Probably the essential section within your LinkedIn profile read in the first place, once they’ve caught their attention with your headline and header is….your summary!
There are many different theories, no right or wrong way. Still, from a personal branding perspective and in my opinion with social media, people buy into people they trust and like.
If you can establish this right from the start, then no one is going to trust or care about you, your business, let alone your product or service. One of the best ways is to establish this trust by sharing your journey and passion to date.
A good starting point is working with your past, present and future stages:
- Past: Start by sharing how you got into your career or business
- Current: What got you to where you are now
- Future: What you are working on going forward
Within each of these sections, key in any achievements, awards, career milestones, endorsements that you are most proud of.
For the summary, there is a 2,000-character limit. Use this space to expand on your personal story. Be sure to think of keywords while you craft it.
Now, take the time to fill out your information in such a way that your prospects and colleagues know you. Don’t just copy and paste your resume here, instead consider the following:
- A complete profile includes your industry, location, current position
- At least three or past job positions, education, at least three skills and 50 connections.
- Write an excellent brief description of what your present and past responsibilities were in each job listing.
- Volunteer experience is just as valuable as work experience.
- Links to videos, Powerpoints, Slideshare, articles, blogs, and additional sections, including Honours & Awards, Certifications, Organizations, Projects, Languages and Publications, may be added too.
- Ensure Company Names are correct
- If possible, choose from the drop-down list, so that you are linked to the official company page and can easily connect to former colleagues.