Wow, this post is so relevant right now: how to make your LinkedIn profile shine.
Back on the blog today we have Sam Heapps. You might remember her posts on how to write a badass resumeĀ and tips for nailing a job interview. You guys loved her posts, so I invited her to come back on The Skinny Confidential to provide even more value.
A little refresh for ya: Sam works in our office & is the Marketing Director for Woo. She helps curate content, do the newsletter & run the brand. Sheās savvy, sweet & knows her shit when it comes to getting a job. I am thoroughly impressed with her work ethic- sheās professional, self-aware & just gets it. Sam lived in NY where she worked at VaynerMedia, so she knows what it takes to standout.
Anyway, in this post you’ll learn how to build a killer LinkedIn profile. Sam goes through every aspect of LinkedIn and shares her tips and tricks.
Let’s welcome Sam back the blog.
ā”ā”ā”
Hey guys! Sam again, back to talk about what I find to be one of the most underrated platforms to date ā LINKEDIN.
Gary V is a long-time advocate of this digital network, so thereās something to it. Itās such a great way to put yourself out there, & beyond that, gain insight into the industry you work in ā from potential clients to your next DREAM job! Itās an asset that we are lucky to have these days, & it can totally be used to our advantage.
First, a quick back storyā¦
So, the other night, I was out to dinner with a family friend & her colleagues ā mostly women, varying in ages & all HIGHLY successful in the financial space. Someone at the end of the dining table mentioned something about LinkedIn, to which the woman next to me turned to my ear & said, āI mean, Iām under 40⦠who has one of those, am I right?ā
PSA: No, she wasnāt right LOL.
If you feel that having a LinkedIn isnāt for you, keep doing you. But if youāre ready to take your biz profile up a notch, read below on my 6 tips for curating your LinkedIn to reflect the badass candidate you are for the job you deserve, regardless of what industry you work in. From the top, shall we?
Tips For Curating Your LinkedIn Profile:
ā” The perfect profile picture.
If you take away anything, let it be this: LinkedIn is not Facebook. It is not Instagram. And despite the comical title of this post, it is not your [ insert preferred dating app here. ] The perfect shot would ideally be 2/3 body & up, shoulder height, or something similar to your graduation photo ā but NOT YOUR GRADUATION PHOTO.
Getting your degree is definitely something to be proud of, but this profile isnāt the place for it. & just because this platform is professional, doesnāt mean you have to spend a million dollars on getting the perfect ābusiness pic.ā Brush your hair, wear something that makes you feel good & have your friend take a picture of you in the corner of your local coffee shop. VSCO should cover the rest. & P.S. No sunglasses PLZ, unless the look youāre going for is hungover LOL.
ā” Your experience.
Hereās the deal: Your potential employer, recruiter, business partner or industry competitor wants to see what youāve done, but not EVERYTHING youāve done. There is a difference. Internships & work experience is always a YES, babysitting between the ages of 12 & 15 is a NO. ( Unless you are in the caregiving or teaching profession, in which case by all means include relative work experience! )
The idea behind showcasing your experience, is to ACCURATELY show where you have worked, & within what time frames. A future employer wants to see where your journey started & where you decided to go next. That way, when they contact you for this new & shiny role, they have an idea of what your background is in & what your track record is like.
ā” Education.
If you got it, flaunt it. It doesnāt have to be Vanderbilt. If it is, props to you. If itās 2 semesters at your local community college, thatās just as cool. You would be surprised who you know, & who- knows-who that build these amazing connections based on education. ( I once bonded on a job interview due to my freshman year of undergrad at the University of Vermont. ) Seriously, you never know what bad skiing & Birkenstocks will get you.
ā” Extra sh*t.
This takes me back to my college application days, & it should. Think: volunteerism, awards, extracurriculars, clubs, teams & foreign languages you speak- BLOGS, side hustles, businesses youāre working on. Basically, all of the stuff that you donāt do from 9-5 that you LOVE, or that youāve tried to. The shit that makes you, you. Donāt leave it out!
ā” Interests.
You can tell a lot about a person based on what their honest interests are ( & thatās the point ). One of the awesome tools on LinkedIn is the ability to follow influencers in the space, publications, & companies across the board. DO THIS STEP! Not only will it populate your news feed with content that pertains to your career, it enhances your engagement on the platform & integrates you with like-minded individuals. Ah, the beauty of networking from your couch.
ā” Engagement posts, w/o the ring.
The SECRET to getting involved on LinkedIn is not to cold-request people you donāt know, or message random professionals with questions. Just like any social platform, engaging with VALUE is key!!! It will always come down to value ā what are you bringing to the table? What can you double-down on?
LinkedIn offers you the ability to write your own posts ( !!! ) tag others in the industry, & comment on related topics, ask questions, & straight up GET INVOLVED in the conversations that one day, you hope to be leading. Are you in the beauty space? Great. Follow those brands / agencies / individuals. Insert yourself into the equation, offer an opinion, or ask for someone elseās. Valuable engagement is the most powerful aspect of this platform ā and itās all up to you! BUT DONāT FORGET⦠LinkedIn is a place of biz. Even Gary V says that he tones down the shitās and fuckās for his LinkedIn posts. Not because heās embarrassed of who he is, but because he is SELF AWARE and understands the audience heās communicating with. See the difference?
There you have it ā an intro guide to building your LinkedIn from the ground up, and creating your own success on the networking platform. Have a questions we didnāt cover? Email or DM! xo
ā”ā”ā”
There you have it. Do you guys have a LinkedIn profile? Share any tips and tricks you’ve picked up below. Oh, and be sure to follow Sam on Instagram @samantha_nik.
x, lauryn
+ check out this post if you’ve lost your job.Ā
++ should you ask a biz owner to coffee? More on that here.
I love this post – always looking for ways to utilize my LinkedIn!
Demi | https://demibang.com/
<3 thank you for reading ! xx
Thank you so much for sharing this! I definitely needed it.
-Kate
https://daysofkate.com/
of course !
This was so good! Thanks for sharing, I’m working on my LinkedIn right now š
Such valuable info! I run a resume site and just posted a podcast on how every job seeker should be using LinkedIn! Thanks for the awesome read.