LinkedIn Etiquette: Five Dos and Don'ts

7 comments | 19I like it!
December 8, 2008, 10:35 AM —  CIO.com — 

Building a strong profile on LinkedIn, the social network for professionals, has taken on greater importance as the economy slips deeper into a recession. What information you decide to include, or exclude, could affect future job opportunities as well as your overall identity on the public internet.
Although LinkedIn doesn't pose the same reputation perils presented by Facebook - such as being tagged in photo albums or being victimized by random comments left on your profile - the pitfalls of a poorly constructed LinkedIn profile, or employing bad LinkedIn etiquette, can alienate your contacts (known as "connections"). It can also turn away potential employers interested in hiring you.

We caught up with Kirsten Dixson, a reputation management and online identity expert, who helped us with our Five Dos and Don'ts for maintaining proper Facebook etiquette to get her tips on proper LinkedIn etiquette.

1. Profile Picture

Saying your LinkedIn profile picture should appear "professional" states the obvious. But more specifically, Dixson says paying a professional photographer to give you a few headshots to choose from is worth the modest investment because your picture is one the first things people will notice on your LinkedIn page.

Do some research online to find a photographer near you. You should be able to hire one, Dixson estimates, for $200-250 who can get the job done well. Remember: this is a modest investment when you consider how many professional contacts - some of whom you know, some of whom you don't - will view your LinkedIn profile.

If you don't get a professional photographer, you want to keep a fairly neutral background with very good lighting. Dixson says people do use Photoshop to eliminate wrinkles or unflattering features, but be careful: future employers will want to meet you in person for an interview and that picture will set their expectations for what you look like. While this is not supposed to matter, we all know it does.

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LI Updates

Also, if you update your status from a central location, e.g. Twitter updates your status on LI, Facebook, etc., be VERY careful what types of updates you post. People searching for you on LI do not need to know about how much you hate your local sports team or what you had to drink that sent you over the edge last weekend.
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Perfect Profile Picture

Profile pictures can also be improved by a vairety of services such as FixMyPhotos.com. Background removal as well as light retouching to bring out your best.
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What you need is expert

What you need is expert profile representation and every thing about you which is true. You are not forced to declare those things which you hesitate to post. Its not an interview, one should stick to show his/her ability in relevant industry. SSL Certificates Web Design SEO Web Development
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