I’ve previously mentioned that I’ve been doing a bit of research on LinkedIn for work. Like all profile reading experience we soon learn to read between the lines (which once resulted in my friend, the Gentleman’s spoof online dating customer feedback form). So I’ve discovered a few things about LinkedIn profiles…

• Profile photo: Holiday snaps (inappropriate clothing including bikini straps, sunglasses, distracting backgrounds are all no-nos) say you’d rather be anywhere than work. Ditto holding a baby. No picture: do you really exist? Apparently we should look just above the lens for that George Washington-style purposeful look and angle the face to avoid the photo from looking too much like a mug shot.
• Headline: Chief hugger, maverick and disruptor are just a few I’ve spotted. Okay, so it’s not good to say you’re unemployed but maybe indicate where you’d like to be heading in your career rather than suggesting you’re careering out of control.
• The Oxford dictionary’s definition of ‘entrepreneur’ is ‘a person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit or a promoter in the entertainment industry’. Therefore business owners and prostitutes can say they’re entrepreneurs; employed/unemployed sales people can’t.
• Summary: This is a good place to use an entrepreneur-style Executive Summary (traditionally this is a short document entrepreneurs use to get investors interested in their product). This covers your career highlights and where you’re going to be in 12 months. Stick to the facts and avoid subjective clichés such as ‘dynamic leader,’ ‘result-oriented,’ ‘can-do attitude,’ and (my personal fave) ‘effective communicator.’
• Admittedly endorsements are being rendered meaningless because they are too easy to give away. What’s more, a friend mentioned that LinkedIn is the Match.com for the underemployed so feel free to ignore the above (rather obvious) suggestions.