Fail-Safe Ways To Boost Your LinkedIn Profile And Get Noticed

As a student, it’s hard to get out there. Most fear rejection or simply just don’t have the confidence to network in person. Thankfully, sites such as LinkedIn are tools proven to work, especially for the more modest student.

It’s hard and nerve-wracking to sell yourself in person but, thanks to the wonderful world of the internet, it’s made that little bit easier.  Still, there’s work to be done when promoting yourself online. It’s not easy to get noticed, but here are just some of the fail-safe ways you can boost your LinkedIn profile.

Be more active

Even if it’s just a few minutes a day, being more active on the site can boost your connections tenfold. According to a Lab42 survey, only 1/3 of users log in each day, therefore limiting their exposure.

If you want to look proactive to future employers, you need to be proactive and it’s surprisingly easy to do. Careers guidance site The Muse claims that you can double your connections in just five minutes a day. Yes: double! How? Improve your visibility on the site by commenting on updates from companies you’re interested in and reach out for a new connection at least once a day.

By sharing your own updates, your connections will be able to view your recent achievements, sparking their interest. Refreshing your profile information regularly will inspire more people to check you out, so keep updating. There are so many other ways in which you can boost yourself to being noticed on the site and not one is time-consuming or hard to do. No excuses!

Your photo

Your photo is a visual advert for you as an employee and you want it to sell well. According to LinkedIn, profiles that include a photo are 21 times more likely to be viewed than those without one.

Make sure the picture’s background is plain to avoid distraction; the focus should be on you! Poorly cropped pictures are also a no; you’re essentially posting a headshot so you need to be able to see your full face. Additionally, get someone else to take it. Even if you aren’t posing as you would in a Facebook photo, it’s still obvious you took a selfie and unfortunately that comes with a lot of stigma.

Remember it’s not a modelling shot. Look clean, dress smartly and smile. In fact, research shows these factors and more can affect the way you’re perceived through your photo.

The Muse further demonstrates the ways in which your photo can display how likeable, competent, and influential you appear: “Having your eyes shaded or blocked by a glare, your hair or sunglasses can hurt your impression, while slightly squinching them will enhance it. Even things you wouldn’t ever really think about — for instance, whether your full jawline is revealed in the photo — can have a significant impact on how you’re perceived.”

Another great tip outlined by GQ is to think about including your work environment in the shot. “If you’re a local news reporter, a picture of you with an on-air news microphone communicates pretty clearly to anyone trawling LinkedIn that this is what you do. It communicates how capable you are at your job in a way that a traditional PDF resume wouldn’t be able to, visually.”

Reach out through alumni

LinkedIn has a handy alumni search feature in which you can find connections through your university. Reaching out to your campus can open even more opportunities locally for you. Not only that, but you can see what your peers are up to and find out what’s available to you as a student in your area.

Ask people you know for endorsements

Endorsements essentially cement that you are truly able do what you say you can. On LinkedIn, you can list any skill that takes your fancy but, without an endorsement or listed relevant experience, there’s no proof you are proficient in it.

Ask former employers, your peers or people you have worked alongside to confirm your skill set and emphasise your qualifications. Additionally, endorse others. It’s a great way to show someone you value their abilities and that you’ve noticed them. Give them out freely, without expectation, and you may be gifted some in return!

Just remember that you should only endorse skills you can vouch for. While being generous with them is great, you can’t just give them out willy-nilly.

Promote your profile

Don’t be ashamed of your achievements and experience! Link your profile to your other social media and let people know you’re on there! It’s an effective way to get traffic to your page and demonstrate you are hot property in the job sector!

Networking in person is just as important. When doing it, let the person know they can find you on LinkedIn. Or get it printed on business cards if that’s how you roll! Be shameless in your personal plugs; it’ll be worth it! Lastly, don’t forget to make sure you’ve filled out all the relevant information requested by the site and aim to become an All-Star.

And it’s as easy as that! If you put into practice even some of the pointers listed here, you should be pleasantly surprised by the results. So, get out there, grab some connections and have fun promoting yourself!

Inspiring Interns is an internship and graduate jobs agency.