Imagine if your LinkedIn profile only conveyed what you do, but not what it is you want. What if you are looking to start a new business?
People who have had a successful career in finance, for instance, may want to switch industries. Other times, people may want to quit working for others and start their own adventures.
No matter what your current situation is, you can make several changes to your LinkedIn profile to reflect your new goals and situation. Here’s how you can do it.
You’ve heard the expression, “Dress for the job you want”. The same applies to your LinkedIn profile. You will need to change your suit photo if you want to make your fashion skills into a personal style business. If you’re a web designer who wants to work in a field where everyone wears a suit, it is a smart idea to swap your current photo with a Hawaiian shirt to make the job more serious.
Use the background image behind your photo to show off your passions and your professional goals. Upload a photo of nature if you’re tired of working in an office and are ready to go outdoors. Look for images that relate to money if you are just starting a financial planning company. Are you a real estate agent? He then finds a photograph of a sign for sale in front of a home.
You can use photos you made, but you can also find royalty free images on platforms like unsplash.com, Pixabay.com and Pexels.com.
Please upload any material you have created as a commercial or freelance photographer to the cover space.
You can use the “About Me” section to discuss your current job and the job you want to do in the near future. Let’s suppose you are currently employed by a company but want to change to nonprofit work. You can write about past interactions with these organizations or discuss your values.
Above all, remember that this is your story. You can use it to convey more than just your curriculum vitae. This will help you to understand your potential customers and future employees when you start a business. It will also allow you to bring in insight, awareness, and tremendous interest. This helps people to understand that this is not a sudden or abrupt change but rather a carefully planned business move or professional move.
You should also share your knowledge in this field by writing about it. Are you planning to start a digital marketing agency. Start writing and publishing articles on LinkedIn about search engine optimization, digital content, and Google Analytics. Communications professionals are looking to support new lines of business and industries. Start writing about the business or industry and sharing articles written by other experts.
The thing is, if you are looking to make a career change, then your LinkedIn profile must change.
