If you’ve heard of LinkedIn, you’ve heard that it’s a great resource for finding and filling jobs. But, there’s so much more to this social media channel. 

Not only can you use LinkedIn to research and recruit, you can use it to promote your professionalism, keep connected and stay informed about your industry. 

Whether you have your own LinkedIn profile or you’ve yet to create it, here’s how to make it complete. A perfect profile will have:  

• Professional profile picture – Your profile will tell people who you are. A recent headshot will show them. 
• Up-to-date headline – What’s your current title, and where are you currently working? 
• Well-written summary – Write how you speak. Pack it with personality while keeping it professional. At most, make it three to five paragraphs.
• Detailed professional experiences – Document your day-to-day tasks and responsibilities with bullet points. For past experiences, use past tense. 
• Highlighted projects – Add a document, photo, link, video or presentation file to any part of your profile. These are excellent ways to show exactly what you’ve worked on.  
• Education overview – Where did you study? What degrees did you earn? How were you involved? 
• Collection of skills – Think about everything you know how to do and what you do well. Then, note these skills on your LinkedIn profile. Over time, your connections will be able to endorse you for them. 
• List of accomplishments – Share information about any honors, awards or certificates you’ve earned. Give your audience a brief description about them.
• Outline of volunteer experience – Add your charitable involvement with any causes or organizations. 

Then, take these tips and tricks into consideration: 

1. Proofread your profile. Before your page goes public, be sure there are no typos. 
2. Update your URL. Claim your name on LinkedIn. To get your vanity URL, move your cursor over the link you see underneath your profile picture. Click the “Settings” icon next to it. Then, edit the link so it’s your first and last name. 
3. Stay connected. Find the LinkedIn profiles for your friends, family, coworkers, colleagues and clients. Request to connect with them. 
4. Get involved. LinkedIn is home to hundreds of thousands of groups with just as many members. Search keywords related to what you do, and chances are, you’ll find plenty of groups to be part of. 
5. Be a brand ambassador. Spread the word about where you work. As the company posts blogs and news, feel empowered to share the updates on your personal profile. 
6. Keep it current. Revisit the content on your LinkedIn profile every six months, or once a year, to add, delete and tweak. 

With these tips and a little effort, you can build a LinkedIn profile that can be a valuable networking tool with potential customers and others in the industry.

(And don’t forget to follow Frankenmuth Insurance for all your industry-related updates.)