Written by: Arthur Gluzman, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
LinkedIn, as a networking tool, has undoubtedly brought the professional community closer than ever. Its primary use for professional networking, including job-seeking applicants broadcasting their resumes and also employers posting jobs, has made the platform more significant. At Global Career Advisors, we always advise professionals to utilize their LinkedIn profiles to their advantage because, with LinkedIn, you can land your dream job in less than sixty days.
Nonetheless, its impressive digital imprint of more than 450 million users has made it a compulsory platform for professionals. Hence, a LinkedIn profile account has become part of the regular operating toolbox for professionals, especially those in sales. But unfortunately, many individuals fail to realize the value of this platform, hence, unknowingly making inevitable mistakes that should be avoided.
Below are the five most significant omissions, mistakes, and errors made by professionals on LinkedIn:
1. No Substantial Profile
Not having a standard profile is primarily the biggest mistake, and of course, it remains the strongest. If you can, for a moment, think about this, the error most users on LinkedIn make is that they don’t have a tangible profile. Instead, what they have as a profile is either a blurb they yanked from their corporate sites or what they copied and pasted from their job descriptions.
Some professionals on LinkedIn who are guilty of this misconduct cannot be taken as lazy. Instead, it could be attributed to the fact that they may not know how to position their profiles without looking amateurish or superficial.
Although the intended reason might be noble, however, it is often a misplaced one. This is because when people stumble on such profiles, they want more than blank-cooperate talks. Instead, they desire to see a real profile; that is, they wish to learn about such individuals and obtain a clear sense of professionalism, which includes the things you do, your reason for doing it, and what you aspire to accomplish. Nonetheless, you should remember that attractively telling the truth is not narcissism; it is marketing. So, if you have a LinkedIn profile that needs to be put in the right place, we recommend that you revamp such a profile.
2. No picture/ Wrong photo
Profiles on LinkedIn with no photos instantly attract the question, why not?
A profile without a picture can convince some people that an account does not exist, which is also a tremendous mistake most professionals make. Hence, having a picture makes your profile seven times more likely to be viewed. A profile without a photo is like a house for sale without any graphic detail to describe it. For such, there might be assumptions about something being wrong. Therefore, having a professional picture on your profile becomes very important. When it comes to LinkedIn, it is essential to avoid putting personal photos as your profile picture. Putting up pictures of dogs, husbands, and babies is wrong. Appearance misrepresentation is also a blunder made.
3. Undescriptive or Boring headline
One mistake professionals make writing an undescriptive or boring headline on LinkedIn. A LinkedIn headline is essential to a profile because the first thing anyone will see is your profile headline, aside from your profile photo and name. The headline will decide whether your profile will get the necessary attention from decision-makers or your target audience.
Also, it is essential to know that your headline must include keywords that will enable people to locate you. For example, it could consist of the services you offer or the position you occupy. You can also create a particular statement on clients’ needs, which can captivate a prospect's attention to click on your profile.
4. No skills or recommendations
Not including social proof in your LinkedIn profile is a huge mistake some professionals make. This is because social proof is a great way to create a good impression. When people decide whom to hire, they’re often influenced by the decisions others have made. So, this means that the more recommendation you have, the better for you.
An excellent testimonial from past and current clients, industry peers, and colleagues who took the time to describe in writing how your expertise assisted them is effective at improving and strengthening your reputation. Accumulate at least five recommendations from reasonable or credible people who can honestly attest to you and your skill set.
5. Blank current experience or summary
The summary section is a perfect place to make an incredible impression on the viewer. Leaving it empty will deny you the great privilege or opportunity to describe yourself to your reader, clientele, and target audience. When writing your summary, speak promptly to your audience, be it your ideal employers, clients, or strategic partners. The first sentence of your summary section must captivate your reader enough to read more about you.
Also, a recent experience or summary must adequately illustrate what you are doing presently in your business or position.
A compelling summary or current work experience section should:
Describe the company you own or work for
Share the maximum motivating information about the company, which might include the vision or mission statement.
Describe the services or products you offer, their usefulness, and the client you serve.
Explain your roles, responsibilities, and achievements in the company.
Conclusively, anyone can make mistakes; however, errors like these five LinkedIn mistakes analyzed in this article should be avoided. Therefore, ensure you familiarize yourself with the etiquette of LinkedIn.
Nonetheless, if you don’t know how to use your LinkedIn to land your dream job then, feel free to reach out to us here, and let’s help you land your dream job in less than 60 days.
Arthur Gluzman, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Arthur Gluzman, the founder is the CEO of a million-dollar recruitment company and a career coach. For more than 20 years, Arthur has coached and helped various individuals to get their dream jobs within 30 days. He has also helped top reputable companies recruit the best talent in their organizations. Using his 20 years of recruiting experience, he has helped CEO’s, CFO’s, VP’s, and Talent Acquisition Pros who are looking to hire and retain the best professionals and executives in the known Universe. "I encourage you to take your career to the next level. I believe it’s time for you to receive expert assistance in pinpointing your hidden strengths and passions while building unshakable confidence. Build your brand as an expert in your industry, just like any other leading expert. You will never feel stuck, undervalued, unappreciated, unrecognized, or underpaid ‒ Ever again in your lifetime. So…"
