Last weekend, we celebrated Easter.
Whether we celebrate the holiday or not, many of us can appreciate the message of renewal.
As a resident of Northern California, I’m grateful for the signs of renewal and glimpses of spring, after a whooole lotta rain.
Personally, I’m fine with the rain. We needed to fill our reservoirs, and I’m convinced the bursts of extra-vibrant colors are, in part, a result of all those atmospheric rivers.
Speaking of renewal, I’m excited to see the new roles some of my clients have landed recently.
And speaking of new roles, if you have one…
Have you refreshed your LinkedIn profile to reflect your new position?
If we’ve worked together on your LinkedIn profile, I’ve already done the heavy lifting. So a quick refresh should be easy.
Just remember that your profile is a dynamic site. It’s meant to evolve just as you and your career are. So be careful not to set it and forget it.
Below are steps you can take now to refresh each LinkedIn profile section, assuming you updated them before you landed your latest job.
The best part? Unlike house spring cleaning, you should be able to do this in under an hour:
Headline (⏰ 5 minutes)
Are you now a VP rather than a director?
Did you expand the scope of your role, say from strictly sales to sales and marketing leadership?
Make sure your heading reflects what you’re doing in your current position, as opposed to what you did in your last job.
About (⏰ 15 minutes)
In this section, does it read as if your last role is still current?
If so, add a couple of sentences re: your current role, and change any references to your previous job to the past tense.
For your older roles, use words like “Previously…” or “Prior to leading global operations for…”
Make room for your current role by condensing any information from your earlier jobs.
If you list your top skills in this section, are they up to date?
Skills & Endorsement (⏰ 5 minutes)
Take a quick inventory: what skills are you applying in the new role? Are they listed in this section?
Experience Section (⏰ 15 minutes)
Be sure to add your new role in the Experience section.
Although you may not have had a chance to add measurable impact, you can include the scope of your role.
If you have made an impact, but you’re not ready to share publicly, that’s OK, too.
But at least keep an easy-access diary of your achievements so you won’t have to go searching for them later.
Recommendations (⏰ 10 minutes)
One of the best times to ask for recommendations? Right after you’ve left your previous job, while your fabulous contributions are still fresh in your colleagues’ minds!
Remember, it’s not just those you’ve worked for that you should ask. Endorsements from industry colleagues, clients, and peers from different business units also add credibility.
And nothing says leadership like a glowing recommendation from someone who considered you a mentor—even if they didn’t work directly for you.
Education, Courses, and Certifications (⏰ 5 minutes)
Have you gone through additional training at your new organization?
As part of onboarding, you may have benefitted from training for leadership or DEI. Go ahead and add that to your courses.
Education or certification that are in progress qualify, too. And will boost SEO.
Volunteering and Organizations (⏰ 5 minutes)
Check in on what you have listed in your Volunteering section.
Have you taken on new leadership roles? This is a great section for adding additional keywords—especially if the skills you use in your board or volunteer work is related to your profession.
So there you have it. Just one hour.
Just like spring, your profile should be growing and evolving.
Time passes. Seasons change. Keep your LinkedIn profile refreshed so you’re prepared for your next opportunity.
Happy spring! 🌸🌱
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