Are you ready to add bling to your LinkedIn profile? It’s a great way to show who you are and what you’ve done!
[This post has been updated in 2020 to include updated information]
But why would you want to post visual elements in your LinkedIn profile? Because it can be a differentiator.
Let’s say I’m a recruiter and I’m looking at potential candidate profiles.
When I see your profile with images of your work, a video of you training people on how to do something and a photo of you receiving an award, I can’t help but stay on your profile and check it out. How many other candidates do you think have shown me anything? Few, in fact, almost none.
Businesses link to samples of work and awards all the time because it helps build trust and credibility. That’s why I’m suggesting you apply this credibility building tip too!
Recruiters are all over social media including LinkedIn. I suppose you want to know why you would want to add social bling to your LinkedIn profile.
- 87% reported using LinkedIn to search for candidates
- 95% successfully hired someone from LinkedIn
(In 2020, these percentages are similar to what Jobvite’s 2011 survey reported.)
Adding bling to your LinkedIn profile is just one way to help you stand out from the crowd. Why? Because, you are actually showing your skills, talents and abilities. (Similar to that of being an internal candidate, kind of).
What is Bling?
Did you know you can link and embed media to your profile?
Embed some of these visuals to enrich your profile:
- SlideShare presentation or document
- YouTube video
- Documents (pdfs, docs, spreadsheets)
- Photos/images (jpgs, pngs)
- Links
- LinkedIn blog post (learn more here)
Once you’ve determined what you want to showcase, simply go to edit your profile and either add it to the new “Featured” section or under the job experience where it occurred (or both!)
Learn more about LinkedIn Featured section here
What should I use?
The options are endless…think outside the box! Here are just some quick thoughts:
- Letters of recommendations from people not on LinkedIn
- Customer testimonials
- Samples of your best work
- A video of you or one you create
- Awards
- Links to articles noting your success
To learn more about embedding media and documents to your LinkedIn profile, check out Make Your LinkedIn Profile Media Rich
Really, why do I want to do this?
Not only are you creating a better overall picture of yourself, but you are also creating content that is “findable” on the web (inside and outside of LinkedIn).
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
