Grow Your Career With An Ace LinkedIn Profile

All the big guns are on this professional networking website and you need to be, too! You see, whether you’re looking for a job, a means of networking, potential customers, investors or talent, LinkedIn is the answer. As of late 2018, LinkedIn had more than half a billion members in more than 200 countries, including executives from all of the Fortune 500 companies. The latter in itself is an indicator of the site turning into an essential for everyone.

- Sumaiya Shuaibdeen

By allowing members to upload both their resume and portfolio onto one site, and having them open to the right connections, LinkedIn’s popularity is booming among all professionals. A study found that 122 million people received an interview through LinkedIn, with 35.5 million being hired by a person they connected with on the site.*

Another stat** confirmed that 40% of employees sourced through LinkedIn are less likely to leave the company during the first six months. And, for the business-to-business marketers, Hubspot found that LinkedIn is 277% more effective at generating leads than Facebook and Twitter. So how do you use this channel to catapult your career forward?

It all depends on how you use this platform. Here’s how…

FIND THAT PERFECT LINKEDIN PIC

Your profile picture is the first thing anyone sees, so if it’s an image of you at a café or club with 10 filters on it, you’re failing at making a great first expression. According to research by LinkedIn, a great display photo will make your profile 14 times more likely to be viewed by others. Here’s how you can ace that photo.

Make sure it’s up-to-date and shows how you look on the regular.

Don’t be that person with a picture of yourself on top of a bridge. The point of this feature is to make a potential employer or contact learn about you. Your face should take up 60% of the frame.

Look approachable. IRL, you might be used to having a slight smile or a resting bit*h face, but in your professional network, you got to be your friendliest self to get sh*t done. Don’t fake it, but improve your PR game with a genuine intention to get ahead in your career.

Wear clothes that suit your industry and the level of dressiness expected at your office.

Upload an 800x800 high-quality picture that will show up crystal clear on your profile.