“You can be empowered here. This is you deciding how you want others to perceive you. You have that control.”
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Why Listen:
Donna is one of the earliest adopters of LinkedIn, and has written two books about LinkedIn profiles, including, LinkedIn Profile Optimization For Dummies. She is graciously providing her LinkedIn Makeover course FOR FREE to Veterans, which includes one-on-one feedback from her on your profile… please, please, please take her up on this. Donna is a goldmine of information about practical ways to improve your LinkedIn profile and you will leave this interview with simple steps to take today to overhaul your LinkedIn profile. You can learn more at http://www.LinkedIn-Makeover.com
About Donna:
Donna is the author of the books, LinkedIn Profile Optimization For Dummies and LinkedIn Makeover: Professional Secrets to a POWERFUL LinkedIn Profile. She is the Founder & Owner of Vision Board Media, which she has run for over 10 years and helped countless individuals improve their LinkedIn profile.
Our Sponsor:
StoryBox- People trust each other more than advertising. StoryBox provides the tools and supports businesses need to take the best things customers say about them, and use them to drive more sales and referrals. StoryBox offers a 10% discount to companies employing veterans of the US Armed Forces.
Audible is offering one FREE audio book to Beyond the Uniform listeners. You can claim this offer here, and see a list of books recommended by my guests at BeyondTheUniform.io/books
Partners:
Have you ever wondered how you could become a more effective and balanced leader? Or how to find a team with a high degree of trust that performs at a level you’re accustomed to? Check out The Leadership Podcast where they study what makes the best leaders tick - including many who have moved "beyond the uniform" to reach new levels of success and fulfillment.
Selected Resources:
Transcript & Time Stamps:
3:45
Joining me from Philadelphia, PA is Donna Serdula. Thank you for all that you do for the veteran community Donna.
I also want to let listeners know that we offer a LinkedIn profile toolkit to all veterans for free. Please visit my website for more information.
5:50
How did you become an expert in LinkedIn?
I joined LinkedIn in 2005. I copied my old, boring out of date resume to my LinkedIn profile. Of course, nothing happened so I thought LinkedIn was a waste of time. A few years later, I was working in sales. I noticed that each time I called someone, I would Google their name. A lot of times, I would be brought to their LinkedIn profile. Many times these profiles were dry and uninteresting. I had an epiphany that people were using LinkedIn as a way to learn more about you. I realized that it was more than just a virtual resume.
I re-crafted my LinkedIn profile using keywords and other techniques to tell my story in an interesting way. I left my job a few years later to start my own business helping other people improve their LinkedIn profile.
10:25
How often do you need to refresh your LinkedIn profile?
The start of a new year is a great time to take stock of your profile and think about whether or not it truly tells your story. Does your profile reflect what you have accomplished?
11:50
What’s a good starting point for a transitioning military member that wants to create a LinkedIn profile?
Transitioning out of the military is difficult because it’s a complete identity shift. Oftentimes, people on the outside find it difficult to connect with what military members have done during their time in service.
I encourage people to use LinkedIn as a research tool. Look at people that transitioned out before you and see what companies they were hired by after they got out. You can also use LinkedIn to research companies and discover new job opportunities.
16:05
Do you think people should use “Transitioning Military Member” in their LinkedIn headline?
If it feels authentic to you, that’s fine. But keep in mind, you only have 120 characters in the headline. Make sure you are using that space wisely. Your headline must be compelling and descriptive.
I also tell transitioning military members to avoid using a photo of themselves in uniform. This tells employers that you still haven’t fully transitioned. Your profile picture should be a photo of you in professional dress. The image should show no more than your head and shoulders.And make sure you have a background image uploaded as well.
20:50
How should people use keywords to their advantage?
Artificial intelligence is definitely used during searches. So you should definitely try to use keywords that are likely to be searched for. But at the same time, ultimately a human is going to be hiring you. So make sure your profile isn’t too wordy that your story gets lost. On my website, I offer headline generation help.
30:43
What should be included in the summary section?
This is your “about” section. It’s an opportunity to tell your story. You can mention your military experience and what you learned there. But include more than that as well.
It’s still surprising to me how many high performers have come to me to help them create a LinkedIn profile. People just don’t like writing about themselves. So don’t be intimidated by the process. It’s not easy to write about yourself but it is worth it in order to create a worthwhile profile.
35:50
How detailed should you get in your profile?
Because LinkedIn is a search engine, the more information you have on your profile, the better it will perform in searches. With that being said, make sure the content isn’t convoluted. You want to be delivering one, cohesive message.
38:20
What other resources would you recommend?
Definitely check out my website. I have many resources there that can help you improve your LinkedIn profile. On my website you can also sign up for your free DIY Kit.
41:10
Is there anything else you’d like to share with listeners?
Take some time and think about what your goals are after you transition out of the military. Then put the effort into crafting a worthwhile LinkedIn profile that shares your passions and goals with other people.