Social media has made deep inroads in our everyday lives and hence it is not surprising that it is being used not just to connect with people socially, but also professionally. LinkedIn has become a strong influence on working professionals, recruiters, and even young graduates which makes it imperative to have a strong LinkedIn presence.

Follow these simple tips to revamp your LinkedIn profile and see the wonder that follows!

6 Ways To Use LinkedIn To Your Advantage

1. Connect With People You Don’t Know

Having been taught all our lives to avoid having any sort of communication with strangers, to connect with unknown people in LinkedIn might seem strange. But here, strangers are a blessing in disguise! It is always advisable to have connections with people in the same field as you are working in because you never know who is willing to collaborate and maybe even offer you an internship/job offer, based on your achievements.

2. Compare LinkedIn Salaries

Do you want to know if you’re being paid enough for the work you do? Do you want to know what others in your field of work are earning? LinkedIn Salary is your go-to. It has settings that enable you to know the salary of others based on where they work and what position they are in. But to get this information, you must first share your salary details (LinkedIn encrypts this data so you can preserve your anonymity).

On the flip side, LinkedIn Salary uses information that is heavily data dependent. Hence, there is no guarantee that people who have shared their salary details are telling the truth.

3. Show Social Validation

When you have just finished your pet project, or have given an excellent presentation, it is a good idea to put it up on your LinkedIn profile. Don’t forget to add how people have appreciated your work. This is extremely crucial. If you show that your particular project has likes and/or shares, the more the chances of your LinkedIn audience believing in the credibility of your work.

Fret not if you haven’t garnered enough likes or tweets. If someone has appreciated your work greatly, then ask them to write detailed feedback, mentioning what exactly they liked about your work. Pop in this feedback wherever and whenever you mention that corresponding work. This goes a long way in giving a realistic picture of your work details.

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4. Jazz Up Your LinkedIn Profile With Multiple Photos

According to LinkedIn’s data, a post with images gets 94% more views. So, what kind of images should you use? If you have given a presentation, then put up a picture of you addressing the crowd. If you have developed a working model, then put up a photo of the model or even a short video of the working model. This slowly builds a perception of trust and confidence in your profile as you are showing proof of what you have done.

5. Use LinkedIn’s Connected App To Get Smart Notifications.

LinkedIn’s Connected app has a special feature that helps in syncing your calendar with the people you are connected with on LinkedIn. It works roughly like this: suppose you have a meeting scheduled with a person. The Connected app looks into the updated history of that person and informs you about their recent work and projects. Now, if you already know what that person is working on, you can direct your conversations in that direction (it might even get you some brownie points for being well informed)

6. Write That Perfect Summary

Along with your profile picture, the summary is one of the first things that people will see if they visit your profile. Hence, having an ordinary summary block is out of the question. Start out the summary by stating who you are and what skills you have acquired over the years. Make sure that you not just mention the work you have done, but also your communication and leadership skills. It is crucial here to use relevant keywords from your field of interest. That way, professionals in your area of expertise can relate more to you.

LinkedIn is that magic door to a world of splendid opportunities to learn new things, grow your network, or even get your dream job. Implement the above tips to see some positive changes in your LinkedIn journey.