Want to make your LinkedIn profile stand out from the competition? There are a few things that have to be considered first.

Let’s talk about Your “Experience” Section – this is where you get to boast (humble brag) about your professional accomplishments. Don’t use superlatives; let the positions, roles, responsibilities and achievements (measurable where possible) speak for themselves.

When you’re listing your experiences/roles, remember to begin with the latest first (LinkedIn does it automatically, if you put in the dates of that role; in addition, if the company is also a member of LinkedIn, the company’s logo will appear next to your entry).

How to write a winning “Experience” section on LinkedIn:

1. Add few lines about the company/organization – its size, its mission, its goals, description of your team and the members’ expertise etc.
2. Provide your exact responsibilities in each of your professional positions particular role. What are your (or were your) responsibilities in your current or past professional roles?
3. Mention achievements for each role; These are  best showcased when measurable (i.e. increased company turnover by x%), however examples of non measurable achievements could be included here (i.e. strategic partnerships brought about or organizing of a particular event).
4. Include media such as Images, videos, slide share – give examples using links.
5. Repeat your contact information,  i.e. email, website, tel# as well as mention specialties – for LinkedIn Search Engine Optimization Purposes.
6. Include keywords – Here you can add your most important keywords to rank your profile for, and you can use them over and over again.

In an ordinary document, this string of words might look strange or redundant. But on LinkedIn, all these keywords are catnip for the search engines. Identify the one or two most important words that prospects might put into the “LinkedIn” search box when they’re looking for a certain resource or person, and use those words in different phrases.

Here are a few keywords highlighted in 2 of my contracts with client organizations (in Italics):

–   American Express: Designed and conducted one-week Management Training and Leadership Training for Executives and Managers from Asia and Europe
–   Sheraton Hotels – Conducted Management Training and “Secrets of Influence” program for Sheraton General Managers and Training Managers from U.S. Properties.  Conducted a three-day Train the Trainer program for all Training Managers, with full certification of “Secrets of Influence” training program.

In my case I want to be known (and hired) for the expertise in doing LinkedIn Profile Makeovers for both individuals and corporations; these important keywords are listed in a block of “specialties”.

7. And most importantly, don’t forget to mention what benefits you can provide your prospects with? What’s in it for them if they work with / hire you? How can you help your prospects achieve their goals? How do you stand out from a universe of over 400 million professionals on LinkedIn?

And how do you use LinkedIn? Have you used any of the tips above? Let us know by sharing your thoughts in the comment section below.

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