{"id":30972,"date":"2015-02-18T10:00:16","date_gmt":"2015-02-18T18:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smartrecruiters.com\/blog\/?p=30972"},"modified":"2017-10-17T13:20:16","modified_gmt":"2017-10-17T20:20:16","slug":"is-your-linkedin-summary-is-a-winner-or-a-loser","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smartrecruiters.com\/blog\/is-your-linkedin-summary-is-a-winner-or-a-loser\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Your LinkedIn Summary A Winner Or A Loser?"},"content":{"rendered":"

People are learning about you online before they ever shake your hand. The second they know they are going to meet you or have a call with you, they\u2019re going to type your name into Google. This makes your virtual brand more important than ever. \u00a0And it means you must be able to tell your story online in 3D, creating a dazzling, complete picture of who you are and what makes you great.<\/p>\n

The best place to do this is in LinkedIn. It\u2019s often the first place people go when they want to learn about you. Those who start their digi-sleuthing with Google will likely end up at your LinkedIn profile because it typically shows up at the top of your results.<\/p>\n

Once they click on your LinkedIn page, your summary is the most prominent zone. It\u2019s the ultimate place to showcase your story. In my previous post<\/a> , I shared a three-step formula for building a stellar LinkedIn summary. But how do you know that it\u2019s stellar? Does it tell an authentic and compelling story? Is it a jolt of caffeine or a serious sedative?<\/p>\n

To ensure that you\u2019re getting the most out of your summary, I\u2019ve developed a Snooze Test, drawing on proven principles of personal branding. Start by reading your LinkedIn profile as if you were reading it for the first time, through the eyes of your audience. And read slowly; don\u2019t skim. Then, for each of the following questions, give yourself a rating from 1 to 5, where 1 is \u2018very little\u2019 and 5 is \u2018completely\u2019. Keep track of your numbers so you can calculate a total score at the end.<\/p>\n

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  1. Does the opening sentence, phrase or headline make you want to read more?<\/li>\n
  2. Is your profile authentic \u2013 accurate, real and precise?<\/li>\n
  3. Does it help you stand out from your peers?<\/li>\n
  4. Is it relevant \u2013 addressing the needs of the people you are trying to attract?<\/li>\n
  5. Is it compelling? \u00a0Does it provide interesting facts, figures and statements that make the reader want to get to know you?<\/li>\n
  6. Does it contain a mix of 70-80% professional content and 20-30% personal information (like your passions, interests, hobbies and life experiences)?<\/li>\n
  7. Does it tell people how you add value, going beyond simply listing what you have done?<\/li>\n
  8. Does it exude your personal brand attributes \u2013 those personality characteristics that make you YOU?<\/li>\n
  9. Is it pleasing to look at? \u00a0Did you create enough white space to break up the paragraphs? \u00a0Did you write impactful headlines for different content blocks?<\/li>\n
  10. Do you include some validation\u00a0 (things like \u201cPeople say I\u2019m\u2026\u201d or a favorite quote or \u201cThe Association of XXX awarded me\u2026\u201d)?<\/li>\n
  11. Is it well-written and carefully proofed, with polished grammar, spelling and punctuation?<\/li>\n
  12. Does it include all the keywords for which you want to be known? This is vital for optimizing online searching.<\/li>\n
  13. Do you augment your summary with images, videos, presentations and documents that bring your message to life? LinkedIn allows you to upload multimedia \u201cevidence\u201d that sits right below your summary.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Now, total your score. If you scored between 60 and 65, bravo! Your story will attract the attention of those who need to know you. If you didn\u2019t, there is room for improvement.<\/p>\n

    If you scored lower than 60, you likely want to spruce up your summary. If you scored lower than 40, you may prefer to start over. Use this step-by-step process<\/a>, to document your story.<\/p>\n

    Do the writing off-line so you can upload your final Summary to your profile all at once. If you make a series of small changes in LinkedIn, your network will be alerted to every annoying iteration \u2013 unless you change your setting to prevent these notifications from being visible.<\/p>\n

    Once you refine your summary or create a new draft, you\u2019re still not quite ready for prime time. Apply one final test before you upload it to your profile.<\/p>\n

    Identify three people who will provide you with honest feedback:<\/p>\n