11 steps to creating a professional LinkedIn profile

There are over 740 million people on LinkedIn – 30 million of those are in the UK – and that number increases by 2 people per second! Many companies and recruiters use LinkedIn to search for candidates everyday. So, to put it simply, if you want to be found for a job you should be on the platform. Not only is LinkedIn the foundation for your personal online branding but it is also your chance to get your name (and face) in front of hundreds – if not thousands – of industry professionals and hiring managers. However, it’s not enough just to have a profile.

1. CHOOSE A PROFESSIONAL PROFILE PICTURE

On LinkedIn it is important to see your face – almost all activity on LinkedIn involves clicking and interacting with people and your profile picture governs people’s first impression. So, make sure your photo reflects how you wish to be perceived in civilian life.

It goes without saying that choosing the right photograph is important. So here are a few quick tips to help you:

• Your face should cover 30-60% of the circle.

• The photo should be only of you – don’t upload a picture of you on a night out with your mates; people want to know who you are and to see your face.

• Make sure it’s a recent picture and that it looks like you. It’s important to be clear about who you are on LinkedIn as people – and potential employers – like to know who they are talking to and interacting with.

• Try to avoid pictures of you in your uniform, as you want to convey that you have more to give than just your military experience. 

2. YOUR NAME - KEEP IT SIMPLE - DON’T INCLUDE YOUR MILITARY RANK

First off I’d recommend dropping your rank from your name. Your rank does not define who you are and how you are perceived in the civilian world ­– people want to know who you are, not what you achieved in the military.  It’s also worth noting that your rank can be off-putting to potential employers.

Secondly, on LinkedIn you have the ability to add a pronunciation button next to your name. If your name is difficult to pronounce give people the opportunity to get it right and add the pronunciation option – this feature is only available through the LinkedIn app, so make sure you download the app to make use of it.

3. MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR LINKEDIN HEADLINE

Your LinkedIn headline is your elevator pitch to show off to employers what you offer rather than just your job title – so make it sharp and snappy. This section is particularly crucial if you are actively looking for a new role as employers and HR managers using the recruiter tool will see this line (and your name) before they even click on your profile. The best headlines establish career goals and/or highlight skills and relevant experience.

4. USE THE ‘ABOUT’ SECTION TO TELL YOUR STORY

The ‘About’ section is an opportunity to show some personality and to tell people a little more about yourself and your employment history. Write in the first person, tell your story and show others what you can do for them and their business. Use it to convey what you would say to someone at a networking event. Don’t just list skills or the job titles you’ve had, show people who you are and what makes you tick – talk about your hobbies or projects you’re involved in outside of work.

5. SHOW OFF YOUR WORK AND ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE ‘FEATURED’ SECTION

If you have a portfolio of work to display here is where you should do it. If not, use it to tell people a little more about what you’ve done or what you intend to do.

“When I left the army I had something about 5 Rifles here so that people could understand a little more about my background. I now feature something about the vision for LinkedIn as it supports my current role.” Anthony says.

6. BE ACTIVE AND CURATE YOUR ACTIVITY

Your activity is visible to all of your connections and to anyone looking at your profile. It’s worth bearing in mind that future employers will be able to track what you comment on and interact with. On LinkedIn you’ll only see activity from people that you’re connected with and companies that you follow, so you’ll want to curate your profile to work for you. Like, share and comment on things that are going to be useful to you. And, make sure that you follow any company that you are interested in working for so that you can learn more about them and be informed if any positions at the company come up. It’s cheaper and easier for companies to post a job opportunity on LinkedIn than it is to go to a recruiter – so make sure you don’t miss an opportunity.

7. SHOW OFF YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE AND TRANSLATE IT INTO CIVVY LANGUAGE

It is key to remember that the vast majority of people looking at your profile on LinkedIn won’t have any association to the military. Your profile should be understandable regardless of background. Therefore, it is essential that you explain what you did in the military and ‘translate’ military specific jargon or job titles. Here are a few tips on how to best do this:

Translate your military job titles

Unless you are lucky enough to be interviewed by someone who is ex-Forces, it is likely people aren’t going to know what your military job title means. So, you’ll need to help by explaining it to them on your LinkedIn profile and on your CV. For example, if you were a ‘Company/Squadron Second In Command’ in the Forces a title such as ‘Operations Manager’ might be more suitable, or if you were a Platoon/Troop Commander you might put ‘Project Manager’ and so on… To give your experience context I would recommend listing the equivalent civilian title first and putting your actual military role in brackets. If, however, you have a title that is immediately translatable – this is often the case with logistics or engineering roles – don’t change it!

Explain your military role

Quite a lot of military jobs don’t translate well into civilian language so you will need to briefly tell people what you did in each role and why it was important. Use keywords to highlight your skills and achievements so you are searchable on the platform for them.

Highlight key achievements

It can be tempting to just write a job description when creating your LinkedIn profile. Try to avoid falling into this trap by pulling out the key things you did and achieved in each role and, where possible, back it up with evidence.

Include facts and figures 

Civilian organisations like numbers, so include key figures such as how many people you led and trained, or the value of the equipment and kit that you were responsible for. 

Keep things short and sweet

Make sure you don’t overwhelm people with the sheer volume of your accomplishments! If for example, you were in the military for 22 years then don’t list every single job you did during that time. However, if your military career was shorter, then it is important to see your career progression and when you promoted.

8. LIST YOUR EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Quite simply put your education in – if you’ve got it flaunt it!

9. SHOUT ABOUT ANY CHARITABLE WORK OR FUNDRAISING YOU’VE UNDERTAKEN

Use the ‘volunteer experience’ section to tell employers about any charitable work you have undertaken or if you’ve raised a sum of money for a good cause. This is another chance for you to give employers a feel for who you are outside of work and what you are passionate about.

10. SHOW YOUR QUALITIES THAT EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR USING THE ‘SKILLS AND ENDORSEMENTS’

Making the most of your skills section is particularly helpful when you are transitioning out of the military and have no outside experience to fall back on. If you’ve done skills assessments online then demonstrate your level and display and verified skills badges in this section. Candidates with verified skills are more likely to be hired for the roles they apply for as they are more credible and appear more pro-active and engaged.

11. ASK FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

These are short, personal testimonials that illustrate what it’s like to work with you. They give a quick visual sense of what you’re like and what you are valued for.

“I would recommend that you ask one peer, one subordinate and one boss to write a recommendation for you as this will show that you’re: ‘good to work alongside, good to work for and good to have working for you’.” says Antony.

Getting your LinkedIn profile looking smart and professional doesn’t have to take up hours of your time – some sections will take just minutes to perfect and can be completed during a lunch break. Try working through these ideas step-by-step and before you know it you’ll have made good progress.