Major Flaws Users Often Commit in Crafting their LinkedIn Profiles
Revamped LinkedIn Overhaul:
Your LinkedIn About is arguably the most crucial part of your profile. Whether you're networking, job hunting, recruiting, sharing ideas, or building your personal brand, it's the heart of your online identity. It's your ultimate opportunity to make an impression, connect with others, and leave a lasting impact. Yet, many professionals neglect it or mishandle it. So let's avoid the common pitfalls, and I'll guide you through a proven game plan.
Your About Is Your Chance To Make People Take Notice
Consider your About as your digital first impression-the ultimate chance for people to understand your essence beyond your job title. It's your opportunity to tell your story, create a bond, and captivate them. But more often than not, people make simple mistakes that weaken their impact and potentially hold back their career growth. To make your LinkedIn About work for you, dodge these common blunders then follow this proven strategy.
1. Missing an About Altogether
Neglecting to write an About is the most significant error. Ignoring your LinkedIn About is like walking into a networking event and deliberately avoiding introductions. If you fail to fill it, you're losing a significant chance to engage your audience.
Without an About, your profile is devoid of character and depth. When someone visits your page, they'll only see your headline, job titles, and work history-but no context, no tale, no character. Your LinkedIn profile turns into a digital resume-nothing more.
If you still think LinkedIn is only for job seeking, you're stuck in 2003-the era when LinkedIn was born. Nowadays, LinkedIn is the platform where you introduce yourself, develop and nurture relationships, express your thought leadership, and learn and grow. People constantly check out your profile-colleagues, prospective clients, recruiters, industry peers, and even the person from the next cubicle. A blank About makes your profile seem incomplete and forgettable.
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2. Repeating Your Headline
Your headline is essential as it briefly communicates your expertise or current role. But your About is supposed to delve deeper.
Numerous people simply repeat their headline at the beginning of their About, wasting space and the reader's time. If you've already introduced your role through your headline, there's no need to launch your About with: "I'm a Marketing Director specializing in digital growth strategies."
When someone checks out your profile, they don't initially see your entire About-only the first couple of lines. To compel them to click "More," you need to craft those lines intriguingly. Use your About to expand on your headline and make your expertise come to life. Instead of merely stating your role, discuss:
- What path led you here?
- Why do you do what you do?
- What impact have you made?
- What motivates you?
3. Listing Your Experience Like a Resume
Many people treat their LinkedIn About as a mini, digital CV-a dry, chronological summary of their work experience. LinkedIn changed the name of this section from Summary to About to inspire members to tell their riveting story.
Your Experience section is meant to show your professional timeline, detailing the jobs, titles, employers, and key accomplishments. Your About should depict the larger picture-the reasoning behind your career, your zeal, and what truly distinguishes you. Also, underscore these soft skills that are critical in today's workplace. If your About reads like this:
"I have 10 years of experience in project management, working across various sectors and effectively managing multiple teams."...it's time for a reboot. This style is too generic and uninspiring.
4. Using Dry, Overused Corporate Language
We've all come across LinkedIn profiles riddled with corporate jargon such as:
- Ambitious leader utilizing synergies to drive innovation and improve efficiency.
- Enthusiastic manager leveraging my strengths to accelerate growth.
- Dynamic individual with a strong work ethic.
It may sound impressive to some, but it doesn't really communicate much, and hundreds of others employ the same tired cliches. If your LinkedIn About is dominated by jargon and cliches, your profile comes across as a corporate automaton, not a real person. Worse, it makes your profile forgettable because you blend in with everyone else. Embrace technology's intrusion into the workplace by expressing your humanity.
A more genuine and captivating About is produced by sharing your experiences and feelings personally.
5. Being Too Similar (The 'Me Too' Issue)
Does your About section sound like it could've been written by someone else in your industry? If so, you're guilty of the 'Me Too' blunder. Avoid statements such as:
- I'm a dedicated professional passionate about innovation.
- I excel at solving problems and collaborating with teams.
- I possess a strong work ethic and consistently strive for excellence.
You need to create your own professional imprint. Establish a clear, personal brand. Your LinkedIn About should spotlight your uniqueness. If no aspect of you stands out after reading it, you haven't offered a reason to want to get to know you.
Lean into what makes you unique.
6. Not Sharing Personal Details
People connect with people, not job titles. If your About is purely professional, you're missing an opportunity to build genuine connections. This doesn't mean oversharing. Adding personal anecdotes-what drives you, a career-defining event, or even a small detail about your passions or side projects-makes your profile more relatable.
Simple details about your character make a significant impact.
7. Not Engaging the Reader
Your LinkedIn About shouldn't just inform-it should engage and fascinate. If someone reads it and thinks, "That was nice, but so what?" without taking action, you've missed your mark.
A standout About encourages people to want to learn more about you, connect with you, or reach out to you. Think about what you can add that sparks curiosity and makes the reader wonder, "I want to know more about that!"
Your LinkedIn About Is Your Personal Brand Canvas
Avoiding these blunders and applying this strategy results in an About that's not just another block of text but a captivating, intriguing, and enduring introduction-an invitation to learn more about you. Revamp your About today because, when executed correctly, it's one of the most potent tools for your career success.
William Arruda is a keynote speaker, co-founder of CareerBlast.TV and co-creator of BrandBoost- a virtual, video-based course to help you boost your self-awareness, discover your personal brand, and up your career success.
- To make a lasting impact on LinkedIn and showcase your personal brand,update your LinkedIn headline with an authentic and unique description that goes beyond your job title.
- Make your LinkedIn About more engaging and instrumental for your career growth by crafting captivating, thought-provoking statements instead of repeating your headline or listing your experience like a resume.
- A professional LinkedIn profile headshot is beneficial in creating genuine connections and showcasing authenticity, ensuring your profile stands out among others.
