By Dan Foley
As a content marketer, your tolerance for bad writing is low; really, really low.
The good news is, writing is getting better. Websites are more actionable, blogs are more engaging and emails have subject lines that make me actually want to open them. It’s a great day for copy. That is, except when it comes to LinkedIn profiles.
There aren’t too many similarities between the CEOs of multinational corporations and fresh-faced college graduates looking for a job. Both groups, however, have no shortage of terribly written LinkedIn profiles.
If you’re a CEO and you want to inspire credibility and competence through your digital persona, your LinkedIn matters. Potential clients and leads won’t want to work with someone they don’t take seriously. And if you’re an aspiring employee (especially one with minimal work experience) you need an electric profile in today’s job market.
Let’s take a look at some of the most heinous crimes you can commit when writing your LinkedIn profile:
It’s Boring
If I want to know your skills on LinkedIn, there’s a section for that. If I want to know your employment history, there’s a section for that, too. Your profile is your place to show some personality, yet so many people aspire to make it as boring as possible.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t mention your achievements or highlight your best attributes. But you need to make it compelling: Grab your reader with something unexpected, fun and dynamic right from the get-go. At the very least, lead with something truly impressive.
After all, there are about half a billion LinkedIn users. Standing out is getting tougher.
It’s Cookie-Cutter
Does your LinkedIn profile sound like this? Experienced (insert profession here) with a history of (insert collection soft skills here). Capable in (insert hard skills here). Work history includes (insert resume here).
Cookie-cutter LinkedIn profiles are all the rage with no one. If the writing is stale and predictable, your readers will feel the same way about you. People already scan about 80 percent of what they read, and something this dense and ordinary will guarantee you’re not in the 20 percent you want to be in.
It’s a Duplicate of Your Resume
Your LinkedIn is not your resume. They have the same goals, sure, but ultimately they are two different beasts. Resumes are dinosaurs: most of them don’t even get read. Your LinkedIn offers you a rare chance to give history, context and a story. Rather than say you’ve gotten published in National Geographic, here’s the chance to highlight the article, right in your profile.
LinkedIn has an advantage over your resume in nearly every way. If you’re not capitalizing on those advantages, someone else is.
It’s Your Entire Life Story
You have up to 2,000 characters for your LinkedIn summary. Use one-third of that at most. This is your golden chance to impress your audience, and you don’t want to squander it by including unnecessary details or losing focus. Brevity is the soul of wit and it’s also the key to making a solid LinkedIn profile.
It’s Inward (Not Outward) Facing
Despite the staggering amount of narcissistic CEOs, I do believe that empathy is the most powerful force in the business world.
Your LinkedIn profile is less about you and more about what you can do for the world. Don’t forget that. You might be proud of your puppy Sprinkles, but unless you’re applying to be a dog walker, it’s best to think about what others in the business world need.
In short, make sure that whatever you say is for the benefit of a target reader.
It Hasn't Gone Through a Proofread
Regardless of whether or not you consider yourself to be a stickler for grammar, free apps like Grammarly can help and you’ll want to supplement them with some good old-fashioned proofreading. This is the lowest barrier to entry on the list. Don’t mess it up.
Part of my job is being a plastic surgeon for LinkedIn profiles. I’ve seen the worst ones out there, but I’ve never seen one that is beyond saving. A strong LinkedIn can put you in front of some powerful people (it’s actually how we’ve landed some of our bigger clients). And, if you’re a job seeker, it’s worth it to invest time and effort into making that profile sparkle.
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Dan Foley is the proud co-CEO and co-founder of Tailored Ink, a boutique copywriting agency based in New York City.