According to LinkedIn, an informal survey was conducted about what viewers checked out when they went on LinkedIn profiles. First was the profile photo, then the headline, background, and experience. Since your previous experiences are important to those checking you out, it’s a good idea to put some thought into how you are presenting this section. As a user scans through the basics, they are going to land on your experience to determine whether you might be a good fit for their potential opening.
When listing your experience, “Every company listed in your LinkedIn Experience section should be accompanied by a logo. No logo means no credibility.” To make sure you have a logo associated with each company, find that company’s LinkedIn page and look at your work history to see which ones are not linked. Also, when you are linked to the same company as the person searching for you, you are more likely to appear higher in their search results.
When listing your experience, treat it much like a typical resume. Start with your most recent company to the oldest. Under each position, use action verbs to describe what kinds of responsibilities you had there. Also, quantify results where you can. For example, you can say, “Trained 25 new employees each summer on customer service duties.” Keep your elaboration to a few lines and when you want to add more, you can use your About section to highlight a few of your experiences.
The projects section is one of the more underutilized sections of LinkedIn, but it’s important to use because it demonstrates both your experiences and skills. Some ideas for what to list in your projects section includes courses you may offer, training you’ve performed, presentations you’ve given, guest blogging contributions, and events you’ve had a role in organizing. If you use keywords in your projects descriptions, you’re also more likely to increase your chance of showing up in searches.
Finally, don’t be shy about listing your achievements in the honors & awards section. According to LinkedIn, “Completing this section will give the reader a better insight into your career history and achievements, and make your profile stand out against others.” You may find this area one of the most difficult to fill out simply because you can’t remember any awards you’ve received. To recall some, think about things like articles you’ve published, when you’ve been profiled by a magazine, panels you’ve participated in, or committees you’ve served on. Were you ever given an honor in any of these activities or been declared something like employee of the month? You may have more honors and awards in your past than you realize.