So, you’re on LinkedIn and you have a profile–you and several hundred million other people. When you want to stand out in a crowd that size, posting your LinkedIn profile is only a start.
You might not realize it, but today your LinkedIn profile is usually the first look at you that anyone (Read: Potential Employers) gets. If they like what they see, all sorts of good things can happen. These events include connection requests, new business ventures, and even job offers. Hiring managers, recruiters, and others scour LinkedIn, using its built-in search function to look for potential business partners, employees, and people they can work with.
The LinkedIn profile has a couple of key components. We’ve talked before how your picture is critical, but we’re here to talk about your LinkedIn profile summary. This often-overlooked section demonstrates your writing ability, your career progression, and your own knowledge of the skills and abilities that you offer to an employer.
A poorly written summary can also point to a lack of any of these talents on your part. After all, you can’t depend on someone you don’t know to figure out what you do best. That’s for you to know, describe, and display for all to see in your summary.
Okay, just how are you supposed to write this fabulous LinkedIn profile summary anyway?
Glad you asked! The Help Files for January 2016 offers plenty of tips and tricks to help you create the perfect LinkedIn profile summary.
5 Tips To Hook Your Reader With A Compelling LinkedIn Summary
You write your summary as best you can. How do you know, however, that your audience will keep reading? Virginia Franco offers five tips for you to use to write a compelling LinkedIn summary that will hook readers and keep them reading.
5 Templates That’ll Make Writing the Perfect LinkedIn Summary a Breeze
Maybe you know what you want to say, but you’re not sure how to say it. After all, you don’t want to bore your readers. You’re in luck! Aja Frost has five templates for you to use that will make writing your summary much easier.
How to Write a Perfect LinkedIn summary
Writing about yourself isn’t as easy as it sounds. Ever tried it? Fear not, because Danny Rubin offers a three-step process that might help you and me write summaries to be proud of.
How to Write a Killer LinkedIn Profile Summary in 5 Easy Steps
In part one of a double-shot, Jessica Mehring lays out five easy steps to take in connecting with industry insiders and customers.
How To Structure Your LinkedIn Profile Summary
In part two of a double-shot from Jessica Mehring, she teaches you how to put your summary together. This piece should give you some guidelines regarding how to say what you want to say.
Extra, Extra, Read All About It!
Build Your LinkedIn Profile From Start to Finish With This Massive Visual Guide
Just found this piece by Kristin Wong posted at Lifehacker.com, so I’m throwing it in as an extra, even though it doesn’t exactly fit in with the LinkedIn Profile Summary theme. I figured it was important enough to let my loyal readers know about right away. Who wants a nice, big, fat, juicy, well-done guide to building — or even re-building — your precious LinkedIn profile? Bookmark this article! I have.
Have some tips or tools to share with your fellow technical communicators, information developers, and content creators? Let’s network! Drop me a note: HelpFiles@TechWhirl.com. Follow me on Twitter, connect with me on LinkedIn, circle me on Google+, or email me at craig.cardimon@gmail.com. I enjoy connecting with others in the industry.
