In our December blog post, we had encouraged our readers to use the holidays to network.  (Man, we have good ideas around here, don’t we?) Now that the holidays are over, though, you can all rest easy, right?

Nope.

Networking should be a constant, even when not actively searching for opportunities.  And while you may not be going to as many social gatherings right now (that is, unless you’re way more popular than us), there is an easy way to keep your network healthy and growing while you spend every spare minute shoveling your driveway.  It’s called LinkedIn.  We know you’ve heard of it and many of you probably use it, but it’s always a bit surprising how many folks either don’t use it or use it ineffectively.

So, whether you’re a long-time user or a complete novice, we’ve assembled some tips for you to optimize how you’re using LinkedIn.  Read on for the first installment; more tips to follow in a later post.

1.       Upload a really good photo.  And by “really good” we don’t mean one of those clever close-up, off-angle selfies that make it painfully clear you love posing for the camera. We also don’t mean a photo in which you’ve cropped out someone next to you, leaving an oddly wavy shadow by your left ear.  We’re talking about a photo that shows you to be the charismatic, intelligent professional that you are.  If it helps, have someone else take the picture for you.  Smile.  Wear professional but approachable attire.  Throw in some color.  Post it.  Pictures make it easier for people to remember you when you invite them to connect and they help bring your profile to life.  It all starts with the photo.

2.       Create a great headline and stick with it. Constantly changing your headline makes it look like you can’t settle on an identity or, worse, like you have so much free time you can spend hours a day tweaking your profile.  While many simply use their current title as their headline, we recommend going for something more versatile and descriptive.  Does your title really capture what you do?  We didn’t think so.   Here’s an example of a catchy headline for U.K. recruiter Michael Bense:  “Head honcho, headhunter, sometime head-shrinker and living proof that the only good recruiter is NOT a dead recruiter!”  Or, for something more traditional, check out this headline for writer Ed Han: “Wordsmith with proven ability to translate business objectives into communications strategies and tactics.” (Source)

3.       Speaking of sticking with a headline, don’t forget to turn off the broadcast feature just in case you do like to change things more often.   To avoid having every alteration you make to your profile announced to your connections, go to Privacy & Settings and under Privacy Controls, click on the “Turn on/off activity broadcasts.” Don’t’ just take our word for it, though:  a recent Forbes article shares why this simple step is so important.

4.       Finally, Think narratively.  Most LinkedIn profiles read like copy-and-pasted resumes, which, let’s face it, aren’t all that exciting.  Instead of simply replicating your resume (you already have one of those), try using your summary and experience sections to tell a better story of your career.  How have you grown and developed new skill sets as you’ve moved from one position to another? Yes, you want to give readers a sense of what you did and what your accomplishments were, but make sure you’re helping your readers connect the dots as well.  The more you’re able to guide their impression of you, the more likely their impression will be accurate.  And, as you create or modify your descriptions, be mindful of future opportunities you might be interested in and how you can frame what you’ve already done in ways that make you appear qualified for where you ultimately want to be.