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LinkedIn Profile revision strategy
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README.md

@TODO: Add "Customize your URL" https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/87/customize-your-public-profile-url

@TODO: Source to mention: https://premium.linkedin.com/content/premium/global/en_us/index/jobsearch/resources/get-noticed/linkedin-profile-checklist

@TODO: Do not forget to check your "Public Profile" settings: https://www.linkedin.com/public-profile/settings https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/90228/show-hide-and-edit-your-public-profile

Linkedin Profile Update

You profile on LinkedIn serves as a calling card for professionals looking to learn more about you.

Every so often, it helps to rethink your professional goals and desires, and update you LinkedIn profile accordingly.

When people ask me to help them do this, I always propose the following steps:

  • 🤔💭 Contemplate
  • 🗒️✍️ Write
  • 🗣️📢 Promote

Every person captures and preserves their thoughts in different ways. This can be a whiteboard, Post-it® notes, paper & pencil, or digital means.

Whatever you prefer, get organised, get settle in and get ready...

Here we go!

Contemplate

First, think about your skillset: which things are you good at? Which skills do you have?

Don't think too much about what you already have done in the past, focus more on what you want to be doing in the future.

Next, think about the following questions:

  • What do I want to say?
  • What do I want people to know?
  • What do I want people to see/feel/do?

Keep the answers to those questions in the back of your mind as a guiding line.

Write

Then:

  1. Revise your skillset (the "Skills" section of your LinkedIn profile)
    Add as many as you like. Quantity first, quality later. Once you feel you've added all you want, critically look over your entries and remove whatever does not match the guidelines you have set yourself.

  2. Revise your work history (the "Experience" section of your LinkedIn profile)

    • Change the job title (slightly?) to be more in line with your "guideline"
    • Change the descriptions, focus on which responsibilities you had, what you achieved, what you learned, and how you've grown.
    • Where possible, add uploads and/or links to "Experience" entries, to add a visual element.
    • If you've been working in one place for a long time, you might want to split up your career into separate "stages" or jobs, to emphasise how you have grown throughout your career.
      Don't worry too much about the truthfulness of the matter. You are telling a story, embellishing is okay. (Just don't tell any outright lies!)

  3. Revise your summary (the "About" section of your LinkedIn profile)

    • Don't mention things in your summary that are already clear from your "Experience" work history
    • Make sure there is a "call to action" in your summary. This can be a link to your blog, your Twitter feed, or simply "Feel free to contact me if you want to know more!". Anything that might motivate the reader to follow-up on their reading with an action.
    • Emphasise your skillset / sales points
    • Make sure to add extra newlines to give your text more breathing space

  4. Revise your Title/Tagline (the "Headline" in the "Intro" section of your LinkedIn profile)
    This is the first thing people see when your profile shows up in search results. LinkedIn will create a Headline for you based on your positions, but you can also provide a Headline. This allows you to come up with one single line to really sell yourself!

    • No need to provide an employer/company here. People can see those in your "Experience" section.
    • Focus on what you want to be know as most

  5. Add / Change your profile picture and header image
    If you have any photos or images that represent you, add them! If not, set yourself a deadline to have a good picture taken and add it later. But, please, do not use your wedding photo! (Too many people do... we don't say anything, but we know...)

  6. Update your Contact Info

    • Don't add a phone number unless you like to be contacted by phone
    • Same goes for email
    • If you work for an agency, why not add your company contact information? (Just don't forget to remove them if you ever leave)
    • Make sure to add links to any social media you might use, like GitHub, StackOverflow, or Twitter
    • Have a blog? A personal website? Add a link!

Promote

Once you have your profile to your liking, it is time to share it with the world.

Make sure to add links to your LinkedIn profile on other social media (for instance your Twitter or GitHub profile).

Finally, actively aproach your network for Endorsements and Recommendations.

Contact people using LinkedIn message, Twitter DMs, email, or by phone. Whatever means you normally contact that person through.

Explain that you've given your profile a (long overdue) overhaul.

Ask if they would be willing to help you out with a Recommendation or, if that feels like too much work, at least provide a couple of Skill Endorsements.

Emphasise how grateful you are and how much you appreciate their help.

Goodwill is the only currency where favors are concerned.

Done!

Maybe later, you can do another round of asking your network for endorsements, creating posts on LinkedIn, or taking skill-assessments.

For now you should lean back, relax and take a moment to feel good about yourself.

You did good!

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