From Beginner to Thought Leader: How to Build Your Career Strategy on LinkedIn

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As an executive coach and career strategist, I believe that LinkedIn should play a central role in how you build your career. Whether you’re a newcomer or an experienced LinkedIn user—it’s crucial to integrate LinkedIn into your career strategy and professional networking efforts.

As an executive coach and career strategist, I believe that LinkedIn should play a central role in how you build your career. Whether you’re a newcomer or an experienced LinkedIn user—it’s crucial to integrate LinkedIn into your career strategy and professional networking efforts.

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With more than 900 million members worldwide and eight people hired every minute on LinkedIn, ATD members who want to communicate their expertise, build their networks, establish thought leadership, or change jobs need a current profile on LinkedIn.

With more than 900 million members worldwide and eight people hired every minute on LinkedIn, ATD members who want to communicate their expertise, build their networks, establish thought leadership, or change jobs need a current profile on LinkedIn.

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What you decide to highlight depends on your professional objectives. Do you want to transition to a new role in instructional design ? Attract more corporate training clients? Establish thought leadership? Your LinkedIn strategy should align with these objectives.

What you decide to highlight depends on your professional objectives. Do you want to transition to a new role in instructional design? Attract more corporate training clients? Establish thought leadership? Your LinkedIn strategy should align with these objectives.

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Depending on your familiarity with LinkedIn, here are different approaches to take.

Depending on your familiarity with LinkedIn, here are different approaches to take.

For Newbies to LinkedIn

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  Establish a basic profile, including a headshot, headline, an “about” section, and highlights of your work experience.

  Establish a basic profile, including a headshot, headline, an “about” section, and highlights of your work experience.

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  Include a good headshot. Your headshot should be well-lit and professional, avoiding personal elements like kids or pets.

  Include a good headshot. Your headshot should be well-lit and professional, avoiding personal elements like kids or pets.

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  Ensure your headline is compelling, concise, and highlights your unique skills and expertise. It can be your job title and include other elements of your professional identity like “e-learning leader,” “award-winning trainer,” “talent development expert,” “learning professional,” “author”, or "educator."

  Ensure your headline is compelling, concise, and highlights your unique skills and expertise. It can be your job title and include other elements of your professional identity like “e-learning leader,” “award-winning trainer,” “talent development expert,” “learning professional,” “author”, or "educator."

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  Create a short “about” section that provides a good sense of who you are professionally.

  Create a short “about” section that provides a good sense of who you are professionally.

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  Add critical milestones to your work experience. LinkedIn isn’t your resume; you don’t need a detailed description of all you did at each job. Instead, highlight your key positions and one short sentence about what you accomplished there.

  Add critical milestones to your work experience. LinkedIn isn’t your resume; you don’t need a detailed description of all you did at each job. Instead, highlight your key positions and one short sentence about what you accomplished there.

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  Follow key organizations like ATD and any other organizations you are interested in.

  Follow key organizations like ATD and any other organizations you are interested in.

For Occasional LinkedIn Users

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You have a basic profile; now it’s time to give your LinkedIn presence more thought. Your profile should tell your professional story and weave together your experiences and skills to position you for what’s next professionally.

You have a basic profile; now it’s time to give your LinkedIn presence more thought. Your profile should tell your professional story and weave together your experiences and skills to position you for what’s next professionally.

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So how do you do this?

So how do you do this?

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  Post about topics related to your primary objective or areas of expertise (for example, the impact of AI on learning, training tips, workforce development ideas, and workplace trends). You can reshare articles or write your own posts.

  Post about topics related to your primary objective or areas of expertise (for example, the impact of AI on learning, training tips, workforce development ideas, and workplace trends). You can reshare articles or write your own posts.

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  Develop a schedule. Consistency is critical–for example, commit to posting and checking out LinkedIn once a week.

  Develop a schedule. Consistency is critical–for example, commit to posting and checking out LinkedIn once a week.

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  Expand your network strategically. U se the platform to network and connect with people that you can help and who can help you. Start by finding the people you know and then find other professionals you want to connect with.

  Expand your network strategically. Use the platform to network and connect with people that you can help and who can help you. Start by finding the people you know and then find other professionals you want to connect with.

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  Provide context for how you know the person instead of only sending a connection request (like, “We met at the ATD Conference and discussed our staffing challenges. I look forward to reconnecting.”) If you don’t know the person, explain why you are reaching out (I enjoyed the training tips you shared on your podcast. I hope we can connect.)

  Provide context for how you know the person instead of only sending a connection request (like, “We met at the ATD Conference and discussed our staffing challenges. I look forward to reconnecting.”) If you don’t know the person, explain why you are reaching out (I enjoyed the training tips you shared on your podcast. I hope we can connect.)

For Job Seekers

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If you are looking for a job, here are additional ways to maximize your LinkedIn presence.

If you are looking for a job, here are additional ways to maximize your LinkedIn presence.

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  Highlight your relevant skills to boost your profile’s visibility and attract recruiters and other professionals seeking those specific skills.

  Highlight your relevant skills to boost your profile’s visibility and attract recruiters and other professionals seeking those specific skills.

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  Incorporate relevant keywords from job descriptions that align with your skills. Using keywords that support your expertise, you effectively associate yourself with the topics you wish to be recognized for.

  Incorporate relevant keywords from job descriptions that align with your skills. Using keywords that support your expertise, you effectively associate yourself with the topics you wish to be recognized for.

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  Connect with the people in organizations where you want to work, even if there is no job opening right now. Continuing to build those connections helps you become top of mind for the next opportunity.

  Connect with the people in organizations where you want to work, even if there is no job opening right now. Continuing to build those connections helps you become top of mind for the next opportunity.

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  Use the Open to Work feature to indicate you are open to new opportunities through a simple LinkedIn profile photo frame. However, as a career coach, I advise caution when using the “Open to Work” feature. While you can select “recruiters only” to view this status, there’s a chance that recruiters or the HR team at your organization might see it. Signaling that you are open to new opportunities while still employed can compromise trust with your current employer, exclude you from future projects, and even jeopardize your job.

  Use the Open to Work feature to indicate you are open to new opportunities through a simple LinkedIn profile photo frame. However, as a career coach, I advise caution when using the “Open to Work” feature. While you can select “recruiters only” to view this status, there’s a chance that recruiters or the HR team at your organization might see it. Signaling that you are open to new opportunities while still employed can compromise trust with your current employer, exclude you from future projects, and even jeopardize your job.

For LinkedIn Super-Users

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If you are a power user, you are likely on LinkedIn a few times a week and have a robust profile. The best tip is to experiment with formats unique to the platform.

If you are a power user, you are likely on LinkedIn a few times a week and have a robust profile. The best tip is to experiment with formats unique to the platform.

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  Use LinkedIn’s custom features. The LinkedIn algorithm rewards users who take advantage of its custom tools and new features as this keeps users on the platform. Experiment with writing articles on LinkedIn, hosting a LinkedIn Live event, commenting on Collaborative Articles, and sharing video posts.

  Use LinkedIn’s custom features. The LinkedIn algorithm rewards users who take advantage of its custom tools and new features as this keeps users on the platform. Experiment with writing articles on LinkedIn, hosting a LinkedIn Live event, commenting on Collaborative Articles, and sharing video posts.

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  Celebrate other people in your network. Go out of your way to showcase your network’s accomplishments and all they bring to the table.

  Celebrate other people in your network. Go out of your way to showcase your network’s accomplishments and all they bring to the table.

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  Use LinkedIn analytics to track your progress and assess which types of posts perform well and which don’t. Experiment and learn as you go.

  Use LinkedIn analytics to track your progress and assess which types of posts perform well and which don’t. Experiment and learn as you go.

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  Stick to a few topics you want to be known for and use the hashtag consistently in your profile and your posts. By writing and commenting on consistent topics over time, you will establish expertise and can position yourself as a thought leader in that area.

  Stick to a few topics you want to be known for and use the hashtag consistently in your profile and your posts. By writing and commenting on consistent topics over time, you will establish expertise and can position yourself as a thought leader in that area.

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Many of my initially reluctant coaching clients are pleasantly surprised by how much they enjoy exploring LinkedIn and quickly become proficient users.

Many of my initially reluctant coaching clients are pleasantly surprised by how much they enjoy exploring LinkedIn and quickly become proficient users.

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LinkedIn Dos and Don’ts:

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Do:

Do:

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  Have a professional-looking profile photo or headshot.

  Have a professional-looking profile photo or headshot.

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  Share posts and ideas in your area of expertise.

  Share posts and ideas in your area of expertise.

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  Comment on other people’s posts and create dialogue with other professionals.

  Comment on other people’s posts and create dialogue with other professionals.

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  Show up as your authentic professional self.

  Show up as your authentic professional self.

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  Celebrate your big accomplishments. And remember to celebrate others’ as well.

  Celebrate your big accomplishments. And remember to celebrate others’ as well.

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  Be consistent and post regularly. You don’t have to create original posts. You can share posts from other people or comment on other people’s posts.

  Be consistent and post regularly. You don’t have to create original posts. You can share posts from other people or comment on other people’s posts.

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  Remember to show up professionally on LinkedIn, like you would at a work networking event.

  Remember to show up professionally on LinkedIn, like you would at a work networking event.

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Don’t

Don’t

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  Have an outdated profile with no headshot. This sends a signal that you are not actively engaged in your online presence, which can deter potential connections and opportunities.

  Have an outdated profile with no headshot. This sends a signal that you are not actively engaged in your online presence, which can deter potential connections and opportunities.

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  Have a profile photo focusing on your personal life (dog, kids, or pets).

  Have a profile photo focusing on your personal life (dog, kids, or pets).

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  Accept networking requests from random people who have no profile photos, whom you have no connections in common, and who seem like spam.

  Accept networking requests from random people who have no profile photos, whom you have no connections in common, and who seem like spam.

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  Make everything you share about you. Celebrate other people and share information related to your expertise as well as key takeaways.

  Make everything you share about you. Celebrate other people and share information related to your expertise as well as key takeaways.

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  Add an “Open to Work” banner to your profile photo if you are employed and your employer doesn’t know you are looking for work.

  Add an “Open to Work” banner to your profile photo if you are employed and your employer doesn’t know you are looking for work.

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  Post too much personal information that is unrelated to who you are as a professional.

  Post too much personal information that is unrelated to who you are as a professional.

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  Disparage your boss, your organization, a connection, or a colleague.

  Disparage your boss, your organization, a connection, or a colleague.

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  Be disappointed if you don’t get many “likes”, comments, or impressions on a post. You would be surprised how many people view your posts but do not comment.

  Be disappointed if you don’t get many “likes”, comments, or impressions on a post. You would be surprised how many people view your posts but do not comment.

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