5 Things you Need to Have a Complete LinkedIn Profile

For many of us LinkedIn, though not as massive as Facebook, is very important for the business and professional markets. It is where the serious people come to network and is mostly for business-to-business professionals.

LinkedIn has undergone another face lift and you are now able to customize your profile just a bit more. Optimize your profile for exposure and engagement. You won't just show up randomly on someones search if you don't have any information that would appeal to them.

1. Customize your profile URL

Not only does it look better but it’s also easier for people and organizations to remember and type in their browser. If there is an option, you always want to customize URLs. Take a look at the recent blog post on how to customize your Google+ URL.

2. Résumé

Having a complete and up-to-date résumé is always very important in any situation, but more importantly on LinkedIn.

Some of the Information that you can add to your profile includes:

Experience
Languages
Publications
Organizations
Volunteer Experience & Causes
Certifications
Honors & Awards
Projects
Skills & Expertise
Education
Test Scores
Courses
Patents

As if that wasn't overwhelming enough, you are now able to add photos and videos to a few of these sections. You can also re-arrange the order of what is viewed on your profile. Luckily when you are trying to edit your profile, LinkedIn has a way of telling you step-by-step on how to improve your profile and what is recommended for you.

I also like the feature of adding projects to your profile, the only downside is that you can't add photos to each specific project yet. You can also add team members to each project which is handy for letting people know who is responsible. If you need help adding projects to your profile, Click Here to take a look at the help center on LinkedIn.

3. Portfolio

Showcase your Portfolio on your LinkedIn Profile

Don't just say it. Display it.

They introduced ‘LinkedIn Professional Portfolio’ in May, and it allows you to upload images, presentations, videos, or documents to your experience, and you can also add files or links to previous jobs. It kind of reminds me of Instagram in how it is layed out.

"Now you can add your work to your profile. Showcase everything from portfolio pieces to presentations to videos." - LinkedIn

Are you on the list? Sign in to see if you have access to this new feature.

It's easy:

Choose your favorite pieces
Upload from your computer or import from other sites
Let your work speak for itself

4. Recommendations

Build your credibility with recommendations, don't ask for recommendations to people that you don't know or are not even a client as this will kill your reputation. I can't stand when I get 'Can you recommend or endorse me" from people that I don't know, not only do I delete it but I am more likely to remove them from my connections.

But don't be afraid to ask for a recommendation or endorsement. People will be more than happy to give them to you, but you have to ask.

Note: Recommendations and endorsements are not the same thing. Learn more about the differences between recommendations and endorsements.

5. Interact

Finally, be active on your profile. Social media engagement begins with conversations. Be sure to respond to people and comments, update your status, post your blog posts, and look out for things that you can comment on that interest you to support fellow professionals trying to make a difference by providing their own resources. Just don't be 'spammy'.

"By being active, people and organizations have more chances to see you. The more people and businesses that see you, the better your chances at landing a connection that may pay off in the future". - SocialMedia Today

http://socialmediatoday.com/socialbarrel/1860756/ace-linkedin-these-17-profile-must-haves-infographic

By being active, people and organizations have more chances to see you. The more people and businesses that see you, the better your chances at landing a connection that may pay off in the future.

Be sure to respond to people and comments, post your blog posts, and look out for things that you can comment on that interest you to support fellow professionals trying to make a difference by providing their own resources.

Social media engagement begins with conversations.