Having a profile is not enough to highlight your professional self.
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One of the most frequent questions I get asked is, “I have a LinkedIn profile, now what?” Having a profile is not enough to highlight your professional self. You need to actively engage (beyond liking a post) to help position yourself as an expert and leader in the field. You might be thinking, “Am I an expert?” or “I don’t have a formal leadership title or manager role, so I am not a leader.” This is not true: You can be an expert and a leader in your field, regardless of time in role or your formal role and responsibilities.
Being an expert and leader is about positioning yourself to be active and engaged in conversations on topics of interest aligning with your career passions. When recruiters are evaluating candidates, or when someone is determining who to reach out to for an informational conversation, those who are engaged and facilitating conversations, are the ones who stand out the best.
Use the strategies below on how to move from passive to active and engaged on LinkedIn.
Maximize your profile. If you created your LinkedIn profile a while ago and have not updated it since, nor strategized on how you are communicating your brand, then you are in a prime position to take steps to enhance your profile and engagement strategies.
1. LinkedIn headline ideas. Elevating your LinkedIn headline can enhance your professional presence and establish your personal brand. The default of your LinkedIn headline is your most recent job title. Your headline is the place for you to define your career presence, what you want to be known for.
We are more than titles. Take some time to brainstorm what you want to be known for, your areas of expertise, and career interests and incorporate them into updating your LinkedIn headline.
2. Revise your About Me section. Make sure your About Me section is authentic by sharing your big picture story, including targeted keywords, and answering the ever-popular question: So tell me about yourself. A strategy you might try would be your three proudest accomplishments, two things you enjoy working on, and one goal or aspiration you are working towards.
Engage with others and content. The most passive form of activity and engagement on LinkedIn is liking. Anyone and everyone can do it. Here are some activities that can position you as an active expert.
Comment on posts and articles. When you find an article or post, consider adding a comment on why this topic or post resonates with you.
Call out the specifics, along with how you will apply this information in your own personal or professional development. Another approach is commenting with a link to a similar article and the connection you find between the two of them.
Ask a question. Show off your thought leadership by asking relevant questions about a topic or post. You might reshare the post, posing a question to your connections and followers (yes, there is a difference). This is a great way to begin dialogue on a topic that is relevant to you and shows others you are an engaged expert.
Write your own posts. A phrase I hear a lot is “Your network is your net worth.” When you find yourself with a challenge, or you found a new strategy and approach to doing business, create a post. Write your ah-ha takeaway to share with others or ask your question to get advice and insight on the topic keeping you up at night. Your posts, and comments, do not need to be long or lengthy, but enough to share some context and facilitate engagement from others.
