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LinkedIn Best Practice

How to get started on LinkedIn

Luke Brewin (He/Him) avatar
Written by Luke Brewin (He/Him)
Updated over 7 years ago

LinkedIn is perfect for creating and nurturing professional relationships. It is a great platform to showcase your unique expertise and start relevant conversations around it!

Let's get started on how to set up your profile

  • Name: Make it as easy as possible for people you meet to find you on LinkedIn!

  • Headline: By default, LinkedIn populates your headline with your job title and current company, but you can consider listing your speciality and speaking directly to your audience. Make your profile searchable and include important keywords. Try to keep your headline to about 10 words.

  • Profile photo: Go with the cleanest, most professional looking snapshot you have.
    Remember: that photo is your first impression you have!

  • Cover photo: Use a high-resolution and properly sized image to help you stand-out and showcase your expertise.

Summary

Fill out the “summary” field with a few of your biggest achievements.

What to talk about in your profile summary

  1. Say what you do

  2. Say why you do what you do

  3. Say why people should connect with you

  4. Explain what sets you apart

  5. Share something personal

  6. Tell people what to do next

How to write your profile summary

  1. Stick to 3-5 short paragraphs

  2. Lose the jargon

  3. Write how you speak

  4. Show white space and bullet points

  5. Use keywords

  6. Add rich media

  7. Proofread!

Some examples...

Example 1:

  • Good headshot

  • 3 paragraphs description

  • Explains why she does what she does

  • Lets her personality shine through

Example 2:

  • Good headshot

  • Bullet points in summary

  • List of tangible results

  • Media attachment in the summary to grab attention

Post and engage regularly

  • Use status updates to share industry-relevant content to showcase your expertise and see who engages with your content.

  • Be professional, but start conversations –ask questions, comment on posts shared by others, compliment connections on great achievements!

Grow your network

  • Don’t be shy - connect with people you meet!

  • Customise the message you send when adding someone to your network – this will help you stand out. 

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