How to Get the Most out of Your LinkedIn Profile - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How to Get the Most out of Your LinkedIn Profile - Introvert Whisperer How to Get the Most out of Your LinkedIn Profile Nowadays, we live in a world where the internet is the best and most accessible place to find a job. Amongst career finding sites such as Indeed.com, Ziprecruiter.com, and Glassdoor.com, one of the most common places jobseekers can look towards is Linkedin.com. While there are many advantages to having a LinkedIn profile, there are a few ways that we can utilize the platform in order to get the most out of it, both professionally and socially. Whether you’re looking for your first job or are currently employed, here are some ways to optimize your LinkedIn profile. For Jobseekers:   Consider Going Premium: Have you recently been let go or left your old job? LinkedIn is one of the best places to start when on the job hunt. While the unpaid version allows you to extend your connections and find available positions, if you really want the most out of LinkedIn, consider going premium. While the monthly price will differ based on the plan you choose, having a premium version of LinkedIn will help connect you to any LinkedIn user, with no connection necessary, find out the background of those who’ve looked at your profile and give you access to tools to help make your profile stand out to recruiters.   Update Your Picture: Whether you’ve recently been looking for a new job or have been unemployed for some time, having an updated profile picture is key for your LinkedIn. Believe it or not, having a face to the name for people looking to hire makes a big difference. But more than anything, you have to make sure that the photo you use is professional. If you graduated from college some time ago, reconsider using a photo from graduation and update it to a more recent picture. Ladies, you can use professional photo services if you feel it’s necessary but it’s more important to dress and look as professional as possible. You are trying to represent your best self and online it starts with the first impression of your image. For example, if your hair has currently seen better days and is in need of a dye job, do exactly that. Put the time and investment in your hair by applying an at-home hair color to achieve the most polished look. Along with your hair, make sure your makeup is on point but still professional. By no means do you need to cake your face with products but you’ll still want to achieve a makeup look that’s perfect for the office. Your clothing is just as important for a profile picture. If you’re in need of a suitable top or blouse, check out a women’s retailer site for quality and cute professional clothing. Having the perfect picture is just one influential step in achieving the perfect LinkedIn profile. Gentlemen, the same goes for you. If you’ve taken your at-home relaxation to a whole new level of growing out both the beard and the mane, consider trimming up the beard and cutting your hair into a more professional look. To make the most out of your appearance, also consider wearing a button-up that is both well-fitting and professional looking for the photo op. If you feel it’s necessary and would add a new level to your look, by all means add in a tie or bow tie for the photo as well. While it may seem like a lot initially, taking the extra steps in your appearance will really pay off for recruiters looking to employ you.   Take Advantage of Your Alumni Network: Whether you attended a small college or a large university, one thing that’s always helpful for job seekers is the alumni network available on LinkedIn. If you already have connections with people you graduated with, take it a step further and look into connections from those connections. Having at least one mutual connection in common can be helpful in finding out about possible job opportunities. Along with finding alumni connections, make sure to connect with your alma mater as well. This will be a great way to keep up with any news from your alma mater and possibly find even more connections.   For Those Currently Employed:   Regularly Update Your Bio: Even if you’re currently employed and are absolutely in love with your job, it’s still important that you take the time to regularly update your LinkedIn profile. If you’ve recently gotten a promotion, update your job title. If you’re still with the same company but recently relocated, update where you live! You never know what opportunities could present themselves by simply keeping up to date on your professional life.   Connect with Those You Work With: When we first get our LinkedIn profiles, we most commonly connect with those from our graduating class, friends and prospective employers. But even after you’ve found your current job, you should still go out of your way to connect with those you currently work with. Not only can this help with learning more about your co-workers and their most well-known attributes, but you’ll also be informed of how long they’ve worked there, if they’ve recently been promoted and/or what their past work experience has been! If anything, this will also help you connect with more people in your office and serve as a conversation starting point. No matter if you’re employed or are looking for new opportunities, taking advantage of these job-finding sites readily available to you is the best way to get the most out of your career. Even though it may feel like a task at certain times, it will surely pay off in the end. Bio: Tara L. is a content creator who is passionate about career advice. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys watching Shark Tank and downtime with her family. 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