5 Smart Tips for LinkedIn Self-Promotion - CareerAlley

5 Smart Tips for LinkedIn Self-Promotion - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Smartly executed self-promotion is the key to career advancement, and in our hyper-connected days, LinkedIn is one of the best tools to help you do this. The question isnt whether you should be on LinkedIn, the mega-popular professional networking service, but rather, how to best take advantage of this powerful medium to separate you from the pack. After all, with more than 80 million registered LinkedIn users, standing out among your peers can be a daunting consideration. The question isnt whether you should be on LinkedIn, the mega-popular professional networking service, but rather, how to best take advantage of this powerful medium to separate you from the pack. Tweet This Not doing something with LinkedIn is like leaving money on the table, says Debra Forman, a certified executive coach in Toronto, Ontario. You dont need to pay for the upgrade the free service is all you need but the key is getting people to land on your page. To get the right people to view your profile and to wow them while theyre there, consider these tactics: source Get Connected The key to LinkedIn is being found and being fabulous, says Irene Koehler, a social media consultant in San Francisco. Koehler says the first step is to make relevant connections. Understand that the number of connections you have directly impacts how easily you can be found, explains Koehler. Forman agrees but believes there should be quality along with quantity: Dont add more connections than you can keep up with, she says. source Say Something Take advantage of the Share tab on your profile page, which lets you share insights, a website link or other information with your community. Draw people into whatever youre doing, and itll go out to all of your connections, says Forman, who promotes a monthly video in this fashion. Remember, you might only have, say, 100 people in your network, but you could reach millions because every one of those connections has connections who can see what youre up to as well. Using the Share tab is a good way to be proactive in the search process, as if raising a hand above the crowd. Another way to be heard is to regularly answer questions in the question/answer component of LinkedIn, establishing your expert voice. Team leader or individual contributor? Manager or supporter? Successful organizations are filled with all personality types. The best leaders in the world would be very unsuccessful if they had no followers. When you are looking for a job, it is no time to be modest. You need to be your biggest cheerleader and sell yourself to whomever will listen. And, while you need to take credit for all of your achievements, you also need to be careful not to exaggerate your achievements to the unbelievable level. Dont Sell Yourself Short 5 Ways to Promote Your Job Search Be a Joiner Belonging to a LinkedIn group thats relevant to your expertise opens up new opportunities, says Forman. The beauty of groups is you can promote yourself, get work and be noticed. Be a Wordsmith Unless you optimize your profile, which includes using good keywords, youll be the worlds best-kept secret, says Koehler. Understand which keywords are best to use, which speak to who you are and who youre trying to attract. Use the terms employers are using, says Koehler. For example, if youre a Web designer, youll want to use searchable words like web, HTML, graphics, design, designer and so on. The top keywords should be in the summary section of your profile page. source Show, Dont Tell Aim for compelling text on your profile page, such as, Youve only got that one moment to impress them, says Koehler. Your profile should not look like a resume with bullet points; instead, potential employers should hear your voice and understand how you approach this job differently than the next person, she adds. Include links to your work-related blog and import feeds from Twitter if you offer commentary on IT issues. Its not just what you have to say, however. Recommendations from others who know your work in IT are important too, says Koehler. We all think were fabulous, sure, but its more powerful to have others offer their perspective. More Important LinkedIn Features you need to know! Book Corner How To Build the ULTIMATE LinkedIn Profile In Under An Hour: Boost Your Branding What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to identify and land your dream job. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search