How to use your LinkedIn profile as a storytelling tool. Get people to connect and engage with you on LinkedIn.

1. How to Optimize your LinkedIn Profile for
Storytelling
A LinkedIn profile is a great opportunity to show case who you are and what
you can do for others. To effectively show case yourself with your LinkedIn
profile, you need to be able to tell a story that is credible and engaging. How
do you tell a story on LinkedIn with yourprofile? There are 5 Steps you need
to take in order to optimize your profile for storytelling.
1. Creating a Great Headline
A headline is equivalent to the title of a book, essay or story. The headline
shouldbe engaging. Like a story, the reader decides if they want to read more
or move on. This is the Attention Economy. Using the automatic headline that

2. lists yourjob title is a mistake. It is boring and makes you just like everyone
else. It demonstrates that you lack creativity.
Your headline shouldbe a short introduction of how you help others in your
current role; if you are happily employed or if you are looking to advance in
your current field. People who work at LinkedIn do this effectively. If you are
looking to change careers, the title shoulddemonstrate how you can take skills
and insights that you have developed and apply them to the career that you
aspire to obtain. In other words, the headline shouldbe able to answer the
question "What are you looking to do or what do you want in yournext
role?" Next, every great book title needs a visual to impact readers.
2 Uploading a Photo
LinkedIn profiles includes large amounts of text. Similar to a story, text alone
is not visually appealing. This is where a photo can help. When you upload a
photo to your LinkedIn profile, yourprofile comes to life; similar to cover art
on the front cover of an autobiography. Rememberyour profile is yourstory &
brief career autobiography.
When you chose a picture, make sure that it is clear and makes you look
professional. Get a professional head-shot if need be. LinkedIn is offering a
Picture Opportunity across the United states where users can obtain a fresh
professional head-shot along with profile optimization advice. I am using the
picture that I received from the event in New York City.
3.Crafting and Creating a Summary/Presentation

3. Your summary should reflect and expand on the headline. This is the place
where you provide a brief overview that supports your headline, thesis and
title of yourstory. Yoursummary can be used to briefly introduce yourself to
your audience. It is important to keep your audience in mind. Put yourself in
the place of the reader. Wouldwant to read your profile if the roles were
reversed? If the answer is no then make it better! Ask for help if need be.
Once you introduce yourself, tell your story. Explain yourbackground , where
you are today and where you want to be in the future. Make sure to include
how yourcurrent skill set and experience has helped others and how these
skills can be applied to a new role. When you list yourwork experience, make
sure to back up your headline and summary. Think of this as your body
paragraphs.
4. Describing your work experience
As I mentionedabove, the work experience section of yourprofile are the body
paragraphs of your essay and story. It shouldbe listed in chronological order.
Each position that you describe should have specific examples of how you
helped others in the role. LinkedIn also allows users to upload presentations
and videos of their work. This can serve as a digital portfolio of your work that
people can view. The next thing that I would do is to obtain recommendations.
You can also share yourpresentations from Slideshare on LinkedIn as well.
5. Obtaining Recommendations and Endorsements
A LinkedIn recommendation serves as proof that you have done excellent
work in yourposition. These recommendations shouldbe from coworkers,
supervisors and customers that you have served. They shouldserve as the

4. conclusion to your story and essay where your claims are verified and
validated. Recommendations shouldnot be given away freely; doing that will
undermine your credibility.
Endorsements are a quick way for someone to say that you are good at a
particular skill without needing to write a recommendation. LinkedIn allows
users to list up to 50 skills that connections can endorse.
Putting it all Together
Using these 5 steps will allow you to create a LinkedIn profile that can help
you tell a credible and engaging story to potential customers and employers.
How have you usedyour LinkedIn profile to tell your story?
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