No matter what you think, you cannot afford to ignore LinkedIn. About 40 percent of the 350 million members log in daily to their LinkedIn profile and which tell you that it is more than essential to have an active LinkedIn profile.
Interacting and building your network is one key aspect of using LinkedIn. However, keeping it up to date is just as important. It is in this area that you might be prone to make several mistakes, not unless you are careful about keeping certain things in mind.
5 typical LinkedIn profile errors with their fixes
1: Your LinkedIn profile headline doesn’t describe you accurately.
Many people can do several things: write books, teach, speak at events, or even consult on marketing strategy. If your headline only describes one thing that you do, then doesn’t do your profile justice.
Find a way to list out everything you do in the headline concisely. Use SEO keywords since this will lead to your profile being found more often in searches.
2: Your LinkedIn profile picture was taken 10 years ago.
If you are using an outdated picture, it’s time to update this. Experts say that a profile is likely to be viewed 11 times more with an updated image.
Also, make sure that the image isn’t inappropriate but stays within the norms of professionalism. This picture is the first that employers will see, so you want to make an excellent first impression.
3: Summary requires work.
Below your image and headline lies the summary. Word it so that it informs your readers of the skills and experience you possess. At the same time, it should tell them how they can contact you for a specific job role.
Remember to write it for someone who has little or no time to read. Also use the Summary functionality to add links to presentations, industry articles, and websites.
4: There’s not one recommendation on your LinkedIn profile.
It’s tough to ask an employer for a recommendation even if you have a decent work history with them. Yet, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of asking your employers for recommendations as this will build your brand and your credibility.
While LinkedIn suggests that you receive the recommendations of at least 200 people, this might not be ideal. Sometimes, an excellent recommendation can be written and sent via email.
5: No skills listed.
When you list skills, not only is your profile 13 times more searchable, but it also provides employers with an overview of your capability. You can also enjoy endorsements, which are valuable as a result.
Not adding skills to LinkedIn can also cost you both views as well as job opportunities.
In Closing
While this list doesn’t cover all the errors that are possibly made using LinkedIn, it’s still a decent start.
Having admitted that, are there any other LinkedIn profile errors that you made? How did you fix them? Please share them in the comments section below.
