Reply to: What's the best way of setting up your LinkedIn Profile?

[contractoralan]

Recommendation thing on linkedin is total bollacks. I know loads of people who recommended each other just to get it.

in most cases, you are correct. people write 'hes a great guy. hardworking' etc etc.

but if a recommendation reads - "we had an issue with performance of appl x. he helped us fix it in 3 days and gave additional recommendations. it is one year since, and we do not have any issues since"

this will definitely add value to your profile. Don't forget to use this in your CV.

Get your contact to write something specific. Don't expect them to think about the nice thing you did for them. Most don't bother.
In your recommendation request, ask them to specify about point X. They will almost always do it.

[Vandalay]

I've been building up both the number of recruiters and non recruiters alike on my linkedin profile over the last 6 months or so.

The key to harnessing how you interact with recruiters is to use keywords in your profile relating to your industry, as you will then appear in their search results.

It has worked well and as a result I get much more targeted approaches from recruiters these days than I used to.

Also make sure you switch off the ability for your connections to be able to browse a list of my connections. This way you can prevent recruiters from using you just as a jumping board.

[The Agents View]

Recommendation thing on linkedin is total bollacks. I know loads of people who recommended each other just to get it.

Well that's true - but it does work!

The only thing I'd say here, is that you need to make yourself easy to find. Director of TinpotLtd might make you feel grand, but it doesn;'t help with the right people finding you. If you're a Wintel guy - put your job as "wintel contractor" - If you're an IT PM for software developments - put that as your headline - use key words as well, and I'm pretty sure people will start finding you with contracts to offer. If you put director of tinpotltd, I'd probably scan over you on the first run, as I can't see the relevance.

HTH

[psychocandy]

As an agent, I would suggest solely that you get people to recommend your work. Some clients do check out profiles and I have had a client say "I dont know if I trust him, no one on linkedin has recommended them"

Edit: Oh and obviously, you dont need to make it your managers. Because that is a sure fire way of us agents finding out who you worked for. Its the new "i just need two references".

Recommendation thing on linkedin is total bollacks. I know loads of people who recommended each other just to get it.

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

K.I.S.S

Having all your schoolmates and ex-colleges on your profile just looks awful. I'm always very suspicious of people with 100's of linkedIn connections - just seems like sad trolling to me (kind of like these "social networking" sites.)

I completely disagree with this, I try to connect with every person I have done business with and everyone that works in my field that I know about. I also try to connect with people in companies I know might need someone with my skillset one day.

I get all my contracts through linkedin and recommendations, its a shame its not costing £1200 per year to use it.....

[Darksider]

I used to pay for the professional version as it allowed me to track who viewed my profile, which search functions they used to find me etc. Now you get to see the last 5 viewers free. Very handy when looking for new work.

Recommendations on there are definitely worth it as well but lock them down so they're only viewable to people you add and not Joey Public.

[TheFaQQer]

Oh, and set your profile so that anyone who links to you doesnt get free access to all your contacts. Agents just love it when you let everyone see your contacts as its easy pickings for them.

My contacts are private for exactly this reason - I have a few agents in there and want to keep my contacts a bit private. That said, most of the agents I'm connected to already know most of my connections.

[BolshieBastard]

Well, I'll admit it - I'm not sure that I'm using LinkedIn to it's best advantage.

I've basically just cut and paste my CV into my profile, but I've seen advice that your profile (certainly the 1st part) should be more informal and 1st person based. Would this be in a narrative style?

I do know that agents are beginning to challenge differences in your CV to your LinkedIn Profile but I think that provided contract dates align you could confidently push back by saying that the 2 are different beasts used for different purposes.

What does the panel think?

Nooooo!

Just put job title, company worked with and brief role description OR responsibilities and achievements.

Oh, and set your profile so that anyone who links to you doesnt get free access to all your contacts. Agents just love it when you let everyone see your contacts as its easy pickings for them.

[Diver]

2 words

Key Words

[cojak]

Thanks to all btw, all useful info.

I'm just at the equivalent stage of reducing my 7 pages of cluttered CV to a 3 page elegant missive. The fact that my profile now looks cluttered with my previously 3 page elegant missive has shown me that the 2 media types really do need a separate approach.

[cojak]

I haven't tried so cant recommend - but you can even get a professional Linkedin profile written.

How to write a Linkedin Profile | Technojobs

Its not so much you can get a gig because of it - but potentially you could lose one because of it.

That's what I'm on about.

But since I wouldn't expect people to pay for iffy CV advice when they can come here and get battle-hardened contractors telling them what really works for nothing, I thought I'd try the same tack for LinkedIn.

Has writing their profile in a more relaxed, blog-like manner worked for anyone here?

[MyUserName]

I haven't updated mine for ages but I think I will be steering away from the CV idea. I have to tailor each one to show the skills from old gigs that match the new one. If the role title or activities are considerably different I am worried that an agent, who doesn't know the difference, will think I am lying on my CV because it doesn't match the skills or experience in Linkedin.

I have yet to use linkedin in anger so will need to decide how to present myself so don't get people questioning the differences. At the moment LinkedIn seems more of a bane because of this than it is useful but am sure I can get my head around it.

Are you sure you are cut out for contracting?

[saptastic]

Well, I'll admit it - I'm not sure that I'm using LinkedIn to it's best advantage.

I've basically just cut and paste my CV into my profile, but I've seen advice that your profile (certainly the 1st part) should be more informal and 1st person based. Would this be in a narrative style?

I do know that agents are beginning to challenge differences in your CV to your LinkedIn Profile but I think that provided contract dates align you could confidently push back by saying that the 2 are different beasts used for different purposes.

What does the panel think?

I haven't tried so cant recommend - but you can even get a professional Linkedin profile written.

How to write a Linkedin Profile | Technojobs

Its not so much you can get a gig because of it - but potentially you could lose one because of it.

[northernladuk]

I haven't updated mine for ages but I think I will be steering away from the CV idea. I have to tailor each one to show the skills from old gigs that match the new one. If the role title or activities are considerably different I am worried that an agent, who doesn't know the difference, will think I am lying on my CV because it doesn't match the skills or experience in Linkedin.

I have yet to use linkedin in anger so will need to decide how to present myself so don't get people questioning the differences. At the moment LinkedIn seems more of a bane because of this than it is useful but am sure I can get my head around it.

[nomadd]

Well, I'll admit it - I'm not sure that I'm using LinkedIn to it's best advantage.

I've basically just cut and paste my CV into my profile, but I've seen advice that your profile (certainly the 1st part) should be more informal and 1st person based. Would this be in a narrative style?

I do know that agents are beginning to challenge differences in your CV to your LinkedIn Profile but I think that provided contract dates align you could confidently push back by saying that the 2 are different beasts used for different purposes.

What does the panel think?

K.I.S.S

I have a Summary section on page 1 of my c.v., and it's that summary that I use for my linkedIn profile, albeit a little trimmed down. I think posting the entire c.v. is pretty pointless and counter-productive.

Below the Summary, I have a simple list of areas of expertise that I'm looking for in future roles, just so people know what it is I do and what I'm looking for next.

Whatever you do, don't follow the 'bot on their site which tries to get you to "improve" your profile. Having all your schoolmates and ex-colleges on your profile just looks awful. I'm always very suspicious of people with 100's of linkedIn connections - just seems like sad trolling to me (kind of like these "social networking" sites.)

Oh, and reject all connection requests from Agents.