Write a Winning LinkedIn Headline

Ever wonder how to write a LinkedIn headline that will get you noticed?  The following are key messages and tips on how to use your LinkedIn headline to advance your personal branding objectives.

  • The headline is the section on LinkedIn that gets searched the most.
  • Your job title is not necessarily the right, or best, headline.  You have the ability to change your headline beyond the default that LinkedIn uses (your title).  Be purposeful in choosing the right headline.
  • The headline has a limit of 120 characters so plan your text wisely.
  • For consulting, consider spotlighting what you do and who you help.

Read Forbes magazine’s full article here for more details and examples.


Customize Your LinkedIn Background Photo

In follow-up to previous blog posts, we are highlighting another topic in the ongoing series of articles in Forbes entitled “The Baby Boomers Guide to LinkedIn.”  

The third topic in the series shifts focus to your LinkedIn Background Photo.

Rule #1 – Customize Your Background Photo/Banner
Take the time to customize your background photo/banner. You are not a “generic” professional, and it is vital that your presence on LinkedIn sends the right message.  By customizing your background photo/banner, you are also demonstrating that your understanding of tech and social media is “current”.

Rule #2 – Choose the Right Image for Your Personal Brand
Choose a background image that supports your personal brand.

Rule #3 – Choose an Image that Complements Your LinkedIn Headshot
Pick an image that works well with your LinkedIn headshot.  You may need to do some trial and error experiments to get this right.

Rule #4 – Know the Right Size
The size of your background photo/banner should be 1584 wide x 396 high.  Canva is a great tool to use for sizing of photos for social media purposes, and it is free.

Click here for more tips and to learn how Bill Gates has customized his background photo!


Five LinkedIn Tips

Personal branding pioneer William Arruda advises that you work with intentionality to differentiate your LinkedIn profile. 

Here are five personal features that are available on LinkedIn to help you standout from the professional network’s 610 million users.

1.  Specify your industry. 

LinkedIn data shows that profiles of members who include their industry are 9x more likely to be viewed.

2.  Create content. 

Create articles using LinkedIn’s blogging feature.  Here’s a great tip.  Arruda suggests that you commit to writing just one article per quarter.  This will help you to differentiate your profile, keep it fresh and share your thought leadership.

3.  Master multimedia. 

Your LinkedIn summary now allows you to add multimedia including videos, white papers, images and more. A great way to amplify your story while making your profile more visually interesting.

4. Brand your background. 

Do not use LinkedIn’s generic background image.  You need to stand apart from the crowd by customizing your image.  Not sure how to do this?  The Croixstone team would be happy to provide assistance.

5.  Say it with symbols. 

Symbols can be used to add character to your LinkedIn profile.  We agree with Arruda that you must exercise caution with this tip.  The key is to use symbols well and use them sparingly.

Learn more here.


LinkedIn for Baby Boomers

LinkedIn is an essential tool for all business professionals to use. There is both art and science to building and sustaining an impactful LinkedIn profile, and the navigation between these two elements can be tricky – especially for highly experienced professionals.

We love that Forbes magazine has published the first article in a brand new series of articles named “The Baby Boomer’s Guide to LinkedIn.” Read the first article in the series that presents strategies baby boomers can deploy to fight age discrimination on LinkedIn.


LinkedIn Live Launched

LinkedIn recently launched its first live video tool, giving people and organizations the ability to broadcast real-time video to select groups or to the LinkedIn world at large.

Launching in beta first in the U.S., LinkedIn Live (as the product is called) will be invite-only. In coming weeks, LinkedIn will also post a contact form for others who want to get in on the action.  Learn more here.


2018 U.S. Emerging Jobs Report

Each year LinkedIn analyzes data from the previous five years to identify emerging jobs and the skills associated with them.  Some of the biggest takeaways in the recently released LinkedIn 2018 U.S. Emerging Jobs Report are as follows:
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  • AI is here to stay (6 out of the 15 emerging jobs are related to AI in some way).
  • Basic business operational functions are on an upsurge.
  • Soft skills – oral communication, leadership and time management – account for the largest skills gap.
Read the full report to learn more about the top 15 emerging jobs, those jobs with the largest hiring growth and the skills with the biggest skill gaps.

July 2018 Workforce Report

LinkedIn publishes a monthly analysis of employment trends in the USA workforce.  The report is divided into two sections:  a National section that provides insights into hiring, skills gaps, and migration trends across the country, and a City section that provides insights into localized employment trends in 20 of the largest USA metro areas.  In its newly-published July report, LinkedIn shared that Charlotte ranked among the top 10 cities in two different categories.  Learn more here.


Blockchain Disruptor

LinkedIn, the social network that currently boasts 560 million members, works hard to monetize all of those profiles with sales of data to third parties.  While the professional networking site continues to grow in size, there are many who believe the LinkedIn business model is ripe for disruption.  Omar Zaki, a Yale graduate and CEO of MYBS (pronounced “moe-bee-uh-s”) is one of those disruptors.  Learn how MYBS believes that blockchain is the key to disrupting LinkedIn’s business model here.


New LinkedIn Feature…QR Codes

As a holding of Microsoft, LinkedIn continues to evolve and add new features. Here’s something new to try at your next networking event. On June 28, LinkedIn added a QR code generator to help professionals swap details when they are not already connected on the social media platform.  LinkedIn suggests that the QR code can effectively become the replacement for the business card for people at in-person events.  Read the LinkedIn Blog to learn more. 


Don’t Be a LinkedIn Dinosaur

LinkedIn is a powerful tool for today’s consulting professional. That said, the world’s most popular social networking site for professionals is evolving and transforming at lightning speed. Here are four of LinkedIn’s latest features to keep you in the know…and stop you from becoming a LinkedIn dinosaur!

  • LinkedIn Search – has been updated with redesigned functionality and features to help deliver more relevant results.
  • “Connections of” Filter – use your extended network to search connections of your connections through the Connections of filter and find people who work in a specific industry, location or company.
  • LinkedIn Video – pictures tell a 1,000 words. Learn how to use LinkedIn Video to share your experience and perspectives.
  • Active Status – you can use LinkedIn’s “green dot” feature to learn who in your network is online and potentially available to communicate with you.