Ready to re-enter the workforce or make a career change with Boulo?  Creating a strong LinkedIn profile is an essential first step.  If your LinkedIn profile is non-existent, incomplete, or lacks a network, companies will notice and may dismiss your candidacy.  

Here are simple tips from Jane Fleming at LinkedIn to upgrade your profile as you begin your job search with Boulo:  

Choose the right profile picture

Your profile picture should be a headshot rather than a full-body picture, and it should look like you.  Wear what you like to wear to work. 

Add a background photo

The background photo grabs people’s attention, sets the context and shows a little more about what matters to you. 

Make your headline more than just a job title

Use the headline field to say a bit more about how you see your role, why you do what you do, and what makes you tick. 

Turn your summary into your story

The first thing to say about your LinkedIn summary is – make sure you have one! Your summary is your chance to tell your own story and provides the foundation of a strong LinkedIn profile. So, don’t just use it to list your skills or the job titles you’ve had. Try to bring to life why those skills matter.

Grow your network

Growing your network helps surface relevant people for you to reach out to 

List your relevant skills

It’s one of the quickest of quick wins on LinkedIn – scroll through the list of skills and identify those that are relevant to you. The key here is staying relevant. A long list of skills that aren’t really core to who you are and what you do, can be too much. 

Spread the endorsement love

Endorsements from other members substantiate your skills and increase your credibility. Don’t be afraid to reach out with a polite message asking for endorsement for a few key skills as well. Remember though – relevance matters. Reach out to people whose endorsement you’d really value.

Share relevant content from your LinkedIn feed

It’s one thing to have a network of connections on LinkedIn – it’s far better to have an active role in that network, appearing in your connections’ LinkedIn feeds in a way that adds value for them. 

These steps are just a start, and you can do even more to complete a LinkedIn profile overhaul.  Here is the full article with additional tips if you want to keep improving: https://bit.ly/3gU8Ps7

Building a strong LinkedIn profile is necessary to stand out to future employers. The Boulo team encourages you to update your profile if you want to make an impact when we match you with a role. For more great career advancing tips, check out our recent blog by Sarah Bull.