How do you increase visibility on LinkedIn?

On May 15, I was the guest speaker for the AmeriCorps members meeting. This is an annual seminar I offer to the local AmeriCorps group to help them get up to speed on the latest resume, job search, and career marketing strategies. On May 22, I follow that up with 20 minute resume critique sessions from 1 to 5:30pm.

To get the session rolling, I passed out sheets of paper and let the members write down their questions. Rather than giving them a preset teaching session, I decided to answer their specific questions. I told them that I would share some of those questions here to help others who may have the same questions. Today’s Question:

How do you increase visibility on LinkedIn?

The question was:

Once you create a profile on a site such as LinkedIn, what is the best way to get your name out there? (get employers to see it)

Let’s talk LinkedIn optimization and strategy:

1. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is really complete and update it  frequently. I can’t tell you how many profiles I look at that have no substance. The summary area is often not used at all but yet that area alone holds 2000 characters. Make those characters count! The summary is to be written in the “I” voice so it feels more like a conversation that the detached 3rd person voice of the resume. The quotes below come from a very special client I worked with recently, you see common ground and wording with the keywords but you get a different feel in the voice.
• LinkedIn: Here’s the beginning of one of my client’s profiles: “You will find me to be a dynamic, passionate non-profit executive, with an extensive history of fundraising, fiscal management, program management, and board development. I have been blessed with an exciting career dedicated to the improvement of impoverished communities and families. “
• Resume:  Dynamic, passionate non-profit executive, with an extensive history of fundraising, fiscal management, program management, and board development. Innovative, results-driven professional noted for transforming communities and creating strategic alliances and partnerships with stakeholders, corporations, and community at-large.
2. Build your connections. If you have less than 20 connections on LinkedIn and complain to me that it doesn’t work, I know why. You haven’t expanded your connections on LinkedIn. You need to grow your LinkedIn community with quality connections. I’d set a goal for 1o0 and go from there.
3. Use the resources of LinkedIn to research companies and connect with people who can help you. But don’t be a pest. You need to realize that company leaders are busy.
4. Use your profile link on your business card and post new status messages. If you blog, share your blog posts, but also share other things especially tied to your area of expertise. Be a resource in your expertise to your network by posting status messages of value.

More tips on how to increase LinkedIn visibility:

1. How to make sure LinkedIn is bringing you value
2. Watch your LinkedIn Headline – don’t let it tell you what to say!
3. Who do you connect with on LinkedIn?
4. The top 5 mistakes LinkedIn users often make

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