Is Your LinkedIn Profile Telling Your Story? A 3 Part LinkedIn Makeover Worksheet

Is your LinkedIn Profile telling a powerful story?

When I first begin working with coaching clients, they’re typically not optimizing their brand on LinkedIn. Which is a huge missed opportunity!

Whether you’re looking for a job or building your business, LinkedIn is like a flyer for your brand. It compliments your resume by letting hiring managers get to know more about you. And since “fit” is a critically important when it comes to hiring decisions, it’s a great way to show you’re all in.

Just this quick bit of research is enough to let you know whether the company aligns with your values enough to want to work for. The steps below outline how to align your brand with your audience so they know you’re on the same page.

Another way LinkedIn enhances your resume is by letting prospective employers or clients know what other professionals have to say about you. These third party endorsements make your words more credible and memorable. So you can step back and let others do the bragging for you!

Ready to make the most of this powerful online platform? Follow this formula for optimal results:

Step 1: Get to know your audience

• Which companies are you interested in learning more about?
• Do your homework online. Look at each company’s website and LinkedIn pages, as well as any research tools you have access to. Subscribe or follow those you like!

Create a list of 5-10 Target Companies

• If they aren’t currently posting job openings, do a LinkedIn search of current employees. Which role or roles can you see yourself filling? Which are the best fit for your skills, interests and goals?

Categorize each of the companies on your list according to brand style. Are they: Fun, casual, creative, outdoorsy, corporate or tech-focused?

• Write the one-word description next to each of your companies
• What do they have in common?
• Does your style match the company culture?

Use LinkedIn to connect with key decision makers

Use a LinkedIn connection strategy for connecting into the organization. If you have connections in common, ask for referrals. Otherwise send a LinkedIn invitation directly and reference common connections. Focus on HR, recruiters, decision makers.

Step 2: Lead with your value proposition, what pressing problem do you solve?

Think about the work you do and how you’ve made an impact.

What is the most important skill you can bring to this role? If you’re not sure, ask! Use LinkedIn to request information with recruiters, HR people, anyone willing to engage in an informational interview. Now you can start your branding statement with an eye-catching description.

• I’m a strategic decision maker
• I’m an extroverted tech geek
• I’m a creative problem solver
• I’m a results-driven strategist

This is a much better way to introduce yourself than repeating the job title and your summary statement. That’s what your resume is for.

Step 3: The third-party endorsement. How do other people describe you?

Which of your key attributes matter most to the role you’re seeking?

We’re not always clear about the impact we make in the workplace, so it’s not uncommon to struggle with what to say.

If you’re not sure, either talk recruiters and hiring managers. Or ask your current or former colleagues.

Note: you’re not looking for a deep dive analysis here, but rather a strong starting point from which to answer the question “tell me about yourself”.

• Recognized for my ability to…
• Known as the go-to person for…
• Recognized by my team as the…

Once you have your unique value proposition in place, your branding statement can go something like this:

• I’m a strategic decision maker, recognized for my ability to organized remote teams and seamlessly take an idea from concept to completion.

• I’m an extroverted tech geek, known as the go-to person for resolving remote tech challenges since colleagues find me approachable and responsive.

• I’m a creative problem solver, known for my agility in addressing new challenges with simple but effective solutions.

From here you can complete your branding statement highlighting your most relevant skills based on the job requirements.

For example:

I’m a strategic decision maker, recognized for the ability to take an idea from concept to completion. In my role as a project manager, I’m equally comfortable with Agile, Scrum, and Lean Six Sigma methodologies, my projects succeed because I remain focused on the big picture while ensuring project members have the resources necessary to achieve milestones.

Use Testimonials

You can leverage the power of testimonials to let prospective employers know what kind of employee and team member you’ll be as soon as they see your LinkedIn profile.

As opposed to formal recommendations, testimonials can come from colleagues, customers, or anyone in a professional setting familiar with your work. If someone emails something nice to you, like “I appreciate your strong follow through, and attention to detail”, you’ve got the makings of a powerful testimonial!

You may already have testimonials in the form of recommendations on LinkedIn. These are great, but when prospective employers are skimming LinkedIn, they may not take the time to scroll all the way down. Remember, this is a fast-paced process and you need to make a great first impression.

So, make their jobs easier by placing a powerful one-line testimonial in the About section of your LinkedIn profile. Be sure to keep it “above the fold”, or the point where a reader has to click to see more.

Here is an example of putting these 3 concepts to work in a LinkedIn About section:

About

I’m a strategic decision maker, recognized for the ability to take an idea from concept to completion. In my role as a project manager, I’m equally comfortable with Agile, Scrum, and Lean Six Sigma methodologies, my projects succeed because I remain focused on the big picture while ensuring project members have the resources necessary to achieve milestones.

“Angela is a highly skilled project manager who remains focused and effective, regardless of how challenging the job becomes. I can always count on her to keep her team on track and moving forward”. – Gwen Russell, Director, XYZ Company.

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• List your technical skills, accomplishments, and awards in your LinkedIn profile below your opening statement and testimonial.

From here you can establish consistency and stay memorable by weaving your brand into your cover letters, and even your email signature. You can use it to introduce yourself in interviews or professional networking conversations as well.

This strategy not only differentiates you from candidates with similar backgrounds, it uses the power of social proof to help you overcome the barriers standing between you and your dream job.

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