It’s easy to approach LinkedIn like it’s a professional version of Facebook, but that is not a good idea. Many professionals very carefully do not have any overlap at all between their Facebook and LinkedIn profiles but realize that somehow, somebody will figure out the connections so they are still careful online. In fact, that’s the first mistake you can make:
Common Mistakes Seen On LinkedIn
- Not monitoring the way your name and identity (brand) show up online keeps you from seeing when there’s a problem that needs to be addressed. Set up a Google Alert on all variations of your name and use a few search engines to see how you look to a potential employer who is researching your suitability for an opening.
- No profile picture, or an unprofessional profile picture make an impression all right, an impression that you don’t care about your career enough to use a suitable photograph.
- An incomplete profile reveals your failure in completing a task and triggers questions about how you’ll complete tasks on the job. It also shows you haven’t taken the time to learn how to effectively use the tools at your disposal.
- Not updating your status with recent accomplishments or authoritative content makes you look like nothing is happening.
- Thinking LinkedIn is only for job seekers and ignoring the network until you need a job keeps you from the real benefits of professional networking.
If you are at all serious about your career, you should be regularly paying attention to how to improve your LinkedIn capabilities. There’s been plenty of tips on this blog, and we even offer professional LinkedIn Profile Development if you decide you need that service. The professional networking you have on LinkedIn isn’t like any other type of social media, and it’s worth your time and effort to learn how to avoid making mistakes.