1. It may sound obvious, but make sure you have an up to date picture of yourself on your profile. Don’t use a company logo – a photo is much more personal. It also helps people find you if you’ve got a common name – so don’t miss out on those valuable connections by being shy!
2. If you’re looking for a new job or want connections to be able to contact you directly, make sure you include your email address and/or phone number somewhere prominent on your profile.
3. Ask for some recommendations. People you work closely with, both inside and outside your organisation, as well as past colleagues, will usually be happy to write you a recommendation which looks great on your profile to potential employers, business partners, clients and colleagues alike. Just make sure you return the favour.
4. Check that you’re linking to the most up to date company website and that the link works. Potential employers and connections will click through on this, and may lose interest if it looks like you don’t keep your profile up to date.
5. When you write your personal summary, make sure you include keywords relevant to your industry and specific role. This will help people in the industry find you easily.
6. To keep your profile fresh and in the minds of those you’re connected to, make sure you update it regularly. Comment on relevant industry articles you’ve seen, general news, available jobs.. whatever you think will be interesting to your connections.
7. You’re probably already a member of various LinkedIn groups, but how much do you contribute? Most of us are guilty of this one, but to really get your profile out there, add your thoughts to discussions, start new ones if there’s something you want opinions on, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
8. Are you a Tweeter? Connect your profiles! You can set it up so if you update LinkedIn, your Twitter account also gets updated, and vice versa. It can be a great way to manage all your social media very easily, as well as gain you connections on both sites.