LinkedIn, a business and employment-oriented social networking service that operates via websites and mobile apps, has been around for about 14 years. With more than 500 million members in over 200 countries and territories, it has become a powerful tool for job aspirants and recruiters alike.
For the LinkedIn users, the projection of their profile assumes special significance. The question is how to make your profile stand out from the rest so that potential employers or those on the lookout for networking opportunities find you interesting enough?
In a recent MIT Sloan Executive Education webinar titled “Visual Persuasion in the Digital Age”, MIT Sloan Professor Ed Schiappa stressed the importance of visual impressions in a digitally based society. Explaining how a visual message can often be more persuasive than a verbal one, Prof Schiappa, an expert in the field of digital communications, says different parts of the brain decode verbal and visual stimuli, a concept known as dual coding.
Dark colours could be avoided as also distracting backgrounds. Wear professional attire, such as a suit, which lends more credibility than a trendy outfit, Prof Schiappa says.
Humans typically decode visual stimuli very rapidly and without much thought. “We are hard-wired for quick judgements,” Prof. Schiappa is quoted as saying in a blog entry by MIT Sloan Executive Education posted in ‘Work and Employment’ on May 12, 2017.
Giving tips for optimising the profile, he says the headline or the title should be specific and include keywords. The summary comes next. It is to be written in the first person, in your own voice, in a detailed manner about your entire career. It should have current and past roles. Instead of just presenting dry statistics, try to make it more personalised, warm and inviting.
In the Projects section, using appropriate keywords, you could present details about your professional work. Do not forget to keep contact information including email, phone numbers and job title up to date. It would show that you are accessible and active. Original, published content, if any, could be posted to further reinforce your credentials.
The profile could also be strengthened with third-party recommendations (as opposed to endorsements) that support your professional efforts. Prof. Schiappa advises keeping the posts at around 20 a month.
ALSO READ: IIM Kozhikode Launches ‘LIVE’ Business Incubator
It is also important to proofread your content and posts as typos in the profile will keep people from taking you seriously. Any software with a spellcheck function like Microsoft Word could be used for drafting and then copy-pasted into your profile.
As far as visual components are concerned, your LinkedIn image is a crucial part. During the webinar, Prof. Schiappa asked participants to think carefully about their online profiles and headshots. For example, research indicates that a straightforward angle connotes honesty, trustworthiness, and confidence, while a head tilt is considered a more submissive pose and can imply weakness.
While posing for the profile photo, keep a natural smile as it would convey friendliness and approachability. Your expression is equally important, especially the eyes. Take care of your expression, especially the eyes. A slight squinting conveys a sense of competence, while a more wide-eyed look can connote uncertainty or vulnerability.
Dark colours could be avoided as also distracting backgrounds. Wear professional attire, such as a suit, which lends more credibility than a trendy outfit, Prof Schiappa says.(Image Source:flickr.com)
