PAGE NAVIGATION - LINKS TO PAGE SECTIONS
LINKEDIN PROFILE GUIDE
NAME: Use the name you use to recruit (listed on your resume) and/or the name the average person would use to search for you on the internet. To capture both formal and preferred name, use "First-name (Preferred-name) Family-name" format.
PHOTO: Use a recent, high resolution photo where your attire and demeanor corresponds to target industry (business casual to business professional). You should be portrayed alone (not cropped from a group shot) with clearly distinguishable eyes/face and pleasant expression.
HEADLINE: This is a personal tagline that describes your brand. You can use a current degree, job title or career ambition. Keep it succinct, and remember - this phrase will accompany your name in the results list of a Google or LinkedIn search of your name. Make it count! Examples: "Ross BBA 2013 and CPG Marketing Analyst," "Experienced Supply Chain Consultant," "Summer Associate, JP Morgan," Cleantech Finance Professional and Ross MBA."
HEADER
SUMMARY: This is a 30-second pitch and your opportunity to provide a lens through which your audience views your profile. Write 1-2 short keyword-rich paragraphs that summarize who you are (present), your background (past), and your career ambitions (future). Write in the first person ("I", "My") or third person ("Sarah", "She"); be consistent and avoid excessive "I"
statements.
Sample Sentence Starters:
As a current [degree program] at Ross, I am focusing on [issue, career function/industry, academic emphasis, etc.]...
During my time at Ross, I've engaged in [classes, clubs, extracurricular, research, internships, etc.]...I am adept at [strength]...
My ability to [skill] was shown as a [role] at [setting]...
Last summer, I interned at [company] where [achievement]...
Prior to business school, I...
In the future, I plan to...
In my spare time, I enjoy...
SPECIALTIES: List detailed competencies beneath your summary that are relevant to your target function - or better yet - industry. Use bullets or commas to separate keywords. Be specific - "Product Planning," "Channel Support," and "Product Launch" are much more helpful than "Marketing." You can also use SKILLS section in place of SPECIALTIES.
SUMMARY
EXPERIENCE: This can include internships, MAP engagements, or substantial volunteer/leadership experiences. Write as if someone asked you, "What did you do here?" write 1-2 sentences about each experience in a concise and easily digestible manner highlighting an achievement orientation (results). It is also acceptable to use your resume bullets - but keep in mind that if your audience requests your resume, the resume should ideally be more formal and impressive than your LinkedIn profile.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Include a minimum of 2-3 recommendations from coworkers, business collaborators, professors, mentors, or supervisors. Recommendations should use keywords and represent the image you're trying to portray, so you may need to communicate this to person writing the recommendation. Select recommenders with credibility and a professional LinkedIn image
EXPERIENCE
SKILLS
Maintaining a relevant lists of skills on your profile in the SKILLS section will help others to understand your strengths and match you with the right opportunities. These should be skills relevant to your career goals, edit out any technical, non-relevant skills from your prior work experience. Your connections can endorse you for your skills, which will help you move up in search results on LinkedIn.
OTHER SECTIONS
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Status: This a "140 character press release." Updating your status with links, news articles or educational or professional happenings is a great way to "ping" your network. They will receive your updates on the news feed of their homepages, and also by email summary (depending on their preferences). Link your Twitter account, if professionally related.
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Education: Spell out degrees ("Master of Business Administration") and specify end dates. Secondary school not required but could be help where strong alumni networks are present. List involvements, scholarships, and awards.
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Groups: You can join up to 50 groups; however, limit group names/badges visible to your profile to 5-7 that represent your career brand. For example an MBA: 1 Ross + 1 Company Alumni + 1 target function + 2 target industry + 1 special interest/cause = 7. See how fast it adds up?
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Sections: Add sections to further professionally customize: Certifications, Languages, Projects, Publications, Volunteer Experience & Causes, Blogs, Creative Portfolio Display, Google or SlideShare Presentations.
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Personal Information: List only the contact information you feel comfortable sharing with your connections. Do not list birth year, marital status, or other illegal hiring information.
EDIT SETTINGS
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Edit settings by going to your Name > Settings at the top right corner of the page.
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Create a customized URL (e.g. www.linkedin.com/in/YOURNAME) and insert this link into your email signature to drive your existing and newly forming network to view your profile.
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Edit public profile settings during a job search to show headline, summary, specialties, current and past positions, and education to those outside your connections. Employers will be searching your name online, and you want them to find a content-rich page.
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Manage other settings, such as privacy (including your activity feed broadcasts), email digest preferences, and group displays.
FINAL TIPS
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Fill out profile to 100% completion.
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Rearrange order of sections, placing the most important and relevant content near the top.
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Write for the screen: use short blocks of copy with visual or textual signposts.
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Be judicious about content: do not write anything that you do not want the world to know.