how to improve your personal profile on LinkedIn to ensure you make a lasting impression.

Choose the correct profile picture.

Your picture is the first thing that people see on LinkedIn, so should present you as a confident and approachable professional. Here are some good tips for the perfect picture:

· Use a good quality headshot with good lighting.

· Dress professionally – as you would for a meeting.

· Make sure your face takes up a large part of the frame.

· Choose a neutral background.

Craft a compelling headline.

Your LinkedIn headline underneath your name should give people a clear idea of who you are and what you do. Use this to highlight your expertise, current position, and industry relevance. You should be concise yet engaging.

Write a captivating summary.

A LinkedIn summary is like a mini bio. This is your opportunity to tell your story, to showcase your passion and to share your career goals. Make sure you use first-person language to easily connect with your audience and give them a glimpse of your personality.

Concentrate on your experience section.

Your work experience should give a clear picture of your professional journey. List your achievements and responsibilities in each role. Include keywords related to your role and industry to make your profile easy to find by recruiters and peers.

Highlight your skills.

The skills section is perfect to showcase your core competencies. You should include relevant and extra skills that are important to your field. Accreditations and endorsements from connections and previous employers/clients can add credibility to your skills, so ask and encourage them to vouch for your abilities.

Expand your network.

Be sure to connect with professionals in your industry, as well as alumni, colleagues and individuals with shared interest. Building a strong network can lead to valuable connections and opportunities – personalise your connection requests with a brief message explaining your intentions to connect.

Regularly update your profile.

LinkedIn profiles should be your living career document. Update it with new milestones, new skills you’ve acquired, or if you change jobs. Keep your profile fresh and relevant, so that it demonstrates your commitment to your personal professional growth.