Did you know your profile is 21 times more likely to be viewed if it contains photos? For a good LinkedIn profile, make sure you pick a professional-looking photo. Snaps with sunglasses, flip-flops or a bikini are a no-go. Ask a friend to take some sharp and well-framed portrait pictures. Find a neutral background, and smile!
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"2. Write a unique and strong headline"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Your headline is the sentence right below your name. This is the place to let potential employers know what you want. Ensure it is clear and has a touch of originality to make a great first impression. Include the type of job you’re looking for and where you want to work. Avoid buzzwords like ‘creative mind’ or boring placeholders like ‘looking for a new position’ but make it clear that you are available.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"3. Add a summary"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Do you have to create a LinkedIn Summary, even when you don’t have much work experience yet? It’s tempting to skip this step, but your LinkedIn Summary is the ideal place to showcase your talents – and it will increase your chances of being noticed.
Focus on your strengths and mention any experience that is relevant to your dream job. Think of transferable skills from internships, part-time or freelance jobs or student work. Also say where you want to go. Do you have any figures that showcase what you’ve achieved so far? Make sure you include them!
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"4. Grow your network"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Make sure you interact with others on LinkedIn. It’s pretty simple to do: write comments, like or share posts by other professionals. Connect with experts in your field, or with people who work at your dream company.
To get the most out of your LinkedIn account, you also need to share your own content. It puts you in the spotlight and helps you appear in more searches. Make sure you choose content that is relevant to your future plans. Share articles that highlight your educational knowledge or your professional ambitions. For example, you could create a blog post on your thesis or add a link to your dissertation. You could even put those group projects from school to good use.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"5. Customise your public profile URL"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Naturally, the default URL for your LinkedIn-profile is a jumble of letters and numbers. But you can easily customise your own URL. This usually looks something like www.linkedin.com/in/yourname.
Go to ‘View Profile’ and click ‘Edit public profile & URL’. Click the pencil under ‘Edit your custom URL’, type your name and click ‘Save’. This will only work if no one else has previously claimed the URL in your name.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Your turn!"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Looking for your first job? This is the perfect time to get a head start on some admin and consider which bank account you want to have your wages paid into.
"},"textLinks":[{"url":"/en/individuals/daily-banking/free-bank-account","text":"Open your ING Do More current account now."}]}]},"complementaryZone":{"flexComponents":[{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Also interesting!"},{"componentType":"cards","cards":[{"componentType":"articleCard","cardType":"article","cardSize":"medium","title":"Job application","body":"Expert advice","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/ba34f827-4c63-4bc5-98ee-8cab7ab023da/Group-of-graduating-students-wearing-caps-and-gowns","type":"image","width":6016,"altTextEN":"\"\"","altTextNL":"\"\"","altTextFR":"\"\"","altTextDE":"\"\"","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/bc8bff9c37b2215/original/Group-of-graduating-students-wearing-caps-and-gowns.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"date":"2022-02-12","link":{"url":"/en/individuals/my-life/studies-and-work/youth-graduates-advice-job-applications"}},{"componentType":"productCard","cardType":"product","cardSize":"small","title":"Make ING your main bank","intro":"Transfer your income & payments to an ING current account. Free of charge and easy via the Bank Mobility service","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/e158e350-5dff-4786-a440-63f12c1785b1/hamac","type":"image","width":814,"original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/32066c6565cf886a/original/hamac.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"link":{"url":"/en/individuals/daily-banking/ing-as-primary-bank"}}]}]}}}