Don’t neglect your LinkedIn profile. Neglect can have several negative consequences, especially if you are a professional looking to advance your career or network effectively. Here are some key reasons why you should not neglect your LinkedIn profile:
First Impressions: Your LinkedIn profile often serves as a first impression for potential employers, clients, partners, or colleagues. Neglecting it can convey a lack of professionalism and commitment.
Networking Opportunities: LinkedIn is a valuable platform for networking. Regularly updating your profile lets you stay connected with current and former colleagues or clients, mentors, and other professionals in your field. It can also help you discover new connections that may lead to opportunities.
Job Search: A well-maintained LinkedIn profile can help you stand out to recruiters and hiring managers if you’re actively or passively job-seeking. It’s often one of the first places they look when considering candidates. In fact, depending on the source, it could be from 87% (Zippia) to 95% (Forbes) of recruiters vet candidates by looking at their LinkedIn profile.
Visibility: An optimized and active LinkedIn profile is more likely to appear in search results when people are looking for professionals with your skills and experience. This activity can lead to more opportunities coming your way. An active profile means you are posting and especially commenting, so you are discoverable, visible, and credible.
Personal Branding: LinkedIn allows you to build and maintain your personal brand. You can showcase your expertise and credibility in your field by sharing your achievements, insights, and professional updates.
Industry Insights: Staying active on LinkedIn allows you to follow industry trends, join relevant groups, and engage in discussions. Your engagement can help you stay informed and connected to what’s happening in your field.
Recommendations and Endorsements: Neglecting your profile means missing out on the opportunity to collect endorsements and recommendations from colleagues and supervisors, which can boost your credibility.
Skill Development: Using LinkedIn regularly might motivate you to continue learning and developing new skills. You can discover courses, join relevant groups, and engage with experts in your field.
Showcasing Achievements: Your LinkedIn profile is an ideal place to showcase your career accomplishments, projects, publications, and certifications, allowing others to see your professional growth.
Global Reach: LinkedIn provides a platform for global networking and collaboration. Neglecting your profile limits your exposure to a wide range of professionals and opportunities worldwide.
Job Alerts: If you’re open to job opportunities, maintaining an active LinkedIn profile makes it easier for recruiters to reach out to you with relevant job offers.
Don’t neglect your LinkedIn profile, as it can hinder your professional growth and limit your access to opportunities. Regularly updating and engaging with your network on LinkedIn is a valuable investment in your career development and networking efforts.
NEXT STEPS
- Subscribe to my newsletter on LinkedIn for bright ideas to manage your career.
- Join as a member at https://greatcareers.org/membership of the #1 business networking association on the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Book of Lists three years in a row!
- If you need a resume or LinkedIn profile to get you to your next step, book a call to chat!
- Follow #GreatCareersPHL
AUTHOR BIO
Lynne M. Williams is the Executive Director of the Great Careers Network, a volunteer-run 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides career development and networking connections for 1) job seekers in career transition, including veterans, and 2) employed and self-employed for career management.
Aside from writing keyword-focused content for ATS resumes and LinkedIn profiles, Lynne is currently writing her doctoral dissertation on LinkedIn for Job Seekers. She is a contributing author on “Applying to Positions” in Find Your Fit: A Practical Guide to Landing the Job You Love, along with the late Dick Bolles, the author of What Color is Your Parachute?, and is also a speaker on career topics.
This article is also published on: vista.today, montco.today, delco.today, bucksco.today, philadelphia.today and in the author’s LinkedIn newsletter. A list of articles can also be found in a Google doc.
