How Important is Having a LinkedIn Profile?
Do I really need a LinkedIn profile?
It’s a question I am frequently asked. And unless you’ve been living in a cave for a very long time, you should know the answer is “Yes, you need a LinkedIn profile.”
While LinkedIn can be defined in a lot of ways, I call it “Facebook for professionals” because Facebook and LinkedIn are more similar than you might think.
Facebook lets you to stay in touch with the people who are most important in your life. You can chat with them every day, as often as you want. You can find out what’s going on in their worlds and tell them what’s happening in your part of the planet.
You can do the same on LinkedIn except instead of talking to mom and Cousin Shirley, you can interact with the people who are most important in your professional life. Makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?
LinkedIn gets you noticed
Through LinkedIn, you can expand your professional network, learn about new businesses and new business ventures, and find almost-forgotten colleagues; people who might be able to tell you about some great career opportunities.
LinkedIn puts your face and your professional accomplishments and attributes in front of people who just might be interested in talking to you about a job.
Write specifically for LinkedIn
But don’t make the mistake a lot of LinkedIn members do by just copying your resume onto the website. You need to make your profile more personal. Write it in first person. Include some information about what you like to do and what’s important to you.
Make sure you have a great, attention-getting branding statement. And be more comprehensive in reporting your experience than you would be in a rifle-shot designed resume. Your LinkedIn profile should be a look at who you are now, where you are now in your career, and where you want to go.
Sue Montgomery is founder and president of Resume Plus (www.resumeplus.com). She is a professional resume writer and career coach who markets people for the jobs they want. Contact Sue directly at 937-254-5627 or email sue@resumeplus.com.