Cyber Security professionals need to be strategic about promoting themselves.
It’s easy to spend so much time focusing on your career that you don’t invest enough time on your personal brand. As you are a direct reflection on your brand.
You represent your business, and for that reason, building your personal brand is a must-do. One way to do that is to create a robust personal LinkedIn profile.
Discover eleven ways to boost your personal brand on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is just as much of a search engine as it is a social media platform, so the words you choose matter immensely. What keywords do you want to be found for when potential clients or employers search LinkedIn? For example, using Cyber Security, your job role (Security Architect) when you have determined those keywords it is important to use them in your headline, job title, summary, and job descriptions. Choosing the right words makes the difference between your profile being found or being invisible.
Your LinkedIn profile is not something you can set and forget. Update your profile whenever you make a career move, speak at a conference, publish a new article, take a new course, etc. Think of LinkedIn as your living resume.
Customising your URL makes your profile easy to find, remember, and share. You can create a custom URL by going to your public profile and choosing Create a Custom URL on the right-hand side of your screen.
Stay in touch with your connections by checking their status updates. Whether you are building your network or simply staying in touch with clients, past and present, follow their updates and stay involved by commenting, and more. It will keep you on their minds.
This goes without saying, and yet, so many choose to leave their profiles incomplete. On a platform built for professionals, an incomplete profile makes you look like anything but that.
LinkedIn groups are a great way to expand your network and to connect with like-minded professionals. You can gain access into industry circles and networks by simply joining groups and remaining active within the groups. Via Resource have set up a group on LinkedIn called ‘Cyber Launchpad’ where we connect graduates and industry-movers with Hiring Managers completely free of charge. We provide regular advice and guidance on Cyber Launchpad that could find useful.
You’d be surprised at some of the profile photos that make their way onto LinkedIn. Here are the things to keep in mind when selecting your profile photo:
All this can be accomplished without a professional photo shoot – all it takes is a little planning.
LinkedIn also allows you to add a cover photo to your profile. It’s a great way to stand out and add an extra element to your profile. Consider incorporating your company’s logo, or an image associated within the Information and Cyber Security industry. The dimensions are 1884×396.
Every LinkedIn profile can list up to 50 skills. You should choose relevant skills to fill all 50 slots, and furthermore, you should think strategically about what skills to include and related to your field of work. The 50 skills you choose should align with the skills that potential employers or clients will be looking for.
Don’t just wait for recommendations to float your way – be proactive and go after them! Reach out to your connections with a request for a recommendation. Good places to start include your colleagues (past and present), or over-the-moon clients who you can count on to share good work.
Be sure to include a personal note, politely requesting a recommendation on LinkedIn. It helps to share why you want the recommendation, as well (i.e., you’re looking to boost your online reputation, you’re applying for new jobs, you’re looking for good references for clients, etc.).
Once they give you a recommendation, always take the time to thank them and write a recommendation for them, in return.
LinkedIn is your professional calling card – don’t comment/share/publish anything that you wouldn’t say to a client or employer. Keep your posts and comments positive, thoughtful, and encouraging, and always treat LinkedIn like a professional workspace, rather than a personal social media profile.
There are many ways to boost your personal brand, including networking which helps build long-term relationships and a good reputation over time. It involves meeting and getting to know people who you can assist, and who can potentially help you in return. In addition being part of webinars or podcasts where LinkedIn is the best channel to reach out to new connections.
Remember, there will always be LinkedIn hacks that will increase your chances of being found. Therefore, you need to stay active, and by time, you will be more experienced and able to easily adapt to the changes and the things that attract employers.
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