What everybody ought to know about LinkedIn content

Everybody is so worried about doing LinkedIn content wrong. Often I hear from clients that they “heard” you have to do LinkedIn this way.

• Don’t put in your resume content
• Your LinkedIn shouldn’t look like your resume
• You have to do LinkedIn following these rules

The “rules” about LinkedIn content

I don’t know who made these “rules” but I ask you to consider several things as we discuss LinkedIn.

Think about why LinkedIn should or shouldn’t look like your resume. Back in the early days of LinkedIn, you could actually upload your resume and have it populate the fields. I didn’t recommend that then and I don’t now.

• Is the information in your resume proprietary or confidential? Sometimes you can put information on your resume but not in your LinkedIn profile because your resume (if used correctly) will only be given to a select audience. LinkedIn is both searchable and open to the public so you may need to edit information to use it on LinkedIn, leaving out specific quantifiers or information that is confidential.
• Did you have to limit content to fit in your resume? LinkedIn will allow up to 2000 characters per position so it is beneficial to add more information to LinkedIn.
• Should you rewrite information for LinkedIn? Maybe. Do you know your LinkedIn purpose? If you have more than one resume, you may have to create a hybrid of information for LinkedIn depending on which side you feature.

Opportunities to enhance LinkedIn Content Marketing

LinkedIn has rich opportunities to add information from multiple sources, upload

• PowerPoint presentations
• white papers
• add website links
• video.

If you have quality content or if you want to create new content, be creative. Recently, I helped an IT client create a PowerPoint with a comprehensive list of his subject matter expertise. We uploaded to his summary.

Earlier this year, I helped three young clients find new ways of adding their writings and videos to LinkedIn. This allowed them to showcase their skills in a whole new way.

You can add or upload documents, links, videos, and other content to multiple places in LinkedIn.

While LinkedIn offers you many opportunities to add interesting or even compelling content, don’t worry so much about not using your resume content. I see this as a “snooty” kind of attitude that some experts project when they say LinkedIn shouldn’t be your resume.

LinkedIn is a marketing tool but if your resume is done right, so is your resume.

Most resumes are dry and boring especially if they are self-made. I don’t recommend that either. Be creative.

Showcase your best “stuff” everywhere! You are marketing YOU in a job search.

Just keep in mind, rules about LinkedIn content strategy generally aren’t rules. They are just someone’s ideas or opinions. Stop being afraid of breaking the rules and showcase your successes.

Working with me is an opportunity to experience Collaborative… Personalized… and Strategic job search in a whole new way.