6 Pro Tips for getting the most out of LinkedIn

Here are 6 Pro Tips for getting the most you can out of LinkedIn.

PRO TIP #1: LinkedIn desktop limits your headline to 120 characters (including spaces),¹ but when you edit your headline on LinkedIn Mobile on an iOS device, you can get as many as 210 characters. Use them (iOS only, this won’t work on Android).

PRO TIP #2: If your volunteer experience is more executive level, such as being on the board of a charitable organization, add that under the Experience section with your past jobs instead of under “Volunteer Experience.”

PRO TIP #3: One sure way to boost your endorsements is to endorse others in your network. Once you do, a large number of those connections are likely to endorse you as well.

PRO TIP #4: If you are lucky enough to have garnered a large number of endorsements on your top 3 skills, reorder them temporarily to move 1, 2 or 3 new skills to the top of your list. That way, you are likely to receive a larger number of endorsements for those skills. Once you receive an adequate number of endorsements on those skills rinse and repeat until you have a large number of endorsements on all your key skills.

PRO TIP #5: If you are giving your profile a “makeover” or doing any significant editing to your profile, turn off profile edit notifications to your network if you haven’t already done so. That will keep anyone from knowing about your changes until you have completely optimized your profile. To turn off notifications go into “Settings & Privacy” (in the dropdown under the “me” icon at the top of your homepage) then go to the “Privacy” tab. Now scroll down to “Sharing profile edits” and change the option to “no.” I keep mine at no at all times.

PRO TIP #6: As you know, you control your profile and can limit what is shown on search engines and other off-LinkedIn services. Viewers who aren’t signed in to LinkedIn will only see what you decide you want them to see. If you haven’t already done so, to edit your “public profile,” go to “Settings & Privacy” (in the dropdown under the “me” icon at the top of your homepage) then go to the “Privacy” tab. The “Edit your public profile” option should be one of the first ones you see.

¹All character limits on LinkedIn includes spaces.