You're LinkedIn profile is crap. But it doesn't have to be. Here is a way to gamify the system to make LinkedIn work for you -- and for free. By Jennifer K. Riggins http://ebranding.ninja

1. How to Make
LinkedIn
Work for You
@jkrigginsebranding.ninja

2. Why are you on LinkedIn?

3. LinkedIn is a Beast
CV / Resume on crack
References on demand
Cover Letter
Personality

4. LinkedIn is your Brand
If you are a creative
worker or consultant,
much more important
than a website or blog.

5. Steer your brand toward
your objective.

10. Great, smiling headshot
In the right clothes for
the job you want
JUST OF YOU!
no dogs, no babes, no spooning

11. Write your full
professional name
Add all other names somewhere
else in profile
• maiden names
• nicknames
• misspell, with/without accents

12. Eye-popping Headline
40 characters | Many titles | Not
current job title | Your brands

13. Summary <2000 words
1. Who You Are
-Professionally
-Volunteering
-3 words to
describe
-Sell your passion
2. What You Do
-What problem do
you solve
-Your unique value
proposition
-Any spectacular
achievements /
milestones

14. Summary <2000 words
4. The part no
one reads
-Filled with any
and all SEO
keywords in all
forms.
-“X years of
experience in:…”
3. Call to Action
-What are you
looking for?
-Clients? A job?
Business
partners?
Funding?
Advice?

15. Work Experience
Entire work history connected to
Official business profiles
You’re now secondary connections to
all people who’ve ever worked there

16. Add all possible job titles |
roles for one company |
grouping roles by company
Add proof, samples, links,
posts, videos

17. • Describe key responsibilities
• Mention problem you faced /
positive action you took
• Numerical goals / numbers
whenever
• Saved money
• Increased productivity
• Increased revenue
• Keep things short, bullets
For each job position

18. 10 Recommendations
Offer suggestions,
keywords, your objectives,
the more specific the better

19. All Education / Certificates
Need more “expertise”? Pay for
Coursera shows up on LinkedIn

22. 50 Skills based on keywords
Order Most to Least Important
First 10 = most suggested for Endorsements

23. NEVER KEEP
What LinkedIn Auto-generates
• Change your Headline
• Change your Job
Titles
• Change your Skills

24. Volunteer Experience
1 in 5 hires made from LinkedIn
volunteer experience alone.

25. Fill in all other fields,
including languages,
other key terms

26. Make sure your contact info
is what you want public,
only what you check

27. Create a Vanity URL
Add to all Email Signatures
Looking for a job? Add as your
website on Twitter, Meetup…

29. Use the LinkedIn App

30. Add everyone whose professional
connection you appreciate

34. Don’t do this!
Go where people who can
give you work actually are.

35. Stalk Your Dream
Clients
Join the group/s they’re in
If you see theirs, they might
see yours

36. Go for BIG Groups
Or super niche.

37. Don’t join work or
alumni groups
a waste of a group
(unless you’re active in group)

38. Attend an event? Add everyone on
LinkedIn / Twitter IMMEDIATELY
Save cards for direct message
follow-up next week

39. Follow any company or
LinkedIn Influencer you’d
ever like to work with
(no limit here)

40. Stake out the competition
aka “business intelligence”
Where are they surpassing
you in search results?

41. Update often. LinkedIn likes this.

42. Schedule 1-2 updates a day to stay on top
of mind and your connections’ feeds
Your relevant work, thought leadership

43. What are you waiting for?!
@jkrigginsebranding.ninja