9 ways to polish your LinkedIn profile

Follow this guidance to elevate your presence on the world’s preeminent professional network.

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LinkedIn has profoundly changed the way we network, explore business opportunities and present our credentials to the world.

It’s a crucial platform to master—for businesses and individuals alike—and that starts with creating a compelling profile that’s easy to find. Here are nine ways to maximize your LinkedIn presence:

1. Optimize your profile for discovery.

What good does it do to have a LinkedIn profile if no one can find you? Your first task is to make sure your account is not set to “anonymous.”

Log in to your account, and head to the settings and privacy section. Select “Edit your public profile” to ensure that the visibility is set to “public.”

You can customize your URL on the same page. Include your first and last name to optimize your profile for search on both LinkedIn and Google.

2. Use a professional photo.

LinkedIn says a professional photo will make visitors “seven times more likely to visit your profile” than picture-free profiles.

Upload a close-cropped photo of your face with a neutral background. LinkedIn recommends using a high-resolution image cropped to 400 by 400 pixels.

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