8 Easy Steps to Reach LinkedIn All Star Status

In a few, simple steps you can have something in common with LeBron James and Tom Brady. You can be an All Star. Yes, you. Unfortunately, this post isn’t going to teach you how to be an All Star in the NBA or NFL. Sorry if I got your hopes up. BUT, it will teach you how to be a LinkedIn All Star. Not as exciting? This might get you revved up: Users with complete profiles are 40 TIMES more likely to receive job opportunities through LinkedIn. If that doesn’t have you salivating to learn how to be a LinkedIn All Star I don’t know what will.

The basics to reach All Star status on LinkedIn are as follows:

1. Profile Picture

2. Headline

3. Experience

4. Skills & Endorsements

5. Summary

6. Industry & Location

7. Education

8. Connections

Easy enough, right? As minimal as it might seem, it’s not enough to just throw all this together haphazardly to achieve the All Star rank. Each step is important and must be taken seriously to be the best of the best on LinkedIn.

1. Profile Picture

Adding a professional photo to your LinkedIn profile makes you 14x more likely to be found on LinkedIn. Key word here: professional. That means no selfies, no duck faces, and no pictures of you head banging at Coachella. Your photo should be recent, formal, and inviting. Your profile picture will be the first thing people see on your profile, so make sure you’re making the best first impression possible.

2. Headline

120 characters. That’s all you have to write an attention-grabbing headline that makes you stand out from the 433 million registered LinkedIn users. No pressure. Luckily, you don’t have to be Nicholas Sparks to write a great headline. A short introduction that includes your title or job function and important, descriptive keywords that describe your unique skill set will suffice. Adding keywords (not cliché buzzwords) will increase the chances of other LinkedIn goers to find your profile.

3. Experience

Including your current position and two most recent, prior positions makes your profile 12x more likely to be found. Don’t take the easy (read: lazy) way out by just copy and pasting resume bullets for each position. Use this space as an opportunity to display specific responsibilities, key achievements, awards, and how you positively impacted the company. Add quantifiable results whenever possible. If you’re still a student or unemployed, take advantage of this section to paint a picture of your passion and why you can be a valuable asset. 150-200 words should do the trick for this section and remember, if you don’t include at least a current position you will not be able to reach that coveted All Star status.

4. Skills & Endorsements

Get those eyeballs on your profile by adding relevant skills. LinkedIn members that list skills on their profile see an increase of 13x more profile views. To reach All Star status, you must have at least 5 skills listed. You can add up to 50 skills, but don’t get too carried away. Let’s just say some of the skills and endorsements available on LinkedIn are a little out there. As proud as you may be that you’re an exceptional online dater, it may be best to keep that skill off your LinkedIn profile.

5. Summary

The summary is basically an extension and elaboration of your headline. Your summary should be a few short paragraphs that introduce you, your professional background, area of expertise, strengths, and the accomplishments you hang your head high on. You have 2,000 characters to mess around with, but no need to write a Game of Thrones novel here.

6. Industry & Location

These two areas simply tell readers where you’re located and what industry you work in. It’s a very easy step, but it’s a must have to be an All Star.

7. Education

Adding your education is not only important to reach All Start status, but doing so grants you the opportunity to easily connect with fellow students and alumni.

8. Connections

Connections are a staple in any LinkedIn profile’s diet. 50 connections is all you need to be an All Star, but don’t be a social butterfly and connect with anyone and everyone. Start by connecting with professional contacts you know and current and former employees.

You did it! You’re a LinkedIn All Star! Only 51% of LinkedIn users have 100% completed profiles, and now you have bragging rights that you’re one of those elite 49%. Hey now, you’re an All Star, get your game on, and go start boosting your online presence on LinkedIn even further.

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