7 Tips for Using Your LinkedIn Profile to Land Great Projects
Posted February 6, 2011 in Getting Clients, Social Media
LinkedIn may not have the name recognition of Facebook or the popularity of Twitter, but what it does have is the reputation as one of the most effective social networking services for freelancers. Boasting more than 80 million users and counting, LinkedIn has something for everyone, from writers to designers, from podcaster to vbloggers.
Thanks to LinkedIn’s huge, active network of professionals, many seeking the perfect freelancers for projects of all shapes and sizes, you should make your LinkedIn presence just as important as your Twitter account, and probably even more so than your Facebook profile. In fact, LinkedIn can mean all the difference between you seeking out work, and having the work come to you.
Land Great Projects Using LinkedIn
Here’s how to land solid projects with your LinkedIn profile:
- Build your profile to 100% completion. A complete LinkedIn profile is the most powerful tool in your arsenal. It carries the same weight as a college degree does by showing that you stuck things out to the finish line, rather than going in, signing up, and getting out when the going gets rough (or boring). As a freelancer, that’s the worst reputation to have. Period. To start, make use of the basics such as the summary and experience fields, as well as new features like the Skills and Publications sections. According to LinkedIn itself, a completed profile increases your chance of successful networking by 15 percent, meaning you have a greater chance of establishing connections, generating leads, and finding gigs that pay well.
- Pick a custom URL. If you’ve ever used LinkedIn (or Facebook for that matter), you’ve seen the person with a URL that looks something like: www.facebook.com/8297328Z028BZ. In other words, their URL is complete gibberish, and anyone who lacks a photographic memory would never, ever remember it. Instead of going down this road, you should personalize your URL to reflect what you do. You could change your URL to include your name, for example: www.linkedin/joeshmoe, but a better idea is to set it up so that it shows exactly what you do for a living and what you’re looking for. A LinkedIn URL like www.linkedin.com/freelanceeditor4hire will grab more attention than one that simply lists a name.
- Add lots of apps. Apps have become a huge part of the social networking universe, and LinkedIn has jumped on this train by adding more and more on frequent basis. With LinkedIn’s present set of apps, you can share presentations with SlideShare, show pictures of where you’ve traveled via Flickr, and even cross-promote your blog through the BlogLink app. The BlogLink app connects your blog to your LinkedIn site, so that any time you blog, posts are automatically published to your LinkedIn profile. In a nutshell, installing applications is a great way to make your profile stand out and gives you exciting ways to share content.
- Build an army of connections. If you’re stuck with just a few dozen LinkedIn connections, a group that may or may not include family members, it’s time you kicked things up a notch. Connections not only show that you’re active on LinkedIn, but they give the appearance–at least in the Web world–that you’re the person pressing palms and passing out business cards at the cocktail party and not the sullen person parked by the door. When building your connection pool, size matters, but remember that quality is also a major consideration. If you need to enlarge your pool by including your local dog groomer or cable repairman, you’ll probably need to uncouple yourself from them as you build up more connections with people working in your general field.
- Give–and gather–recommendations. Just as they do on a resume, references add a layer of assurance that you’re the person to hire for the job. With LinkedIn’s recommendation feature, you can reach out to people you’ve worked with in the past and ask them to write up a note saying good things about you and your work. These notes might emphasize how easy you are to work with, how quickly you finish projects, and even how you never stop until your work is perfect. Post these prominently in your profile and you’ll get more people to consider you for jobs. Also, remember that paying it forward with recommendations pays off as well. If you offer to give recommendations to others, chances are you’ll get more incoming ones for yourself. In other words, don’t be a grinch. Give a lot and you’ll get a lot.
- Be a fixture, not a stranger. Like a construction project that has run out of money, a partially built, semi-abandoned profile can kill potential opportunities in a flash. Most employers want to make contact immediately, not receive an email from you a few weeks later, asking if work is still available. Posting regular updates in your profile does two things: it lets people in on the work you’re doing now, and it gives you a chance to go in, check your mail, and contact anyone who has you on their short list. Frequent content sharing is quick way to show regular activity. Have you come across a interesting article, YouTube video or podcast related to your field? Link to it in your profile: It shows potential employers that you’re up to date on what’s going on in your industry. If you’re swamped, set aside a half hour two or three times a week to go in, share content, answer emails and update your profile.
- Be a snoop. You can learn a lot from the competition, and LinkedIn makes learning from your competitors pretty easy. If you want to see what your peers are doing to get work, or even who they’re connected with, LinkedIn has a setting that lets you browse anonymously instead of announcing that you’ve gone to your bitter rival’s profile and poked around.
Ultimately, hustling for work via social media can easily be a full-time job for any freelancer, and it hurts to know that you’re not hip to the new social tool that all your friends are using. However, think of LinkedIn like you would a good, reliable car. Flashier autos may come and go, but you know that your car will start, run, and take you where you need to go.
Your Turn
What are your best LinkedIn tips? Share your answers in the comments.
Image by Coletivo Mambembe
Related posts:
- The Freelancer’s Guide to Getting Started on LinkedIn
- How to Land More Projects with Smarter Follow-Up Steps
- How to Really Use LinkedIn to Market Your Freelance Business
- 17 Websites to Boost Your Designer Profile
- Ten Great Technical Writing Tips
About the author: Contel Bradford is the author of several ebooks, a legion of articles, and is a regular blogger for Benchmark Email, a provider of email marketing solutions.
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36 Comments
Ali Rowan
February 6th, 2011 at 9:00 amI’ve had a hard time really making use of LinkedIn. The process of adding someone as a connection demands that you either have worked with them, or went to school with them, etc. It doesn’t seem to be very conducive to new business relations, so I’ve thus far failed to see its networking benefits. Could you shed any light on this?
Vivek Parmar
February 6th, 2011 at 9:33 amone more thing i like to add join some groups in linkedin especially based on your niche and area of specialization
Sarah
February 6th, 2011 at 10:50 amI know this sounds horrible, but I wonder if people who post these kind of things get much work from linkedin because this is just barely scrapes the surface for suggestiosn (although detailed profile is good).
To the first person who said they did not see how to use it for new business contacts, 1) open up your linkedin profile to a search for all to see (there is a setting in linkedin), 2) do complete a detailed proflile, but make sure to include niche words/descriptions, etc. (i.e. with a lot of people who are “freelance writers”, they will put a post up saying “writer” “editor” ….something that 100000 other people have. If somone is searching in there, they are looking for a specialized skill set. List it/list those things 3) include contact info 4) link to your web page (so they can see your rates/samples, whatever you have and decide if you are a good fit first.
I’ve gotten several K work each yr from linkedin, lincluding the first year that I was a freelancer. Also, targeted clients who bring me the work that fits my background.
Also, suggestion from another poster replying (join groups) –good idea, you will come up high if they are in your industry and do a search.
Good luck.
Arne K. Haaje
February 6th, 2011 at 10:51 amOne other item that will add to your activity updates, is to use the “Answers” section they have.
You can go there to answer questions in many different fields, thus showing off your skill in that field. This activity will also be updated on your profile.
Sponsi
February 6th, 2011 at 11:12 amI know I will have a reputation of anti-web20-community BS but I don’t like LinkedIn (for me it’s LINKEDLN because I is capital here – don’t know why – and I always read it “linked L N”). I just don’t grasp the idea of all this stuff – propagation of crap? No, not for me. Facebook, twitter, linkedLn – no way. Flickr, even Google docs (+ Office docs) – oh yeah. I pity human vanity (facebook arrrgh!). No no no… for me, personally, no. For my customers – OK, why not. I even read about facebook marketing but personally I hate that all community marketing.
Sponsi
February 6th, 2011 at 11:14 amSarah, thank you – I might try it : )
Jocezilla
February 6th, 2011 at 11:47 amGreat article, and timely! I’ve been contacted for work via my incomplete LinkedIn profile, so I think it is time for me to step things up.
Thanks for motivating me :)
ameet
February 6th, 2011 at 1:34 pmwell never knew it can be so effective…really started taking linkedin seriously now
Jason
February 6th, 2011 at 2:25 pm@Sponsi, I have to agree with you to be honest. I want business as much as the next person but I have no intention of selling my soul in order to do it. I won’t annoy my family or friends with pointless updates and talk about how great I am. If you have to talk about yourself so much then perhaps you just aren’t good at what you do. If you really have to yell to be noticed then I pity you. Other people should be talking about how great you are at your job, not you. I care nothing for people’s opinion’s of themselves. There is a line between marketing yourself and looking like a desperate fool.
Freelance FactFile
February 7th, 2011 at 8:41 amSpookily enough, I did a blog post last Friday about 11 things you can do on LinkedIn. So here are my tips: http://www.freelancefactfile.com/do-you-know-about-these-11-things-you-can-do-on-linkedin/
Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound
February 7th, 2011 at 8:43 amCollect as many recommendations as possible. This can truly set you apart from your competitors.
Yes, you can ask people you’ve with or for for recommendations. But the best way to get them is to give them. When you give someone a recommendation, LinkedIn asks them if if they want to recommend you.
Another tip: Don’t wimp out by using the generic “My Website” to link to your website from your profile. Use keywords for more Google juice.
Sarah
February 7th, 2011 at 9:15 amOkay, some people are making hills out of molehills. This is not lots of wrok, social connections, tooting about yourself, FBing, blah blah blah.
It is a CV. You put the CV up, listing things you did at a job or in previous projects. That’s it. Everyone else who has a CV and works also updates their info. Then companies (no not families/friends) search to see if their are CVs that list the skills.
I doubt family/friends care if you have an updated CV. Actually, you don’t even need to connect to them.
It is only an hour or two to first put it up maybe flesh it out if you haven’t touched ti for a while and that’s it.
OR you can schmooze, cold call, whatever else you want to do. But I don’t have to spend much time marketing, so it works for me. I also haven’t had anyone say “oh no! You have a CV up! Let me search out someone who lists no info or doesn’ts use it so Ic an work wiith him or her”
Hannah Hurst
February 7th, 2011 at 12:04 pmThis is definitely beneficial to read! I have always pushed Linkedin to one side and concentrated more on twitter and facebook. However after reading this I may re-consider my priorities of social networking. Thanks for sharing.
B. Herzhaft
February 7th, 2011 at 1:28 pmWow! What a statement! Writer says that “A complete LinkedIn profile…carries the same weight as a college degree does by showing that you stuck things out to the finish line”
Guess lots of folks could have saved themselves $80,000 and four + years just by having a complete online profile!
Who knew?
BH
ps: I find that, like many things in the social media universe, one can reach the point of diminishing returns rather quickly. Once everybody has their megaphones out shouting their names, none really stand out and they all just add to the “noise” that is so pervasive now.
Melissa
February 7th, 2011 at 2:21 pmGreat tips! With a little effort you can be surprised by the number of people who will contact you.
Beth
February 7th, 2011 at 6:09 pmInteresting post–so much more time seems to be spent at Facebook and Twitter that LinkedIn seems to be an afterthought, but these are good, solid suggestions. I’ll be sharing your link with my blog readers this week (www.writer-in-progress.com) because I think it’s helpful stuff to know.
Thanks!
angelee
February 8th, 2011 at 6:04 amHonestly, I haven’t signed up with Linkedin yet though I got many invitations already. Thanks for pointing out the advantages of the network and I shouldn’t miss joining it at least starting this month, gotta finish few urgent tasks..
AUDIOMIND
February 9th, 2011 at 9:03 amPut an emphasis on recommendations! They work wonders when marketing yourself to potential employers!
Jessica, TheInternationalStudentRecruiter
February 12th, 2011 at 7:51 amGreat advice! I use LinkedIn regularly, but I’ve not built my profile to 100% and I’ve not asked for any recommendations. I’m not using LinkedIn fully, and I should be. Your post has motivated me to do so!
Donna, LinkedIn Profile Writer
February 17th, 2011 at 9:19 pmGreat article! I would also suggest optimizing your profile for LinkedIn search. Recruiters search LinkedIn using keywords and so it’s important to make sure your profile is rich in keywords that describe the position or project you are interested in. Pepper your headline, summary, specialties, job title and description with those keywords. Also, don’t forget recommendations! It’s not what they write in the recommendation as much as WHO wrote the recommendation so make sure you get recommendations from people in high places/positions.
–Donna, LinkedIn-Makeover.com
Zeeshan
December 15th, 2011 at 7:43 amLinkedIn is the best professional networking site in town. Everyone from your investors, shareholders, CEO etc is on LinkedIn. Spending quality time in enhancing your LinkedIn Profile works wonders. Here is an article I would like to share http://bit.ly/u0pXnO
obbergton
January 27th, 2012 at 7:16 amAbsolutely concur with what you stated. Your explanation was undoubtedly the least complicated to comprehend. I tell you, I typically get irked whenever people discuss matters that these people obviously don’t know about. You were able to strike the nail on the head and explained the whole thing without problem. Possibly, folks could take a signal. Will likely be back again to get more. Many thanks
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