LinkedIn Skills & Endorsements
LinkedIn can help you be discovered for your professional ability and by recruiters if you are in career transition. The Skills section of your LinkedIn Profile is where you list all of your business skills.
In late 2012 LinkedIn created a feature called Endorsements. The overall value of Skills & Expertise Endorsements is minimal; however having endorsements does provide some insight into your skills.
Here are the basic instructions on how to use LinkedIn Skills & Expertise.
From the home page of LinkedIn, click on your Headshot or name in the left column to go to your LinkedIn Profile
Scroll down through your profile and search for the section titled, “Skills and Endorsements.”
Click the Edit Link in the upper right area of the Skills & Endorsements Section title line to delete or sort Skills
You can pin your 3 most important skills to the top visible section of Skills
You can sort the other skills within the functional area LinkedIn decided to put them in.
Click the Add a New Skill to search for new skill words/phrases to add to your LinkedIn Profile .
This next two points are IMPORTANT.
#1 – Only add skills that are relevant to who you are and what you are doing (want to do) today. Irrelevant skills confuse people and the search engines.
#2 – Start typing and watch what Skill phrases show up. Do not create a new Skill phrase unless there is no relevant or similar existing phrase. Adding additional skill words/phrases dilutes the value of this LinkedIn feature. Also, using the words/phrases that exist increases your visibility because they are the words/phrases that others use / search for. Adding skills today (9/2018) is cumbersome. One skill at a time.
Add all of the Skill phrases that you want to enter.
Additional suggestion – Make sure you are using your Skills and Expertise words through out your LinkedIn Profile. In your Summary and Experience Sections. This adds more value to your profile and your Skills & Expertise.
Accept & Solicit Honest Endorsements
As your LinkedIn connections visit your Profile they can Endorse your Skills.
As your LinkedIn connections get to know you and what you do, they will be more likely to Endorse you for specific and relevant Skills. I encourage you to graciously accept all relevant Endorsements without the expectation of reciprocating, unless you honestly can.
Additionally, as you can, in a very friendly and non-pressure manner, encourage your connections to Endorse you for your most important Skills. Make sure you only ask people who can honestly endorse you and be totally honest about your Skills. You will get value out of real, honest endorsements, not just a huge pile of endorsements.
Why do all of this?
You want to declare honest and real Skills and Endorsements so your Most Important Viewer, (current and future) can see what you are an authority in.
Do you still need help building your LinkedIn Profile?
Let’s talk – info@BurrissConsulting.com or 336-283-6121