What Not To Say In Your LinkedIn Profile

Posted September 9, 2015 & filed under Interviewing, Job Search, Resume

LinkedIn is out there on the Internet. This means that your profile is like an advertisement for you as a package deal.

Your profile is supposed to showcase your best accomplishments. It is a good idea, and almost a necessity, to have a strong LinkedIn profile. A Forbes article online recently looked at this idea of having a strong LinkedIn profile. The article looked at what not to say in your LinkedIn profile. It is fine to use some basic terms and lay out what your best skills are and what you have done in the past, but there are definitely things related to these “skills” that you should not put in your LinkedIn profile. Skills are essential to getting the job and getting the job done right, and having skills leads to new opportunities all the time. But, discussing your skills in a generic manner at the top of your profile is not going to get you noticed immediately and will not make you stick out amongst a sea of other profiles. So, with this first “what-not-to-do” item highlighted by Forbes, let’s examine the things you really say in your LinkedIn profile.

Don’t be too generic. You need to stick out in order to get noticed in a sea of other profiles. Don’t just say the typical things or do things like begin your profile out with “Motivated leader with great organization skills and drive”…

• Don’t say you are good at everything! Break down your skills. If you simply list that you are good at a bunch of things tied to one area, it will seem to be too general and it will not draw as much positive attention and interest. 
• Again, with not being too generic… don’t say that you are open to all opportunities. Some people even put this in the heading under their title on LinkedIn. Being too open looks desperate and also doesn’t emphasize that you are specialized in a unique area.
• Don’t be open to ALL job opportunities. This goes with what I said above. Specify some areas that you are interested and open to, but do not be too open… being open to any and every opportunity looks desperate.