From the pages of In Business magazine.
So, handshakes are out. Fist-bumps, too. People are apparently tapping feet now, if videos popping up from around the world are to be believed. This is what the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has reduced us to in 2020 when we meet someone — silly dances performed in an effort to be polite, but not further the spread of this potentially deadly virus.
That is, of course, if you can even get near enough to someone to touch toes. Entire regions where COVID-19 has spread are under strict quarantines, and experts warn many more may soon be locked down in an effort to contain the virus.
How will your business fare if you’re not able to meet face to face with colleagues, clients, and customers for an extended period of time?
Strange as it may sound, I think a lot of professionals could actually benefit in the long run by a little pandemic-imposed downtime. If you think I’m kidding, just take a look at the state of the personal pages of some of your LinkedIn connections.
Quite frankly, the LinkedIn pages of a lot of professionals look anything but. For as much effort as many professionals put into networking these days, LinkedIn is still, somehow, falling through the cracks.
According to Jane Fleming, digital marketing communications manager for LinkedIn, there are some simple steps you can take to improve your profile on the platform right away: choose the right profile picture; add a background photo; make your headline more than just a job title; use your summary to tell your story; and eliminate buzzwords.
However, those best practices are just the tip of the iceberg:
Take a skills assessment
“Data shows that candidates with verified skills are around 30 percent more likely to be hired for the roles they apply for,” says Fleming.
Request recommendations
“Endorsements give people viewing your profile a quick, visual sense of what you’re valued for. Recommendations are personal testimonials written to illustrate the experience of working with you.”
Showcase your passion for learning
“When you complete a course on LinkedIn Learning, add a course certificate to your LinkedIn profile.”
Share media and marketing collateral
“Sharing case studies, white papers, and other brand content helps to show what the business you work for is all about – and helps people understand what makes you tick.”
Get credit for your thought-leadership with publications
“Have you helped to write an e-book or a white paper? Or written a post on your company’s blog? The publications section links your profile to these assets.”
Share relevant content from your LinkedIn feed
“It’s one thing to have a network of connections on LinkedIn — it’s far better to have an active role in that network, appearing in your connections’ LinkedIn feeds in a way that adds value for them.”
Add comments
“When you add comments to your shares, you give yourself greater prominence within the feed and start to express why you think a particular piece of content matters. It might be that you don’t agree with a point of view but still find it interesting. A comment that can express that viewpoint starts to establish your opinion and thought-leadership. It’s also more likely to draw additional comments, which then raise your profile across LinkedIn.”
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