Most people look for how to connect to professionals. You can connect with some either through working in the same company, you have the same skill, meeting at conferences, or even studying at the same college or university. Creating and having a LinkedIn account and profile is one of the ways you can connect with professionals. This article will discuss how to create a LinkedIn account and profile. LinkedIn is one of the social networking platforms that enable professionals in different fields to connect, network, interact develop and build their careers.
The LinkedIn account helps people looking for a job because you will see employers posting job vacancies and job seekers posting their CVs for possible opportunities to be employed. This article will teach you how to create a LinkedIn account and profile and the 6 steps to create it you should know. Registering as a member of LinkedIn or creating an account is free. In case you want to upgrade, you can get premium membership and get the premium membership profile features too. The platform helps members to connect with each other online.
Your LinkedIn account and profile will help you present yourself in a favourable way. Having a LinkedIn profile will help you to achieve your goal of finding a job easily if you are a job seeker or to connect and expand your network and connect with other professionals.
How To Create A LinkedIn Account And Profile
If you want to interact with other professionals and colleagues on LinkedIn, you must have a LinkedIn account. So you need to know how to create a LinkedIn account and profile. Use the steps below to create a LinkedIn account.
- Go to LinkedIn.com and click Join Now on any browser of your choice.
- Click on Create a LinkedIn account
- Type in your name and email address in the space provided for it.
- Create your password, it must be something you can easily remember.
- Select your country/region.
- Select your primary language.
- When you have finished entering all the required information, Click Join LinkedIn.
- You will be redirected to a page where you can complete your profile information.
- Once your profile information has been completed, you can now connect with other LinkedIn users.
Tips You Can Use To Create A Good And Perfect LinkedIn Profile
Having shown you how to create a LinkedIn account, it is now time to show you how to create a good and perfect LinkedIn profile. Creating a LinkedIn account is easier compared to creating a LinkedIn account profile. The following are tips on how to create a good and perfect LinkedIn account.
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Upload A Good Photo On Your Profile
LinkedIn is a social network platform where professionals meet and interact. so your profile picture should look professional. Your profile picture on LinkedIn should not contain any other images or distracting pictures. Preferably let it be a picture where you are dressed in a corporate outfit or clothing with a smile allowing your face to occupy up to 50% of the total area provided.
Don’t use pictures of where you are in a bar, club or any other location that is not befitting of your career. You can also post a photo that helps to describe your professional skills e.g. an image of your work if you are a designer or a picture where you are in the gym if you are a fitness trainer instructor.
Create A Strong Headline
One of the ways how to create a LinkedIn account and profile is to create a captivating and strong headline. Good headlines can be used for job titles so you need to think very well. You can highlight the details about your job experience and achievements at work and use them as the title.
Share Your Story On Your LinkedIn Account
Each user on LinkedIn has a unique story to tell. LinkedIn helps people to share their stories of achievements and experiences. Some people also use the About section of their LinkedIn account to write about their past job experiences and other professional skills they have acquired. Share stories of who you are, how you got to your present job and position, what you appreciate about your present job and position and what your expectations are of more skills you will want to acquire in future. While writing your story, avoid vague words but rather be clear and concise when describing your professional achievements.
Focus On Your Skills
After teaching how to create a LinkedIn account and profile, the first thing visitors look out for on your LinkedIn profile is to look at your skills so you need to make it one of the effective parts of your profile. LinkedIn has tools that will help anyone easily search for the right professionals with the right skills and experiences they might need. Ensure you list out the skills you are very good at, and you have the confidence to perform well which in turn makes you stand out from other similar professionals.
While mentioning your hard skills, ensure you also mention your soft skills. Soft skills like the ability to plan, communication skills, self-organization skills and the ability to analyze and think critically should be added to your profile.
Make Your Profile Active By Sharing Contents Regularly
One of the ways to make your LinkedIn profile account to be visible is to be active. Share your thoughts and experiences, life hacks, interesting and unusual cases, your developments and your visions in the form of articles and posts. Your posts might be attractive to your viewers or even colleagues. The visibility of your LinkedIn profile depends on how active you are with posting new content regularly especially if you are using it to build your network for job hunting.
Ensure Your Data Is Up To Date
After teaching you how to create a LinkedIn account and profile, don’t just leave it idle and expect to get results. You must put effort to make your profile to be lively and active. Ensure you update your profile data when there is a change, like you changed your job, acquired a new certificate, completed a course, or changed level from junior to middle or senior positions in your place of work.
Just like other social media platforms where you update and visit regularly, LinkedIn also needs your regular visit at least once a week with a minimum of thirty (30) minutes which you will use to review your notifications such as new contacts to connect with, employers advertising for jobs etc. Use the same time to comment on other people’s posts and answer questions or requests from other communities.
If you change your phone number, email address or contact address, remember to update it on your contact information because people will always want to know where you are so as to easily contact or connect with you. When employers or HR of an organisation want candidates for new positions, they consider location as one of the criteria. So if you don’t update your profile to show your current location, such an opportunity will elude you.
Expand Your Network
It is important to sync your contact list with your LinkedIn contacts. LinkedIn will suggest a list of colleagues that you can connect with on LinkedIn if you are using the sync option. The more you increase your contact and make it bigger, the more visible you become on LinkedIn and in your area of specialisation. Expanding your network also helps you to be visible to the right people, clients, partners and potential employers. It also increases your chances of being noticed by the right people so don’t misuse or ignore this opportunity.
Ask Your Friends And Colleagues For Recommendations
When you have followed the steps on how to create a LinkedIn account and profile and you have succeeded in creating one, list your skills on your profile and ask your colleagues to send recommendations as proof of the skills you have listed.
These recommendations will take your profile to the next level and make your LinkedIn page to be personal. You can ask your colleagues to write about their experiences while working with you on a particular project you have already completed or to write about your skills. When they do so, make sure you also drop your recommendations about them too.
Show Interest In Other Peoples’ Activities
Make sure you subscribe to other people and companies that you have an interest in even if they are not directly related to your professional activities. Regularly review other people’s articles, and posts and leave comments where necessary. LinkedIn will always promote an active LinkedIn account and profile that is always active.
Let Everyone Know About The Services You Offer
Ensure you share the services you offer on LinkedIn for everyone to see especially if you are a freelancer. This will make you stand out and be seen as a unique person from other competitors and other projects. As a network of professionals, LinkedIn creates an avenue for self-promotion/makes sure your potential customers understand you and that you are an interesting personality talented and experienced with many benefits you can offer if they order the right services from you.
Be Friendly In Your Communication Tone
Whenever you are writing on LinkedIn, your tone should be friendly, simple, precise and clear. Avoid using too many official messages but demonstrate your competence and be positive. Your main aim is to show people that a professional who is interested in his or her job, always has something to say and is ready to share. Using the right communication tone will make you sound legitimate and open to welcoming new contacts.
Connect With Other Professional Accounts
If you have your own website, pages on other social media networks, or even profiles on other professional platforms or freelance exchanges. Ensure that you connect your other accounts to your LinkedIn profile account. Just write short descriptions and attach the link to your personal website, company website, portfolio or RSS feed.
Learn To Use Keywords
Keywords are among the things used in ranking in Linked just as search engines use them for ranking too. Use professional and specific keywords to increase the visibility of your profile. For example, if you are into marketing, your profile should have keywords like, “marketing”, related terms like “B2B marketer”, ” creating of corporate brands” etc. Show that you are professional and know what will catch the interest of your customers and what they might search for in the search box. In case you find it difficult to think out the right keywords to use, you can use the keyword search service Google Awards.
Using keywords on your page severally will increase your chances of being seen and found by recruiters who are searching for recruiters and increase your opportunities. and bring about new career opportunities.
Conclusion
All we have described on this page ranging from how to create a LinkedIn account and profile to the tips to create a good LinkedIn profile is very important. Feel free to choose the one that works best for you. Be creative, professional and always post on your profile so as to be visible.