Building a Strong LinkedIn Profile April 2025
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This session teaches strategic practices for building your LinkedIn internet presence. Learn the different elements available for optimizing your LinkedIn profile. Utilize the many search options that can identify job openings, people, companies, and groups that can help you in your career. The use of hashtags and @ symbols will be covered as well as the LinkedIn mobile app.
Building a Strong LinkedIn Profile April 2025
- 1. Building a Strong LinkedIn Profile brought to you by Bruce A. Bennett Career Coach Corner April 15, 2025 1
- 2. Introduction & Notes for Workshop Introduction MCWN Volunteer since 2010 & Contractor from 2018 Career Coach Corner Blogger & Presenter LinkedIn user since 2006 General Notes for Today My contact info is on the last slide Webinar is interactive Ask questions Red arrows point to LinkedIn page topic APL will record this event & the PPT is available on SlideShare 2
- 3. Outline for session Outline Why LinkedIn? General tips Enhancing your profile Searching & Settings Mobile App
- 4. Goals for session Learn how to create and post content Understand how to use the hashtag # symbol Recognize how to use the at @ symbol Identify opportunities to market yourself Discover the LinkedIn mobile app benefits
- 5. LinkedIn - What is it & Why use it? Over ONE billion professionals in more than 200 countries use LinkedIn to connect, exchange information, ideas & opportunities! More than 90% of recruiters search for candidates on LinkedIn 45 million people use LinkedIn to job search weekly 6 people are hired on LinkedIn every minute 77 job applications submitted every second Source: https://blog.hootsuite.com/linkedin-statistics-business
- 6. Your View of My Introduction Card
- 7. Your View of My Introduction Card Use the More button to reveal additional options including the Connect
- 8. Your View of My Introduction Card Use the More button to reveal additional options including the Connect
- 9. My View of the Introduction Card
- 10. LinkedIn Profile - Add Profile Sections
- 11. LinkedIn Profile - Add Profile Sections
- 12. LinkedIn Profile - Add Profile Sections
- 13. Editing Your LinkedIn Profile URL
- 14. Editing Your LinkedIn Profile URL Delete computer generated digits & Save
- 15. Editing Your LinkedIn Profile URL Use on resume, cover letter, business card, job applications, & email signature. Check Your profile’s public visibility while on this page.
- 16. Adding a Custom Banner Providing a custom banner enhances a profile
- 17. Adding a Custom Banner Use a relevant image of your profession or brand 1600 x 400 pixels is the banner size LinkedIn has over 2 dozen custom images to select from generic to current topics, e.g. Stop Hate
- 18. Adding a Custom Banner This is the Upload a Photo option that allows you to adjust the image to size
- 19. Adding a Custom Banner Use Google Images to search alternate options
- 20. Other Custom Banner Options https://www.canva.com/ https://www.freewordcloudgenerator.com/generatewordcloud
- 21. Editing Your Profile Contact Info Check your contacts for email & phone
- 22. Editing Your Profile Contact Info Your contact info should include email & phone
- 23. Building a Compelling Profile 1. All Star profile 2. Headline that is descriptive and accurate, not title 3. Add media to the Featured & Experience sections 4. About section with a call to action - TMAY 5. Utilize the Skills section and other keywords 6. Create relevant job search agents 7. Create a post, share an image, write an article, etc. 8. Use # and @ for better visibility on LinkedIn & other social media platforms 9. Recommendations 10. Name pronunciation - Mobile app
- 24. All Star Profile All-Star profiles are 40x more likely to receive job opportunities There are several stages to developing your LinkedIn profile 1. Beginner 2. Intermediate 3. Advanced 4. Expert 5. All-Star LinkedIn will suggest actions to reach the next level under your Introduction card until you achieve an All-Star Profile Article on How To Get LinkedIn All-Star Status
- 25. Profile Photo Your photo should have a professional appearance Passport format with a headshot Any digital photo can be cropped to fit Rename the photo file for SEO before uploading it e.g. Bruce Bennett Fishing Guide.jpg
- 26. Headline Headline can have 220 characters Separate your skills with a space and pipe symbol or create a Unique Value Proposition (UVP)
- 27. A. B2B Sales at MNO Company B. Bilingual B2B Sales Professional at MNO Company C. Fluent Bilingual B2B Sales Professional Helping French and American Companies expand their International Presence D. Marketing Manager at XYZ Company E. Successful Marketing Manager of Brands at XYZ Co. F. Internet Marketing Expert | Looking For New Business Partnerships That Need Help With Marketing... Lets Connect! LinkedIn Headline Alternative - UVP
- 28. Add Media for Visual Stimulation The Featured section is ideal for sharing docs, work examples, photo ops, and more Use the + symbol to add or the pencil to edit existing content
- 29. Add Media for Visual Stimulation Adding media to your Experience section is ideal for photo ops, documents, work examples, etc.
- 30. The About section can have 2600 characters The first paragraph should be about your skills, job titles, work experience and passion Second paragraph should relate how you added value for a previous employer(s) - tell a STAR story The final paragraph should tell how you can solve a company’s problems and/or career role you are seeking Close with a call to action: “let’s connect…contact me if…call me if” Incorporate the new logo and your top 5 skills About Summary
- 31. LinkedIn Suggested Actions Add your email address at the top of your About section Post your 2-page resume in the Featured Section and maintain it as the first item Why? Make it easier for recruiters to contact you! Join LinkedIn groups to increase the number of network connections to increase search results Common LinkedIn Setting Mistakes Causing Invisibility
- 32. Skills Only Two skills are featured but you can have 100 skills Your top 2 skills be displayed in the section You can add a new skill by clicking the + symbol Your skills can be edited or sorted by clicking on the pencil Add a new skill Edit your skills
- 33. Skills Type a new skill and LinkedIn suggests variations of the skill Customer = Service, CRM, Satisfaction, Retention, Experience, Support, etc. Skills at the top of the list are more widely searched
- 34. Skills LinkedIn suggests key skills based on your profile Click on the skill and Save it to add to your profile Or type in a skill to add it to your profile
- 35. Skills You can select the role in which you gained the experience Multiple work experience positions can be selected for the same skill
- 36. Editing Skills & Endorsements You can edit the skills by clicking on the pencil Click on 3 dots to reorder your displayed skills or check Endorsement settings
- 37. Editing Skills & Endorsements Click on the symbol and drag the skill to the new position
- 38. Editing Skills & Endorsements Endorsement settings Enable endorsements to boost your skills
- 39. Skills & Endorsements It is imperative to add all your skills to your profile You might ask yourself why is it so important? This Is Why I Emphasize Skills
- 40. Additional Nuance for Skills Strategically place skills in your work experience Job Title (then list skills used in that position) Insert key skills again in the detailed section
- 41. Job Search Job search agents (10) can be easily created
- 42. Job Search Agent Set an alert to create a job search agent Many filters are listed in the toolbar Date posted, Experience, Company, All filters have many more search criteria
- 43. LinkedIn Easy Apply Application Use Easy Apply if NOT listed on Company Website
- 44. Your Activity Activity posting can be linked articles, recognition, videos, hyperlinks, milestones, photos, etc. Anyone can view all your posting activities Click on Show all posts to view additional content
- 45. Your Activity Show all activity lists all your Posts, Comments, Images, and More (events, documents & reactions) Scroll down to see all activity with the engagement and impressions statistics View analytics to recognize trends in your posting activity
- 46. Your Activity Impressions show you how many times your content appeared on someone's screen Views inform you of the number of people interested enough to click on your content to explore it.
- 47. Analytics The Analytics section is only available for your review Additional info is available under each category
- 48. Analytics
- 49. Analytics Post analytics Impressions offers insights about the coverage of your activity Periods range from past 7 days, 14 days, 28 days, 90 days and 365 days
- 50. Creating Posts Creating a post is an easy process Start on the Home page and click on Start a post
- 51. Creating Posts Click on the Post to Anyone for the drop-down menu to select who receives the post
- 52. Creating Posts You can send to Anyone, Connections only, or a LinkedIn Group
- 53. Creating Posts You can select only ONE LinkedIn Group to post your message
- 54. Creating Posts Type a message and add # to increase the number of recipients Or use @ to tag specific individuals or company
- 55. Creating Posts Add hashtags to reach a larger audience #jobinterviews 14.1M #personaldevelopment 14.5M #careers 22.2M The content is complete and ready to Post
- 56. Creating Posts The text, image and hyperlink is successfully created and posted to the network feed
- 57. Creating Posts Clicking on the ellipse reveals several options including editing the post or deleting the post
- 58. Creating Posts You can schedule your post for a later time
- 59. Hashtag - # The hashtag # symbol is a powerful tool Use it to reach a larger audience Gain more visibility and/or marketing Appropriate use is #LinkedInTips Those individuals following #LinkedInTips will have it appear in their feed Enter a hashtag to find articles about it
- 60. Hashtags - # This article introduces a Chrome Extension that can id entify the number of hashtag followers
- 61. Tagging - @ The @ symbol tags a specific person or company The tagged person receives mention notice e.g. @DenisCurtin Or @BruceBixler Or @Brunswick Corporation Both symbols work with other social media
- 62. Tagging - @ Use the @ symbol and type their name Click on the person in the dropdown list to “tag” them in the post
- 63. Tagging - @ LinkedIn completes the name for you & hyperlinks it Complete typing your comments and click the Post button
- 64. Tagging - @ The individual receives notice that you tagged them It will appear in the feed of those individuals and/or companies who follow the individual
- 65. Three levels of connections Your LinkedIn Network - 1st , 2nd , or 3rd
- 66. Build Your Network LinkedIn suggests many ways to build a network People you may know from the University of South Florida Top emerging creators to follow Pages to follow based on your activity People you may know with similar roles People in the Professional Training & Coaching industry Online events for you Groups you may be interested in
- 67. Build Your Network People you may know with similar roles Click on their name or photo to connect
- 68. Build Your Network Click on the blue Connect button
- 69. Build Your Network A dialogue box pops up with two options Add a note customized to the person Send now produces a generic spam-like message
- 70. Build Your Network A personal note greatly increases the likelihood of a successful connection Only 200 characters can be used for the note
- 71. Build Your Network Click on the More button to Connect and reveal several other options
- 72. Recommendations Recommendations are meaningful and add an essential element to your profile for consideration Include a quote from your Recommendations and add it to specific work experiences to validate your capabilities to the viewer
- 73. Recommendations The first step is to identify who to ask by typing a name
- 74. Recommendations The 2nd step is to define your relationship and position with the individual by selecting options from the drop down menus
- 75. Recommendations The 3rd step is to customize the request and offer an idea for their comments. Finish writing the note and click on the Send button to complete.
- 76. Follow & Engage with a Company Keep current with your Interests & target companies LinkedIn enables you to easily view news & jobs This also enables you to engage with the company
- 77. Follow & Engage with a Company LinkedIn company page features many details Following the company makes it easy to stay informed and up to date about it Jobs can usually be found on their company page
- 78. Follow & Engage with a Company The About section features an overview with many details about the company You can let a company know you are interested in working there
- 79. Follow & Engage with a Company Like, Comment or Repost to engage with a company
- 80. Follow & Engage with a Company Additional Job search agents can be specific for your target company You are more likely to be viewed when liking, commenting or sharing their content It demonstrates you are engaged with the company
- 81. Who Viewed You? Review Profile Views from the home or profile page A free account will list the last five people who viewed you
- 82. Who Viewed You? The 5 most recent five people are identified with a free account except those that want to remain anonymous
- 83. LinkedIn Searching Find people, companies, jobs, groups using the search option Use LinkedIn’s array of search filters to fine-tune results
- 84. LinkedIn Searching Searching by Connections, Location, Companies, Industries, etc.
- 85. LinkedIn Searching Identify individual people by job function & company
- 89. LinkedIn Settings There are three profile viewing options You want to let individuals and companies know that you are looking at them
- 90. LinkedIn Social Selling Index https://business.linkedin.com/sales-solutions/social-selling/the-social-selling-index-ssi
- 91. LinkedIn Social Selling Index
- 92. LinkedIn Mobile App High level of functionality Instant communication Record audio message #Networking
- 93. Home Page LinkedIn mobile makes it easy to network and stay connected with your network. The mobile app opens to your home page for viewing your network feed. Touch your photo in the upper left to view your profile page.
- 94. Name Pronunciation The Name Pronunciation tool displays a speaker next to your name. Edit your profile by clicking on the pencil to pronounce your name with a brief message. Save the 10-second recording.
- 95. QR Code LinkedIn has made it easy to share your profile with others, especially at networking events. Begin by selecting the Search bar at the top of the page. 1 Click on the symbol and a new screen will be displayed. 1
- 96. LinkedIn QR Code 1 Open your camera so you can scan another person’s code. 2 Your code is displayed for scanning. 3 Share your code via email, Facebook, etc. 4 Save the QR code to your phone. 3 4 2 1 2
- 97. McHenry County Workforce Network Career Workshops & Services Brochure for May Personalized Job Search Assistance Services To sign up, request the professional directly by email Resume Review Mock Interview LinkedIn Critique 97
- 98. Upcoming Webinar Events LinkedIn for Your Job Search Wednesday, April 16 2025, from 10:00am to 12:00pm LinkedIn Strategic Guidelines Monday, April 21, 2025 from 10:00am to 12:00pm Resumes, Cover Letters & Applying Online Wednesday, May 7, 2025, from 10:00am to 12:00pm Guide to a Winning Interview Monday, May 12, 2025, from 10:00am to 12:00pm Network to Success Job Club Boost Your Job Search by Volunteering Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm
- 99. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn Bruce A. Bennett Mobile: 815-302-9552 Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bruceabennett Career Coach Corner Blog: http://bruce73.wordpress.com/ https://bruce73.wordpress.com/upcoming-presentations/ Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/b-squared-linkedin