In April 2017 it was estimated that LinkedIn had more than 500 million users. Of these users, over half are considered to be “active.” With so many active users, how does one stand out in the crowd? Make sure you have an All-Star profile.
LinkedIn has created five levels indicating profile strength, ranging from beginner to all-star. An All-star profile is simply one that is complete. So, what are the requirements to complete your all-star profile?
Upload a profile picture
While uploading any profile picture will fill this requirement, a professional-looking photo is highly recommended. Choose an individual close-up photo, since it would be difficult to see you if much more than just your face is in the picture. Look directly into the camera, relax, and smile! A quality picture sets the tone for your professional profile.
Add Experience
A minimum of two positions with descriptions is required to reach “all-star” status. If you don’t much have relevant work experience, listing student or volunteer experience in this category will work great. If you have extensive experience, it is only necessary to list the most relevant positions. Be sure to provide a brief summary of each position.
List your skills
Add appropriate skills to this section and don’t be afraid to ask people to endorse you! Once you’ve added a few skills, you have the option to reorder each skill by clicking and dragging. The top three skills are “featured” at the top of this section.
Write a personal summary
Your personal summary is the “tell me about yourself” section. Use this section to define who you are and how you are unique. Be sure to highlight your professional skills and goals, but don’t be afraid to add some personal flair. If you consider yourself to be a hammocking enthusiast, it may be appropriate to include that in your summary. However, remember that you only have 2,000 characters to work with, so make them count!
Include your industry and location
This is as simple as selecting an industry and entering in your zip code. It lets your connections know where you are.
Education
Add any education you have received, school-related activities and societies you’ve participated in, degrees awarded, etc. This is a fun feature to add because it allows LinkedIn to find more “people you may know” from school.
Grow your network
At least 50 connections are required to complete an all-star profile on LinkedIn. Reach out to old classmates and colleagues, really build your network! I would advise against being spammy and requesting to connect with completely random people. Only request to connect with people you know or other professionals that you are genuinely interested in networking with. Set a goal to eventually reach 500+ connections!
These are the only steps required to complete an all-star profile on LinkedIn! Take your time to ensure each step is completed well, not just thrown on your profile to achieve all-star status. Once you’ve completed these steps, get started on giving and requesting recommendations from others. You can also add photos, slideshows, or articles written for various projects. Maybe consider writing and publishing LinkedIn Pulse article or joining and participating in groups! Take advantage of the variety of networking opportunities on LinkedIn.
Have you benefitted from networking on LinkedIn? I’d love to read your story in the comments below!