Social Media baffles most engineers.  Like eating vegetables, we all know we need to be online and have a professional presence, but it gets confusing when it come to content, frequency and engagement. The most popular presentation I gave this year was on social media – how it works and why we should even bother.

Mostly, I get a lot of questions on LinkedIn. Questions such as:

• What should be on my LinkedIn?
• Do I have it filled out enough?
• What else should I put on there?
• Should I have three recommendations?
• Does my picture look ok?
• Do I have to have a picture at all?
• What do they look at when they read it?
• How will a recruiter find me?

To make it very easy, your LinkedIn profile should mirror your resume.  Take out your resume and start there.  Employers will look at your LinkedIn and it needs to match or they will be confused.  Confusion can actually be negative and you won’t get the call to interview.

All that you need to fill out is the basics.  Where you worked, how long you worked and title is fine.  More than that, people will not have time to read, and won’t be inclined. My suggestion is to have a short page.  Less is more.  Being detailed on LinkedIn could be a hindrance, not a help.  Remember, this is just a snapshot of your professional skills and what you have to offer.

Which brings me to my next point.  What do you have to offer?  What unique skills and qualities do you have that a reader would be interested in?  When you write, consider the reader at all times.

Ah, the dreaded picture.  What should the picture look like?  The picture should be simple and current. Carefully look at the background. Don’t allow the background to distract the reader.  Think of it this way. If you met someone you didn’t know at Starbucks, would they recognize you from the LinkedIn photo?

Recruiters will find you by titles and by key words. Fill out the skills section of LinkedIn with the pull down skill words.  Be creative.  Use as many as you can to trip the search.  Be broad as well.  For example, if you are a software engineer, include words such as design, de bugging, create, code, etc.  As simple as that sounds, break it down for the reader and trip the search engineers.  Use your industry and pepper that in the profile as well.

The demographics of LinkedIn are 39% are Manager, Director, Owner, Chief Officer or President.  The industries with the highest concentration are High Technology (14.3), Finance (12.4) and Manufacturing (10.1)  75% use for business purposes and of all social media has the oldest users at an average of 44.2 years old.

Above all, remember you are writing your profile for others.  There is a real, live person on the other end of the computer screen.

BIO:
Elizabeth Lions is the owner and principal with Elizabeth Lions Consulting LLC.  She is the author of Recession Proof Yourself and I Quit! Working For You Isn’t Working For Me.  She can be reached at 806-283-8811 and www.elizabethlions.com