4 LinkedIn Mistakes You Dont Want to Make

4 LinkedIn Mistakes You Dont Want to Make4 LinkedIn Mistakes You Dont Want to MakeAs one of Houstons leading providers of resume and career services, including cover letter and LinkedIn profile help, we see common mistakes people make when building their LinkedIn profiles.And if youre currently in the market for a new job, you might unknowingly remove yourself from consideration based on what recruiters are finding on your LinkedIn profile. You dont have to worry because the team at Resume Spice has your back.Mistake 1 Your profile picture is bedrngnis professional or you dont have one.Not only does a profile picture add credibility to your profile, youre also more likely to be viewed by potential employers if you have a photo.We all want to be taken seriously as professionals, so save the bathroom selfies for Facebook. In the saatkorn spirit, you shouldnt use photos from your wedding, cropped group photos, or photos where your face is obscured.How to fix it Make sure you have a high resolution photo where your face takes up at least 60% of the frame. The background of your photo should be simple, and you should be looking directly in to the camera. Make sure youre wearing what you would wear to work in your photo. And just like that, you have a professional LinkedIn photo.Remember that you dont need to spend a ton of money on professional photos. Most smart phones have great cameras that include high resolution options.Mistake 2 Writing your professional history like its a resume.The employer already has your resume and understands your basic skill sets. Dont just copy and paste your resume into your LinkedIn profile.How to fix it The beauty of LinkedIn is that it gives you an opportunity to not only showcase your skillsets and experience, but you have the freedom to expand upon anything you want. This will give a sense of who you are as a professional and as a person.Mistake 3 DiscrepanciesRecruiters turn to LinkedIn not only to get a well-rounded sense of wh o you are, theyre also looking for any indications that youve been dishonest on your application or in your resume.While your LinkedIn should definitely not be a mirror image of your resume, it should at least include the same general information dates of employment, job titles, and skillsets.How to fix it Do a quick audit of your LinkedIn profile as compared to your resume. Make sure dates, job titles, basic duties, and skills match what youve claimed on your resume.Mistake 4 Overly quirky headlines and/or job titlesIn general, your headline is meant to tell what you do, but it doesnt have to just be your job title. This is beneficial for a few reasons. Your headline is kind of like your personal brand and functions just like a headline in the news its meant to grab attention, tell people what youre about, and spark interest in the subject you.But the downside is that writing an effective headline isnt as easy as it seems.You dont want to be too general. Listing yourself as Team Lead is far too general but calling yourself a Marketing Alchemist or Superhero or Guru is a little to quirky and probably a stretch, depending on where you work or the types of employers you want to attract.How to fix it Take some time to write out what you do in a sentence or two and keep trimming that down until you get to the heart of the message you want to convey.Bringing it all togetherJust like most things you do in the professional world, you want to strike a balance between exhibiting professionalism, while also conveying what makes your skills and background unique. LinkedIn allows you to do that. By following LinkedIns best practices, you can sharpen your profile and increase the chances youll be found or considered further by your next employer.If you would like personalized LinkedIn help and/or more information on all the career services we provide, contact Resume Spice today.