The other day I wrote a LinkedIn beginners guide to setting up a profile. 
Today, I want to dig a bit deeper and help you build an awesome LinkedIn profile.
Here are the 4 must take steps to an awesome more marketable LinkedIn profile.
Step 1. Follow the leader - I have said before there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Get familiar with what you’re trying to do, figure out what industry you are in. Once you do that go search that industry and look for profiles that you like; see what words they are using and what information they are providing.
Keep this in mind when you are constructing your profile, not only will this streamline the process, but since you found these profiles you know they were doing something right by optimizing their linked in profile, and now so are you!!
Step 2. Strip out the clutter - The average person has changed jobs six to eight times before turning the age of 30. That’s a lot of experience but it is only relevant when it relates to your current goals. Scan through your profile and weed out or streamline everything that doesn’t support your CURRENT business or professional goals. If you are currently a Web designer but earlier in your career you worked in HR, having a comprehensive listing of your HR background will be more distracting than helpful.
Tip: Keep previous jobs in your work history, limit each to job title, company, and a brief description of duties.
Step 3. Upgrade your profile photo - If you are your brand (which you are) then your photo is like your logo. When I follow someone on twitter the first thing I do is look at their avitar. People do the same thing when using LinkedIn.
The best photo won’t get you hired, but a really bad photo will definitely cost you.
In the LinkedIn basics guide, I recommended you use anything professional besides the default pic, thats still good advice but if you want to take your LinkedIn profile to the next level…get a really good picture!! Make sure if reflects who you are as a professional, it flatters without misleading (remember you’ll eventually meet some of these people) Also, Remember your best profile photo might not necessarily be your favorite photo. Your best photo will strike a balance between professionalism and approachability, making you look good but also real.
Step 4. Add recommendations – If you’re like me you read testimonials, even though you know those testimonials were probably solicited. Adding a few Recommendations to your LinkedIn profile adds color and depth to the otherwise bland LinkedIn profile page. The biggest advantage of adding testimonials to your LinkedIn profile is that you get to add a little flash but avoid looking like you’re talking about yourself too much.
Tip: Ask for recommendations, offer to provide recommendations before you’re asked. The best way to build great connections is to always be the one who gives first.
Keep a look out for the next in this series about how to optimize your linked in profile for SEO. In the meantime I have to ask, will you:
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