10. Strengthen LinkedIn Profile

Here is a screenshot of my completed LinkedIn Profile and the link to my profile:

Link: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=AAMAABU1a5EBwdjXeZUT-Anq-t0ugJkSVYKS-EA&trk=hp-identity-photo

Prior to completing this project, I already had a pretty strong Linked In profile and quite a few connections. However, I wasn’t getting noticed by employers as much as I’d have liked, and realized that I really needed to take my LinkedIn profile to the next level in order to grab their attention.

The first thing I did to revamp my profile was take a new headshot for my profile picture. I know the picture is the first thing people see when they search me up, so it is highly important to have a clear, professional photograph that depicts you in the best light possible. After uploading a new photograph, I updated my job experience because I held two other positions after I last updated my profile. This will give employers a more updated idea on my experience and make me a more accomplished candidate for jobs.

After that I began to follow more companies and people, such as Time Magazine and Susan Cain, the Ted speaker I connected with about why the world needs more introverts. Following more organizations and people helped bring more interesting and thought-provoking posts onto my timeline, so that every time I logged into LinkedIn, I could receive multiple updates of current events. These updates make me feel more connected to both the community and issues I am passionate about. They help me stay up to date and informed about what’s going on in the world so that I can have topics to chat with my interviewer or employer about and show them I am a well rounded student.

Next I updated my summary section because it still said I was a freshman. I changed it to sophomore status and added some information about my interests in social innovation and technology. This way employers can have a clear idea of my passions before contacting me, so they know exactly the kind of position I am looking to get into for the future.

I also remember Ira mentioning that we should like people’s updates on LinkedIn, such as celebrating an anniversary or getting a new job, so that people know we care about them. Sending them that notification will also remind them of me and that I am an active member of their network. I did the same thing with endorsing people that I knew were good at certain things because I knew they would appreciate it and endorse me back. It looks more professional when you have more people saying you are good at something and shows employers that you have a strong and wide reaching network. 

Then, I added interests in my Additional Information section just in case employers were viewing my page and shared some of the same interests that I have. It would attract them to be as a candidate more to know that we have the same hobbies and would be a great jumping off point to talk about. Furthermore, I updated the causes I care about and organizations I support section to show people the topics that matter to me. Employers usually like candidates that are passionate about issues going on the in the world around and who actively seek to improve society, not just people who solely care about making a profit for their own benefit. This section is a great one to show off my passion for service and giving back to my community.

Finally, I began my quest to greatly expand my network and add as many connections as I could. To accomplish this, I clicked on my recommendations page and added many people who I knew in real life whom I had not yet connected with. Most people accepted right away and helped to build my network even further. My goal is to reach 500+ connections and I am currently at 446 after making a conscious effort to scroll through and connect with everyone I know. However, the number is constantly growing and I am confident I will reach 500 soon.