lnsplred Work

TM

OPTIMIZE YOUR
LINKEDIN PROFILE
TO GET HIRED FASTER

Contents
Introduccion ...................................................................................................................
.............................. 3 The Basics
.......................................................................................................................................
............. 4 Name
.......................................................................................................................................
................. 4 URL
.......................................................................................................................................
.................... 4 Photo
.......................................................................................................................................
................ 4 Background Photo
................................................................................................................................... 4
Headline .........................................................................................................................
.......................... 4 Location
.......................................................................................................................................
............ 5 Industry
.......................................................................................................................................
............. 5 Contact Information
................................................................................................................................ 5
Experience/Position Description
.............................................................................................................. 5 Publications
.......................................................................................................................................
....... 5 Summary
.......................................................................................................................................
............... 6 Additional Profile Sections
........................................................................................................................... 8 Skills
.......................................................................................................................................
.................. 8 Education
.......................................................................................................................................
.......... 8 Honors & Awards
.....................................................................................................................................
8 Volunteer Experience & Causes
............................................................................................................... 8 Connecting

With Others
.............................................................................................................................. 9
Connections ...................................................................................................................
.......................... 9 Groups
.......................................................................................................................................
.............. 9 Status Updates
.......................................................................................................................................
.. 9 Find a Job
.......................................................................................................................................
.......... 9 Staying Visible
.......................................................................................................................................
... 9 Conclusion
.......................................................................................................................................
.......... 10

Introduction
You probably already know that LinkedIn is the single most powerful online platform
for finding your next job. Yet, it comes with a caveat: since there are more than 394
1

million professionals who use the social network, you need to complete your LinkedIn
profile (only 50% of people complete their LinkedIn profile according to LinkedIns
only stats) AND you need to put your best foot forward with your digital brand so that
you stand out, and in a good way.
Usted probablemente ya sabe que LinkedIn es la plataforma online ms potente para
encontrar tu prximo trabajo. Sin embargo, viene con una advertencia: puesto que hay
ms de 394 millones de profesionales que utilizan la red social, necesitas para
completar tu perfil LinkedIn (slo 50% de las personas completan su perfil de LinkedIn
segn estadsticas slo de LinkedIn) y tienes que poner su mejor impresin adelante
con su marca digital para quedar bien parado y en una buena manera.
Most professionals know that they need to distinguish themselves from other
potential hires. It should be easy youre a unique individual with a specific set of
strengths, talents, and experience that inherently sets you apart from the sea of
others, right? While that may be so, theres no guarantee that hiring managers and
other professionals from potential employers will notice these aspects of your profile
unless you present them in the right way.
La mayora de los profesionales saben que deben distinguirse de otras potenciales
contrataciones. Debera ser fcil, eres un individuo nico con un conjunto especfico
de fortalezas, talentos y experiencia que intrnsecamente le diferencia del mar de los
dems, correcto? Mientras que puede ser as, no es ninguna garanta de que contratar
a gerentes y otros profesionales de los empleadores potenciales dar cuenta de estos
aspectos de su perfil a menos que los presentes de la manera correcta.
It goes without saying that were all short on time these days. So, your goal on
LinkedIn is not just to make a powerful impression, but to do so as efciently as
possible so that executives, hiring managers, other recruiters, and any other
potential connections will notice you right away.
Hace falta decir que estamos todos cortos en tiempo en estos das. Por lo tanto, su
objetivo de LinkedIn es no slo para dar una impresin de gran alcance, pero hacer tan
eficientemente como sea posible para que ejecutivos, gerentes de contrataciones,
reclutadores y cualquier otras posibles conexiones se daran cuenta enseguida.
Not only will these tips boost your Whos Viewing Your Profile metrics, but theyll
help you achieve results that matter. Whether thats getting noticed by recruiters
at your dream company or opening doors into a new career field, the optimization
of your LinkedIn profile can get you there.
No slo estos consejos aumentar su mtrica en "Quien est viendo tu perfil", sino le
ayudaremos a lograr resultados importantes. Esto es conseguir ser notado por los

reclutadores en la empresa de sus sueos o abrir las puertas en un nuevo campo en

su carrera, la optimizacin de su perfil de LinkedIn puede llevarlo hasta all.
Also, dont worry if youre not a professional writer. The reason these tips are so
efective is because they use a specific formula to precisely target the audience you
want to reach: recruiters, hiring managers, and connections who can get you in.
When you follow these tips, you cant go wrong. You wont find any intricate writing
processes here; well focus only on the most efective fundamentals that will catch
the eyes of the professionals you want to get noticed by most. Besides, throughout
this entire process, youll be writing about the person you know best yourself!
Adems, no te preocupes si no eres un escritor profesional. La razn de que estos
consejos sean tan efectivos es porque usan una frmula especfica para apuntar
precisamente al pblico que desea llegar: reclutadores, gerentes de contratacin y las
conexiones que se pueden conseguir. Cuando sigues estos consejos, no te puede ir mal.
Usted no encontrar ningn intrincado proceso de escritura aqu; nos centraremos slo
en los fundamentos ms eficaces que capturaran el inters de los profesionales que
desean ser notado por la mayora. Adems, a lo largo de todo este proceso, escribirs
acerca de la persona que mejor conoces, Tu Mismo!
Well take this process step-by-step, and with just a little time and thought, youll
have a professional, attractive LinkedIn profile optimized to stand out in your target
industry. As an individual, your unique blend of skills, knowledge, and experience is
what makes you a potential asset who can ofer significant value for the right
employer. Now, its just a matter of putting the spotlight on those skills and
experiences so that you can make a powerful, unforgettable first impression.
Tomaremos este proceso pasoa-paso, y con un poco de tiempo y dedicacin, tendrs
un profesional y atractivo perfil de LinkedIn optimizado para destacarse en la industria
de destino. Como individuo, la combinacin nica de habilidades, conocimientos y
experiencia es lo que le hace un activo potencial que puede ofrecer un valor
significativo para el empleador adecuado. Ahora, es slo una cuestin de poner el foco
en esas habilidades y experiencias para que puedan hacer una primera impresin
poderosa e inolvidable.
If youre ready to get started, I recommend that you grab any information you might
need (including dates of past employment), and set aside a few hours during which
youll be able to work uninterrupted. Keep in mind that putting in the extra efort now
is what can make the diference between getting the job you really want versus
having to settle for something less.
Si ests listo para empezar, te recomiendo que tomes cualquier informacin que puedas
necesitar (incluyendo las fechas del ltimo empleo) y reservar unas horas durante la
cual puedas trabajar sin interrupciones. Tenga en cuenta que poner en el esfuerzo
adicional ahora es qu puede hacer la diferencia entre conseguir el trabajo que
realmente quieres o tener que conformarse con algo menos.

Well start with the basics and move on from there, so that everything from your
profile name to your status updates are optimized to best attract the people with
whom you want to connect. If youre ready
to begin, then lets get started!
Comenzaremos con lo bsico y a partir de all, sobre todo con el nombre de perfil en tus
actualizaciones de estado estn optimizadas para atraer mas a la gente con la que se
desea conectar. Si usted est listo para comenzar, entonces vamos a empezar!
1

http://www.statista.com/statistics/274050/quarterly-numbers-of-linkedin-members/, November
2015.

The Basics
Lo Basico
When it comes to optimizing your LinkedIn profile, theres nothing thats of-limits. In
other words, with every single aspect of your profile, theres an opportunity to
capitalize on those seemingly insignificant character counts so that you can truly
make your profile stand out. Lets take a look.
Cuando se trata de optimizar tu perfil LinkedIn, no hay nada que sea fuera de limites.
En otras palabras, con cada simple aspecto de tu perfil, es una oportunidad para sacar
provecho de esas cuentas de carcter aparentemente insignificante para que
verdaderamente puedan hacer destacar tu perfil. Vamos a echar un vistazo.

Name
Nombre
This step is as simple as it gets: your name has a 60-character maximum, and its
the most basic form of identification you can include. For this portion of your profile,
keep it short and simple include your first and last name, and avoid using any
nicknames, contact information, or keywords in this area, as it could make you
appear inauthentic.
Este paso es tan simple como se pone: su nombre tiene un mximo de 60 caracteres, y
es la forma ms bsica de identificacin puede incluir. Para esta parte de tu perfil,
mantenerlo corto y simple incluye tu primer nombre y apellido y evitar el uso de
apodos, informacin de contacto ni palabras clave en esta rea, como lo podra hacer
aparecer inautntica.

URL
URL
Dont overlook the URL. Optimizing this portion of your profile gives it a neat
appearance, and more importantly, makes it easier for others to share. Customize
your URL so that it appears this way: linkedin.com/[yourname]. If your name is
already taken, consider incorporating some other distinguishing characters, but
dont include a ton of numbers, nicknames, or any other unprofessional content.
No se olvide de la URL. Optimizar esta parte de su perfil le da un aspecto aseado y
ms importante an, hace ms fcil para que otros puedan compartir. Personalizar tu
URL para que aparezca de esta manera: linkedin.com/[yourname]. Si su nombre ya
est tomado, considerar la incorporacin de algunos otros caracteres distintivos, pero
no incluye un montn de nmeros, apodos o cualquier otro contenido no profesional.

Photo
Fotos

Each day, its estimated that 45 million profiles are viewed on LinkedIn. One way
to ensure that your profile gets included in that number is to incorporate a
professional photograph this makes your
2
profile seven times more likely to be viewed. If you can, go for professional
headshots; if not, make sure
that the image of you is professional in appearance (business attire, plain background,
and no selfies!).
Cada da, se estima que 45 millones de perfiles se ven en LinkedIn. Una forma de
garantizar que tu perfil se incluye en ese nmero es incorporar una fotografa profesional
esto hace que su perfil de siete veces ms probabilidad de ser visto. Si es posible,
utilize fotgrafos profesionales; Si no, asegrese de que la imagen parezca profesional en
apariencia (vestimenta de negocios, fondo y no autorretratos).

Background Photo
Fondo de imagen
Part of having an eye-catching LinkedIn profile is making sure that youve achieved
100% completeness. While you might not consider the background photo (a feature
that was added to LinkedIn in June 2014) to be of significant importance, this is an
opportunity to personalize your page a bit more and gain the attention of
professionals in your industry. Keep in mind that it should still be professional if
youre in accounting, why not choose an image with numbers? You can get a little
creative yet still choose an image that fits with your niche and helps you get noticed
in a good way.
Parte de tener un perfil cautivante en LinkedIn es asegurarse de que has logrado 100%
de integridad. Mientras que no se puede considerar la foto de fondo (una caracterstica
que se agreg a LinkedIn en junio de 2014) para ser de importancia significativa, esta es
una oportunidad para personalizar tu pgina un poco ms y obtener la atencin de
profesionales de la industria. Tenga en cuenta que debe ser profesional si usted est
en contabilidad, por qu no elegir una imagen con nmeros? Puede ser un poco
creativo y an todava elegir una imagen que encaja con su entorno y le ayuda a
hacerse notar en el buen sentido.

Headline
Encabezados
In just 120 characters, you have to sell yourself as the most captivating potential
hire that recruiters, hiring managers, and your network of connections wont be
able to forget. Essentially, your headline should refect your personal brand
promise it should say who it is that you help, what value you can deliver as a
professional, and why youre the best choice (what makes you unique). Heres
where you can include relevant industry keywords that describe your role and key
skills that hiring managers are
seeking. What words do you hope to get found for when your potential employer does
a search? Include

those in your headline but make sure that the verbiage still fows naturally. In other
words, dont make
2

Mauney, Brad. LinkedIn Blog. (Jul. 29 2013). Retrieved from

http://blog.linkedin.com/2013/07/29/five-simple-
ways-to-boost-your-professional-brand-on-linkedin-infographic/ Nov. 26 2015.

it obvious that you planted those keywords in your headline; make sure that they
fit into the overall message of your personal brand promise.
En apenas 120 caracteres, tienes que venderte a t mismo como la contratacin
potencial ms cautivante que los reclutadores, gerentes de contratacin, y su red de
conexiones no ser capaces de olvidar. Esencialmente, los encabezados deben
refejar su marca personal prometida, debe decir en que puedes ayudar, qu valor le
puede ofrecer como profesional, y por qu eres la mejor opcin (lo que te hace
nico). Aqu es donde puede incluir palabras clave relevantes de la industria que
describen sus habilidades y destrezas claves que los gerentes de contratacin estn
buscando. Qu palabras espera encontrar su empleador potencial cuando hace una
bsqueda? Incluyen esas palabras en el encabezado pero asegrese de que la
verborrea fuya naturalmente. En otras palabras, no lo hace obvio que colocando
esas palabras clave en su encabezado; Asegrese de que encajan en el mensaje de
la promesa de tu marca personal.

Location
Ubicacion
Like your name, this aspect of your profile is pretty straightforward. But before you
move on so quickly, consider this: if you live on the outskirts or within commuting
range of a big city, it may benefit you to list that city as your location. This can
improve your odds in search results, and is especially beneficial if your dream
company is located in a major city.
Como su nombre, este aspecto de su perfil es bastante sencillo. Pero antes de ir tan
rpido, considere esto: Si usted vive en las afueras o en trayecto entre una gran
ciudad, puede beneficiarse en mencionar a la ciudad como el lugar de ubicacin. Esto
puede mejorar sus probabilidades en los resultados y es especialmente beneficioso si la
compaa de sus sueos se encuentra en la gran ciudad.

Industry
Industria
In addition to optimizing your location, you need to tailor the industry section of your
profile so that it efectively attracts the recruiter or manager that you want to
connect with. To target your potential employer, ask yourself this: what would he or
she search for in the industry section to find me? If you have a paid profile (and
thus, have access to the Whos Viewed Your Profile insights), then you may want to
experiment with incorporating diferent words into your industry section. After a
few tries, you should be able to find out which phrase is resonating best with your
target employers.
Adems de optimizar su ubicacin, es necesario adaptar la seccin de industria de tu
perfil para que efectivamente atraiga al reclutador o al gerente con el que desea
conectarse. Para llegar a su potencial empleador, pregntate esto: Qu buscara l o

ella en la seccin de "industria" para encontrarme? Si usted tiene un perfil pagado (y

con eso, tener acceso a las ideas de "Quin ha visto tu perfil"), puede probar con la
incorporacin de diferentes palabras en su seccin de "industria". Despus de varios
intentos, podr averiguar qu frase suena mejor con los empleadores de su destino.

Contact Information
Informacion de Contacto
Youre on LinkedIn to make connections, so make sure its super easy for anyone who
views your profile to get in touch with you. If youre only a third-degree connection or
beyond, its likely that someone whos interested in connecting with you wont bother
to send an introduction or buy an InMail to get in touch. You can still make it easy for
people to reach you by optimizing your contact details. You can include up to three
websites as well as a Twitter handle. Dont forget about the Advice for Contacting
section, in which you can incorporate any information that makes you easy to reach,
such as an email address or phone number.
Tu ests en LinkedIn para hacer conexiones, as que asegrese de que sea super fcil
para cualquier persona que vea a su perfil para ponerse en contacto con usted. Si eres
solamente una conexin de tercer grado o ms all, es probable que alguien que est
interesado en conectar contigo no se molestar para enviar saludos o comprar
mensajes InMail para ponerse en contacto con usted. Puedes hacer aun mas fcil para
la gente llegar a ti mediante la optimizacin de tus datos de contacto. Puedes incluir
hasta tres sitios web as como un enlace de Twitter. No te olvides de la seccin de
"Consejos para ponerse en contacto con", en el que se puede incorporar cualquier
informacin que le hace fcil de obtener, como un nmero de telfono o direccin de
correo electrnico.

Experience/Position Description
Experiencia/Descripcion de Posiciones
Here, you have 2,000 characters to describe your role and your significant
accomplishments. Envision the skills/experience that would define you as a key
player in the role for which youre seeking employment. How can you illustrate the
ways in which youve grown, made key accomplishments, and truly benefitted your
past or current employer(s)? Dont be afraid to incorporate numbers here. Most
importantly, show, dont tell! If you can provide links to past projects or include any
eye-catching media such as videos, images, presentations, or documents to your
experience section, then do so. Whenever possible, let your work speak for itself.
Also, be sure not to rattle off past projects, duties, and/or responsibilities in a resume-
like format. Your goal is to make your profile stand out and come to life. If youre
questioning the readability of your Experience section, then run it by a couple of
friends or family members to see if it needs any edits.
En esta parte, usted tiene 2.000 caracteres para describir su papel y sus logros
significativos. La visin de la habilidades y experiencia que definira como un jugador
clave en el papel en el que usted est buscando empleo. Cmo se puede ilustrar la

forma en que has crecido, alcanzado logros claves y como benefici realmente a tu
empleador actual o pasado? No tenga miedo de incorporar nmeros aqu. Lo ms
importante, mostrar, no digas! Si usted puede proporcionar enlaces a proyectos
anteriores o incluir cualquier medio muestra como videos, imgenes, presentaciones o
documentos a la seccin de experiencia, entonces hazlo. Siempre que sea posible, deje
que su trabajo habla por s mismo. Adems, asegrese de no hablar de ltimos
proyectos, deberes o responsabilidades en un formato de tipo curriculum vitae. Su
objetivo es hacer que su perfil destaque y los lleve a la vida. Si cuestionas la legibilidad
de la seccin de experiencia, pdele a un par de amigos o familiares para ver si necesita
cualquier edicin.

Publications
Publicacion
Like the Experience section, Publications has a 2,000 character limit. Here, you
should include any examples of work youve done from blog posts to papers and
any other published written content, any work-related content youve completed in
the past will exhibit credibility in your industry for anyone whos viewing your profile.

Como la seccin de experiencia, publicaciones tiene un lmite de 2.000 caracteres.

Aqu debera incluir ejemplos de trabajo que has hecho, desde blogs a papers y
cualquier otros publicacin escrita, cualquier contenido relacionado con el trabajo que
has realizado en el pasado que mostrara tu credibilidad en la industria para quienes
estn viendo tu perfil.

Summary
The LinkedIn Summary is of monumental importance when it comes to getting
noticed, and optimizing it is what will give you an edge over your competition. Some
people fail to bother with their LinkedIn Summary altogether, which is a big mistake.
El Resumen de LinkedIn es de monumental importancia cuando se trata de hacerse
notar, y optimizarlo es lo que le dar una ventaja sobre su competencia. Algunas
personas no se molestan con su Resumen de LinkedIn, lo cual es un gran error.
Your LinkedIn Summary is so important perhaps the most crucial element of your
entire LinkedIn Profile that Ive dedicated an entire section of this eBook to it. Most
likely, youll spend the most time working on your profile summary. While its only
2,000 characters, the part that can be most difcult is taking advantage of those
characters and using them to your best ability so that your summary gives a well-
rounded, captivating description of you as a professional without being overly-
detailed, or conversely, too nondescript.
El Resumen de LinkedIn es tan importante quiz el elemento ms fundamental de
todo su perfil de LinkedIn por eso he dedicado una seccin entera de este eBook.
Probablemente, pasar ms tiempo trabajando en el resumen de tu perfil. Debido a
que solo son 2.000 caracteres, la parte que puede ser ms difcil es tomar ventaja de
esas letras y usarlos en su mejor capacidad para que el Resumen de una descripcin
cautivante y enfocada de usted como un profesional sin ser sobredetallada, o por el
contrario, demasiado indescriptivo.
The summary has a 2,000 character limit, and its in your best interest to use those
characters up. Specifically, research suggests that profiles with summaries of 40
3

words or more are more likely to be featured in employers search results. Thats a
great reason to put a little extra thought into your summary.
El resumen tiene un lmite de 2.000 caracteres, y es en su mejor inters para usarlos.
Especficamente, la investigacin sugiere que perfiles con resmenes de 40 palabras
o ms tienen ms probabilidades ser presentado en los resultados de la bsqueda de
empleadores. Es un gran motivo para poner un poco ms analisis en su resumen.
One of the easiest ways to get started on your LinkedIn Summary is to revisit your
headline. Remember, your headline should refect your promise of value. It indicates
why (and how) you could be a valuable asset for a potential employer. To create your
summary, youll simply build on that statement. Here are a few questions to consider
when writing your summary:
Una de las maneras ms fciles para iniciarse en su Resumen de LinkedIn es revisar su
encabezado. Recuerde, su encabezado debe refejar su promesa de valor. Indica por
qu (y cmo) podra ser un activo valioso para un empleador potencial. Para crear tu
Resumen, simplemente construir en esa frase. Aqu estn algunas preguntas a
considerar al escribir su Resumen:
What would you like to communicate to recruiters and potential employers
about yourself?
What type of impression do you want to make on people who view your profile?

What qualities are you known for? Think of ways in which you can illustrate
how your work embodies your core values, skills, and talents.

Also, there are some words you may want to consider avoiding altogether. One of the
most commonly over-used phrase (according to LinkedIn themselves!) is
4

motivated. You might think that this would be a strong adjective that any recruiter
would consider important, but the truth is that nearly everyone includes this word in
their profiles. Instead of using these adjectives, focus on explaining the things that
set you apart as a viable candidate. How did your motivation drive better results in a
past role? Did you
use your motivation to find a creative solution to an ongoing dilemma? Remember
the rule: show, dont tell!
As for some other words to avoid, the remaining list of the most overused,
underwhelming buzzwords and phrases of 2014 according to LinkedIn includes:
passionate, creative, driven, extensive experience, responsible, strategic, track
5

record, organizational, and expert. Keep in mind that these arent

necessarily bad words, theyre simply overused. The reason theyre overused is
because nearly all
3

Cavazos, Nicole. ZipRecruiter. (2015). Retrieved from

https://www.ziprecruiter.com/blog/optimize-your-linkedin-
profile-in-7-easy-steps/ Nov. 27 2015.
4
Fisher, Catherine. LinkedIn Blog. (Jan. 21 2015). Retrieved from
http://blog.linkedin.com/2015/01/21/brand-you-
year-how-to-brand-yourself-without-sounding-like-everyone-else/ Nov. 27, 2015.
5
Fisher, Catherine; see above.

employers want to hire candidates who fit these descriptions. The secret is showing
how you fit these descriptions (although you shouldnt pick all of them; target a few
of these or other key adjectives that fit best with your unique professional history),
instead of just listing the qualities you exhibit.
Your summary should also have an organized structure. You shouldnt rattle off past
accomplishments or try to woo potential employers by taking on a salesy tone. The
summary should have a logical fow that highlights a few specific past
accomplishments and successes of note. You can also discuss the things about which
you are passionate (as long as they pertain to your industry) and any special skills or
experiences you have that set you apart. Your tone should be 100% genuine. Dont
forget that you can always ask friends or family members to proof your work and
provide any suggestions for improvement.
Essentially, the summary section afords you the opportunity to tell the story of you.
While it should be professional and the focus should be on your career (avoid details
about your personal life, of course), you dont have to make it sound too formal or
forced. Be sure to write your summary in the first person, and always begin by
building on your promise of value.
Here is an example of some feedback I recently provided for a client about
optimizing the introduction of his LinkedIn Summary, or what I refer to as the
personal brand statement:
Helping [target employers/clients] do [role/deliverables] so that they can
have [benefits/results]. I am especially good at [list diferentiation] which is
why I am known as the [ultimate brand position e.g., Career Happiness
Coach]. I stand for/am committed to [values/things you and your brand to
stand for 100% of the time].
Please keep in mind that your personal brand statement needs to include the top
keywords that are best optimized to attract employers from your target industry.
Some other details you might want to consider including in your summary are the
amount of years for which youve worked in your industry; or, if youre making a
significant career shift, the reasons why youre switching career paths and what
past experience makes you a unique, valuable candidate.
If you are struggling in organizing your summary, consider first making bullet points
to address experience, strengths and talents, noteworthy accomplishments, and
skills. You can always build upon these points and draft a cohesive summary from
there. Or, conversely, you may want to choose to keep some of your summary in
bulleted format. For instance, Ive found that listing key values/diferentiations in a
bulleted list is efective and helps draw the eye down the list. Remember, readability
is an important part of having a LinkedIn profile that gets you hired. So, you might
want to include key values such as Commitment to applying new learnings to day-to-
day responsibilities to optimize performance in the workplace or A-Player who

collaborates well by capitalizing on strengths and aligning goals across teams and
departments in a bulleted list.
Finally, dont forget to include a call-to-action at the end of your summary. You need
to make profile visitors feel as if they should get in contact with you now. This is the
part where you essentially seal the deal and do your best to convince recruiters
that youre the candidate theyve been looking for.

Additional Profile Sections

Now that youve completed your most challenging profile section (your summary),
completing the remaining portions of your profile will feel easy in comparison. Resist
the urge to skip them altogether; though. Remember, a LinkedIn profile thats 100%
complete is more likely to get noticed and picked up during search results.

Skills
Its recommended that LinkedIn users list at least 10 core skills. You can receive
endorsements from others, and in return, you can provide endorsements for them as
well. Even without a premium profile, you can list up to 50 skills. I recommend listing
as many as possible this is one instance in which more is better. Think of it this
way: the broader your skillset, the more likely you are to appeal to a recruiter whos
searching for a candidate with a specific skill. Dont forget to check off that youre
interested in
receiving endorsements for your skills; and, once you begin receiving them, be kind
and return the favor
for others. More than 10 million endorsements are given every day on LinkedIn,
6

but the average user has only five endorsements. This is one area in which you
can easily surpass your competition by increasing your number of endorsements
beyond the average.

Education
Many LinkedIn users stick to the basics in this section, but the Education portion of
your profile provides yet another opportunity to capitalize on your history to attract
recruiters and connections. One thing to keep in mind when writing your education
section is to expand on your degree so that it includes any relevant keywords. You
have 100 characters for this section, so feel free to use them! Also, avoid listing
information about your high school education. Even if you are a recent college
graduate, most
employers simply dont look at this portion of your education. Keep in mind that you
have 1,000
additional characters to expand upon your education in the Education Description
section discuss, using keywords, how your schooling is relevant to your target
industry and career.

Honors & Awards

Dont leave this 1,000 word section blank. Even if you feel as if youve never won
anything, there must be some point in time during which your eforts were
recognized. Use this section to highlight superior performance, and if possible, tailor
it to fit with skills and talents that would help you excel in your
target employers industry.

Volunteer Experience & Causes

In many instances, volunteer experience can be likened to career experience; in fact,
42% of hiring managers polled in a LinkedIn survey say that they consider volunteer

work to actually be equivalent to formal work experience. Not only does it

emphasize your values and your ability to work well with
others, but it also rounds you out as a professional with a vision and purpose.

Schafer, Neal. Maximize Social Business. (Aug. 28, 2015). Retrieved from
http://maximizesocialbusiness.com/professional-linkedin-profile-tips-checklist-
9648/ Nov. 27, 2015.
7
Mauney, Brad; see above.

Connecting With Others

Once youve tailored your LinkedIn profile using the strategies discussed so far, you
can begin optimizing your profile through the connections you make with others. Take
a look:

Connections
How many connections should you have on LinkedIn? While the simplest answer
might be the more, the better, heres one benchmark for which you can aim:
8

multiply your age by 10, and try to achieve that many connections. Having a low
number of connections might not give you enough exposure on LinkedIn, so be sure
to think back to past business relationships so to build up your network.

Groups
LinkedIn Groups are an ideal way to get connected with other professionals in your
industry, which can certainly include recruiters and hiring managers. When you join
a group, other group members become able to contact you through the messenger
(essentially bypassing the first-degree connection stage altogether). The majority
9

(81%) of LinkedIn users belong to at least one group, so be sure to use this tool to
your advantage and join as many groups as you can manage.

Status Updates
Being an active user on LinkedIn is just as important as building a compelling profile.
You can publish status updates to draw attention to yourself; just be sure that its
business-oriented. If youre feeling shy about sharing your thoughts, consider writing
posts that are helpful and relevant in your industry, or even sharing articles that
might be interesting to your connections.

Find a Job
This is the part youve been waiting for! Once you have built an efective LinkedIn
profile, gotten connected with others, and use the platform regularly, its time to
search LinkedIn Jobs. You can used the advanced feature to search using title,
industry, keyword, location, experience level, company, and more. You can also
complete a brief survey, which will then help LinkedIn to provide you with positions
for which you might be an ideal candidate, based on the preferences youve
provided.

Staying Visible
Being active on LinkedIn increases your visibility. Updating your status once per
weekday is recommended, and based on research, may help you connect with about
10
60% of your target audience.
Its also recommended that you continue to update your information regularly only
42% of users do so, and its one way that you can stand out against other potential
11
hires. You can also rearrange your
profile sections and continue to monitor your profile activity to see whats most
efective.

Schafer, Neal; see above.

Schafer, Neal; see above.
10
Knight, Warren. LinkedIn Pulse. (Sept. 26, 2014). Retrieved from
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140926175351-938929-the-social-media-frequency-guide-
how-often-should-
you-post Nov. 27, 2015.
11
Schafer, Neal; see above.
9

Conclusion
The steps listed in this eBook serve as the fundamentals for how you can create an
efective and compelling LinkedIn profile. Optimizing your LinkedIn profile is one of
the best ways to get hired, as networking online is critical for getting noticed by
recruiters, hiring managers, and other professionals.
With that being said, its only one of the ways in which you can optimize your
visibility and get hired. In my experience as a career coach and brand strategist, I
have come up with dozens of other ways in which you can take your skills,
strengths, talents, and experiences and use them to your advantage to get hired in
the role and industry you most desire. For more information on how you can create
your most fulfilling career, visit www.InspiredWork.com.