What should a beginner do with LinkedIn?

So many people have asked me "what should my LinkedIn look like?" There are so many different ways to interpret it. It really depends who you ask and how you define success. If you're looking at it from an employer perspective then they want someone who looks professional - but if you're just looking to expand your circle of friends or business contacts then there is nothing wrong with being yourself. 

If we're talking about employers, you need to understand that most businesses will not bother hiring anyone unless they meet their criteria (which may include having a great CV). So why waste time creating a CV when all you need to do is add some interesting content to your LinkedIn Profile which will attract potential candidates. Once you've got them interested and they apply for a position, you'll then get to decide whether or not you'd like to interview them.

LinkedIn isn't going anywhere anytime soon and as long as you keep up to date with its changes and stay relevant, it will continue to grow. Here are 5 steps you can take right now to ensure that your LinkedIn Profile is always ready for action!

What should first LinkedIn post be?

As a newbie, you probably don't know where to begin. Don't panic, let's break down each section into easy to follow instructions.

1) Headline: This is the title of your headline. Make sure that it contains keywords that relate to the job role you're applying for and also contain personal information such as interests/hobbies etc. The objective here is to draw attention to your headline by getting noticed. You could even go one step further and add the company name before the keyword phrase. For example: "Head of Finance" would read "The CEO of XYZ Company wants to hire a head of finance." Nowadays, if you search Google for something specific like 'head of finance' it will return results relating to your chosen career path.

2) Summary: Your summary is a short paragraph describing what you're doing professionally. Most importantly, focus on your skillset and experiences. Include every skill under the sun that relates to your field and list out your achievements within that area. Also mention anything else you enjoy doing outside of work and hobbies. A lot of companies will request references through LinkedIn so make sure you provide links to these online profiles.

3) Work Experience: As mentioned earlier, you won't find too much space for this section because employers usually prefer CVs over LinkedIn Profiles. However, if you already have experience listed elsewhere, feel free to link to that instead. Again, remember to include links to both work and non-work related posts.

4) Education & Training: This is another place to show off your education and training history. Start by listing your undergrad degree followed by your graduate degrees. Then move onto your certifications and finally highlight any training courses you've completed.

5) Networks: Linking social media accounts gives you the opportunity to showcase your personality and brand image while connecting with others in your industry. Add pictures of your colleagues and clients to illustrate your relationships. Create groups that match with your expertise and invite members from those networks to join.

What do you put on LinkedIn with no experience?

In order to stand out, it's best to build connections fast and without using your own reputation. That way, you can develop a strong relationship with the person you connect with and eventually get invited to events or parties. In turn, you'll receive invitations to theirs and vice versa. By building stronger ties to influencers, you give yourself the chance to earn trust and credibility.

It's worth mentioning that you should never send cold emails to people you haven't built rapport with yet. Instead, introduce yourself via LinkedIn messages which allow you to engage with the recipient immediately rather than waiting until you both see each other face to face.

What does the 1st 2nd and 3rd mean on LinkedIn?

These three numbers indicate how old you were when you joined LinkedIn. They're known as years active. The lower the number, the better. Ideally, you should aim for 10+ years active.

How do I write a summary on LinkedIn with little experience?

When writing your summary, try to avoid generic wording. Use unique phrases that describe exactly what you did during your tenure at your previous roles and positions. Avoid using buzz words that sound impressive but aren't actually indicative of your abilities or accomplishments. Be honest and descriptive – this builds trust between you and the recruiter.

Remember that if you're trying to impress a future boss, you shouldn't talk about yourself. Focus on helping the reader learn about you and how you contribute to team projects. Mention things like teamwork, communication and leadership skills. And again, if you have any certificates or awards to share, please do so.

Keep in mind that if you're still working full-time, you might not have enough hours to dedicate to your LinkedIn account. Therefore, it's advisable to update your status regularly throughout the day. Even if you're not actively searching for a new job, you can still use LinkedIn to build relationships with peers and professionals in your industry. It's also a great platform to promote your blog, website, podcast and YouTube channel.

To learn more about how to use LinkedIn for recruiting purposes, check out our article How To Find New Jobs Using LinkedIn.

Why use LinkedIn

LinkedIn provides a platform for anyone in search of employment, career advancement or simply making new connections.

If you already work somewhere, make sure you add all relevant information about your current position and why you would love to move up into another role. This will give the recruiter something concrete to go off when considering your application.

Use your profile as a tool to show potential employers what kind of person you are and what makes you stand out from others. For example, list your strengths, skills and experience (from both paid and unpaid roles). Employers will see that you know exactly where you want to end up and what type of job suits you best.

Add links to your public website / blog / portfolio etc. The more interesting content you provide, the better chance you'll get seen by recruiters and hiring managers.

When creating your personal summary don't forget to include keywords. These words will help you find your posts easily. You could also create a keyword group called 'Career' which contains the most common terms used in job descriptions. By doing that you ensure that everyone searching for those particular keywords will come across your post.

Create groups based around specific topics such as 'Culinary Arts', 'Fashion Design' or even 'SEO'. Create these groups so that everyone you connect with knows about them. Groups are great because they allow members to share ideas, knowledge and resources. Use each individual group to showcase your expertise within its topic area.

Be active! Don't let the time pass without posting anything on your timeline. People need to see that you care enough to keep track of everything going on in your life.

Don't forget to take advantage of the various features offered on LinkedIn. Some examples of useful features are the ability to send messages to followers, follow companies and brands, request recommendations, view company profiles and much more...

LinkedIn is used by many people looking for new opportunities or simply trying to find someone they know within their industry. It’s also one of the most useful tools for anyone who wants to build up connections, whether it’s as part of your CV or as an additional tool once you have secured employment.

With so much information about yourself online, there’s always going to be ways you could improve your profile. As well as using LinkedIn itself, you may want to consider some external services such as Profile Pro (which we've previously covered).

In addition to these services, there are plenty of free resources online if you're just starting out. We've included some below which will help you get started. You'll need to sign into LinkedIn at least once before you can access them. If you haven't already done so, then now would be a great time to join!

If you're not sure where to begin, here are our top tips to getting started with LinkedIn.

What to put on LinkedIn when self-employed?

When applying for roles as a freelancer, consultant or entrepreneur, you might think nothing needs to change from your current professional life - but it doesn't hurt to give it a bit of attention either. Here are three things to include in your profile to ensure employers see you as being active in your field:

A summary section of around 100 words gives potential employers a quick overview of who you are, why you'd like to work with them and what makes you unique. This is something to keep handy throughout the application process too, rather than having to fill it all in again each time.

Add links to any relevant websites you own or run, including those related to your area of expertise. For example, if you're running a blog or website focused on marketing, add a link to the URL.

Keep checking back regularly to update your status. Having regular activity shows you care enough to stay connected and engaged with your community. Posting content every day builds credibility and trustworthiness with future clients.

How do you use your first job on LinkedIn?

There’s lots of advice online about creating a stellar LinkedIn profile – but let’s face it, building a strong social media presence takes time. When you first start working and don’t yet have a portfolio or references to show off, you need to focus on getting noticed. The best way to do this is to start connecting with others in your industry, either via email or through LinkedIn Groups.

Once you’ve made contact, ask questions and share knowledge. Remember to include keywords relating to your role, company name and location whenever possible. Try to connect with individuals who appear to be influential in their respective fields and whose profiles look interesting. They probably won’t accept requests right away, but try asking anyway.

After enough messages, they’ll eventually respond. A lot of small businesses rely on word of mouth referrals, so it’s worth persevering until you receive a response. Once you finally meet the person you were hoping to talk to, introduce yourself properly and tell them why you wanted to speak to them. After all, if they decide to hire you based on your recommendation alone, they’re likely to remember you next time.

You can also check out our article on LinkedIn Group etiquette, particularly if you’re joining groups for the first time.

What experiences should I put on LinkedIn?

It seems obvious, but listing past positions and projects is one of the best ways to demonstrate previous achievements and experience. If you’re considering applying for a position outside your usual career path, this is another place to highlight your skillset. Even though it might seem strange to list non-professional activities on your resume, it could prove beneficial later down the line.

For instance, if you’re applying for a management role, showing that you completed a leadership program or worked alongside senior staff members in a different department could impress your interviewer. In fact, research suggests managers often choose candidates with relevant extra qualifications over those without.

If you have been self employed, mention anything valuable you learned during the course of your business. There’s an opportunity to display your entrepreneurial spirit here, especially if you had to learn certain skills while running the business. Similarly, highlight any courses you took while studying, even if they weren’t strictly related to your degree subject.

To avoid accidentally giving false details, take note of any discrepancies between your LinkedIn profile and your CV. Any inconsistencies could cause confusion and damage your reputation, so correct everything promptly.

How do I make my LinkedIn stand out with little experience?

The key thing to bear in mind is that everyone starts somewhere, even if you haven’t held a full-time job before. Don’t worry if you lack confidence or feel nervous talking to complete strangers, the more practice you get the easier it becomes. Your LinkedIn profile isn’t the place to go into detail about your personal struggles, instead stick to sharing positive stories about overcoming challenges.

Remember to spend time updating your profile regularly, adding new contacts and participating in discussions. These actions help to establish you as a reliable source of information and opinion – two qualities employers value highly. Plus, if you’re able to answer some basic interview questions confidently, it shows you’re prepared and confident in front of others.

As mentioned earlier, LinkedIn offers several guides and resources aimed at helping you get started. To save time, you can download a PDF version of our ‘How to Use LinkedIn Guide to Success’ directly from our site. It includes step-by-step instructions detailing exactly what to upload onto your profile, plus answers to frequently asked questions.

We hope this helps, but if you still require further assistance, be sure to visit our dedicated support page. Our friendly team will provide expert guidance tailored specifically to your situation.

How does it work

The first thing to remember when using LinkedIn is that the platform isn't just about connecting with people - it's actually about building relationships.

"A relationship is not something you try to create," says Richard Branson, "it's something which happens naturally." And if we take his advice, then in order to make use of LinkedIn effectively, we must start from our own network and extend outwards rather than relying upon others to connect us.

So what exactly does LinkedIn offer its users? Well, here are some key features...

Followers – The number of followers you currently have will show at the top of your profile page. You can change how many you want to follow (up to 500) and choose to receive notifications whenever someone adds a comment on your posts or updates their status.

Connections – Connections shows all your contacts including those who are already following you and allows you to send messages directly to them. If you're looking to expand your professional circle beyond your current job role, this could provide great value!

InMail – This feature enables you to communicate directly with specific members of your contact list. In addition, you can also import email addresses into your account so you don't need to keep typing each person's full name every time you write.

Blogs & Articles – There are over 150 million blogs written by professionals around the world and these can prove extremely valuable to both employers and candidates alike. Searchable content makes it easy to research topics related to your interests, making reading articles and blog posts a quick way to learn new skills or discover potential career opportunities without having to search elsewhere.

Company Pages – Company pages allow you to share information about your company and attract prospective employees to visit your website.

LinkedIn is one of the most popular social media platforms out there – it’s also incredibly useful if used correctly! But just like anything else, even LinkedIn needs some basic training before becoming an expert at using it. If you're unsure where to begin, then we've put together a quick list of tips to get you started - so let's dive right into it...

The truth about LinkedIn is that while many people have heard of it, very few have really taken full advantage of its potential as a professional tool. It’s easy to see why though - after all, who wants to spend time looking up their contacts when they could be doing something productive instead?! However, now that LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft, things might change soon.

If you’re new to LinkedIn and want to know exactly what you need to be getting from it, this article will help answer those questions. We'll explain everything from how to set up your account, to what you should be putting onto your profile. And once you've got that sorted, we’ll show you how to find opportunities on LinkedIn (and how not to!)

Is LinkedIn growing or shrinking?

When Facebook first came around, everyone was sure that they would take over the world. They were wrong, but Facebook did manage to grow into an extremely valuable business platform. Likewise, LinkedIn has achieved incredible success despite being around since 2003. In fact, LinkedIn had 1 billion users worldwide as recently as 2017, which makes them more successful than Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat combined. That said, it looks like they may be slowing down slightly…

In 2018, LinkedIn announced plans to invest $1.5bn (£1.2bn) in expanding their product range. This includes investing heavily in video content, AI and machine learning, and creating better tools for businesses to easily connect with prospective employees. However, these investments come with risks too - such as the possibility of losing market share. So, we don't yet know whether LinkedIn will continue to keep pace with competition like Google Plus or Zoom, both of whom already dominate the online space.

But whatever happens next, it seems clear that LinkedIn is here to stay. With nearly 2 million job listings every month, and over 50m members globally, the chances are that LinkedIn will always remain relevant.

What is the best alternative to LinkedIn?

So far, we’ve talked about how great LinkedIn is, but if you aren’t happy with the service, there are plenty of alternatives to choose from. There are lots of sites similar to LinkedIn, but none quite match the functionality offered by the original. Here are five sites worth checking out, each offering different features:

Skillsnet: The latest website to join the LinkedIn family, Skillsnet allows you to search profiles based on keywords, skillsets and industry specialities. You can browse profiles by company, region or location, and filter results by gender, age and education level.

Reverso: Reverso is designed specifically for students, making it simple to find contact details for professors and tutors. Searching is done via keyword, field or subject, and you can narrow results further using filters.

Pintrest: Pintrest offers a way to learn specific skills, such as photography or web design, by following related accounts on the site. Each skill section contains lessons and resources that allow you to learn more quickly and effectively.

Zoom: While not officially part of the LinkedIn family, Zoom lets you view information on individual connections, and add them directly to email threads. The app works across desktop computers, phones and tablets, allowing you to access your data wherever you go.

HipChat: HipChat is another messaging solution, letting you chat with colleagues in real time. Like Zoom, you can invite others to join private channels, and you can send files to anyone connected to the channel.

Is LinkedIn actually helpful?

You wouldn't think LinkedIn would be considered “useful” when compared to other communication apps, but this isn’t necessarily true. For example, many people tend to rely solely on it for finding jobs, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t effective in other ways.

First off, LinkedIn provides a huge amount of background knowledge about your contacts, including detailed descriptions of their career path, current role, interests, education history, skill sets, etc. From this information alone, you can form much stronger opinions about someone, especially if you’re dealing with a complete stranger.

Secondly, LinkedIn’s advanced algorithm means that you can receive targeted messages from companies interested in hiring you. These are sent automatically, and can include links to applications, videos, PDF documents and more.

Finally, LinkedIn connects you to thousands of other professionals, meaning that you’ll never run out of places to meet interesting people. When you look at your own network, you’ll notice that many of the relationships are built entirely offline. Even if you don’t feel comfortable approaching strangers face to face, knowing that there are hundreds of others willing to talk to you is still reassuring.

As well as connecting with people outside of your immediate circle, LinkedIn has some additional perks that are particularly useful for small businesses. One of the biggest benefits is the ability to post ads for free, helping you gain visibility among local customers. Another benefit is the option to advertise your services privately, without having to worry about spamming clients or competitors.

Another perk is the ability to track sales leads generated from your adverts, giving you insight into how effective your marketing strategy is. Finally, many employers prefer candidates who have created a LinkedIn profile, because it shows them that you’re serious about building a reputation online.

Can you survive without a LinkedIn?

While there are certainly other options available, LinkedIn remains the leader in terms of sheer volume. As long as you’re prepared to put in a bit of effort, it shouldn’t be difficult to build yourself a solid LinkedIn presence. Just remember to follow our advice above, and avoid posting irrelevant or offensive material.

After all, nobody likes wasting their time on junk. Instead, focus on quality posts that demonstrate your expertise, personality and professionalism. Remember, LinkedIn is primarily intended to showcase your personal brand, rather than to facilitate conversations between two people.

That said, if you’d like to try out another social media platform, check out our guide on how to use Discord for beginners.