Analyzing
Congratulations! Thanks for taking the Perfect 10 LinkedIn Profile Quiz...here are your personalized results:
Question 1:
1. Take a look at your ‘Professional Headline' (the sentence under your name, in your personal profile). Which of the following best describes what you see? Your Answer: A1 There are no words under my name Analysis: It is the most important position on your profile as it is immediately displayed in search results to LinkedIn members. Leaving it blank provides no clues about what you do and will attract little or no interest
Question 1:
1. Take a look at your ‘Professional Headline' (the sentence under your name, in your personal profile). Which of the following best describes what you see? Your Answer: B1 I’ve written my job title Analysis: You're in good company. The majority of members state their current title, here. This is quite acceptable, by the way, and may offer you the presence and gravitas you seek. Alternatively you might consider using this headline to attract people's attention, just like the headline of a news story. Compose a compelling, short, sharp, personal positioning statement, which creates a clear picture of what you do and that also explains what outcome this brings to your clients or potential employers. The outcome? It will differentiate you from the run of the mill and should make people want to know more
Question 1:
1. Take a look at your ‘Professional Headline' (the sentence under your name, in your personal profile). Which of the following best describes what you see? Your Answer: C1 I’ve written something creative that captures attention Analysis: Excellent! Tip: Add a few of your key search words in here, too. This will be picked up in LinkedIn searches and also by Google, Bing and Yahoo etc
Question 2:
2. LinkedIn members can add a photo/image. What have you uploaded here? Your Answer: A1 I have not uploaded anything Analysis: Nothing labels you as an amateur networker more than the lack of a headshot photo. We are programmed to respond to faces. You wouldn't go to meet new people, either socially or for business, with a paper bag over your head, would you? Invest in a professionally taken headshot and ensure you wear a warm welcoming, smile that presents you as being friendly and approachable
Question 2:
2. LinkedIn members can add a photo/image. What have you uploaded here? Your Answer: B1 I’ve chosen my company logo Analysis: We network with people, not with brands. This is the place to upload a professionally-taken headshot of you, wearing a warm, welcoming smile, that positions you as friendly and approachable and encourages people to feel at ease with you
Question 2:
2. LinkedIn members can add a photo/image. What have you uploaded here? Your Answer: C1 I took my own photo on my web cam Analysis: LinkedIn is the place where you manage your professional reputation, online. What message do you think an amateur-quality, web-cam photo sends to visitors to your profile?
Question 2:
2. LinkedIn members can add a photo/image. What have you uploaded here? Your Answer: D1 Mine is a full length body shot Analysis: We are programmed to respond to faces. This photo is to help people recognise you and to get a sense of you. Full length photos render your face unrecognisable and are not advised
Question 2:
2. LinkedIn members can add a photo/image. What have you uploaded here? Your Answer: E1 I’ve uploaded a leisure snap Analysis: LinkedIn is the place where you manage your professional reputation, online. It is a business, social networking platform. How would you choose to present yourself to your most senior manager, your top client or a prospective employer? Save amateur photos and leisure snaps for places like Facebook
Question 2:
2. LinkedIn members can add a photo/image. What have you uploaded here? Your Answer: F1 I have used a head shot and I am professionally dressed Analysis: Perfect! We all make judgements of others quickly. Your headshot positions you as a serious business professional and a savvy networker. Tip: A warm, welcoming, smile always makes you appear more friendly and approachable
Question 3:
3. Members can have a public profile URL (see this under your photo or at the bottom, in your Contact Info). My URL... Your Answer: A1 has my name and a combination of characters and numbers, like this: /mark-perl/23b/87d/56 Analysis: This is the LinkedIn default URL and is a sure fire indicator to others that you are not a power user of LinkedIn. Did you know it can be personalised to take away all the alpha numerics after your name? Click ‘edit' next to your URL and then click ‘Customize your public profile URL' in the next screen.
Question 3:
3. Members can have a public profile URL (see this under your photo or at the bottom, in your Contact Info). My URL... Your Answer: B1 has my name in it and looks like this: /markperl or /markperl1 Analysis: Marvellous! To those in the know, this positions you as a savvy LinkedIn user.
Question 3:
3. Members can have a public profile URL (see this under your photo or at the bottom, in your Contact Info). My URL... Your Answer: C1 has my company name in it and looks something like this: /bestlinkedintraining Analysis: Marvellous! But in most cases people will remember your name, not your company name. Use your own name in the URL and your LinkedIn profile will appear in the first page of search results when people Google you, or when they search for you inside LinkedIn. It will help make you more visible
Question 4:
4. LinkedIn lets you control which sections of your profile you want to display when people search for you on Google, Yahoo!, Bing, etc Your Answer: A1 I know this and I have customised which sections of my profile appear in search results Analysis: Great! In this way you ensure your most important key words are accessible to the search engines and that, in the first instance, you present only the information you believe is relevant to those searching for you, instead of your entire LinkedIn resume
Question 4:
4. LinkedIn lets you control which sections of your profile you want to display when people search for you on Google, Yahoo!, Bing, etc Your Answer: B1 I did not know this and I have not customised which sections of my profile appear in search results Analysis: The default setting presents virtually your entire LinkedIn profile, on the world wide web, when someone searches for you, via the main search engines. However, you are in control of exactly what you want others to see. Click ‘edit' next to your public profile URL and then tick or un-tick the boxes under ‘Customize You Public Profile' so you can decide exactly which sections of your profile you want to be visible
Question 5:
5. You can display up to 3 website links on your profile. Which of the following reflects what you see on your profile? Your Answer: A1 I have no websites linked Analysis: You are missing a great opportunity! By putting in external links you can drive traffic from LinkedIn to websites, specific website pages, blogs, etc that give people more information about you, what you do or what you are interested in. This gives more colour to your profile and helps others get a sense of who you are, what you do and how you may be able to help them
Question 5:
5. You can display up to 3 website links on your profile. Which of the following reflects what you see on your profile? Your Answer: B1 I have created links to websites and I have left the default names (they read like this: Personal Website/Company Website/Blog etc) Analysis: Well done! But using any of the default settings in LinkedIn shows others you are not a power user. In ‘Edit your contact details' go to ‘websites' and use the drop down arrow to select ‘Other' This will enable you to customise the wording for each link and positions you as a more experienced user
Question 5:
5. You can display up to 3 website links on your profile. Which of the following reflects what you see on your profile? Your Answer: C1 I have created 1 or 2 links to websites and I have customized/personalised the names Analysis: Well done! But you can make THREE links; why waste this opportunity? I suggest you use all three links. Apart from anything else it gives more information to those who are interested in you and what you do, and it will also help with search engine ranking for the sites you link with
Question 5:
5. You can display up to 3 website links on your profile. Which of the following reflects what you see on your profile? Your Answer: D1 I have used all 3 of the available links to websites and I have customized/personalised each of the names Analysis: Well done! People have short attention spans, so when surfing information they want to know exactly where you are sending them. Personalisation ensures they know where they are going and also, by using all three links, you boost your search engine ranking. Additionally, you are helping people to learn more about you, which can open doors to all sorts of opportunities
Question 6:
6. The Background/Summary section of your profile is where you can write about yourself. Which of the following best describes what you have written there? Your Answer: A1 I haven’t put anything in there Analysis: LinkedIn is the world's largest business to business social networking platform. Having nothing in this section is like going to a networking event with your peers, and among potential new contacts, and putting tape over your mouth! This section speaks for you, online. This is where you give others a picture of who you are; where you present your interests and unique differentiators that distinguish you from the crowd. It is where you showcase your passions in business; your interests and your expertise. You can use around 250 words here. Use them all, carefully, and encourage others to want to get to know more about you and to connect with you
Question 6:
6. The Background/Summary section of your profile is where you can write about yourself. Which of the following best describes what you have written there? Your Answer: B1 I have kept it fairly brief Analysis: Not bad, but why so modest? This section speaks for you, online. This is where you give others a picture of who you are; where you present your interests and unique differentiators that distinguish you from the crowd. It is where you showcase your passions in business; your interests and your expertise. You can use around 250 words here. Use them all, carefully, and encourage others to want to get to know more about you and to connect with you
Question 6:
6. The Background/Summary section of your profile is where you can write about yourself. Which of the following best describes what you have written there? Your Answer: C1 I have explained what I do / the things I am responsible for Analysis: This is ok, but most people are more interest in the outcomes you have achieved. They should be able to look at what you delivered, either as a service provider, or as an employee, and think, this is the sort of person I would like to get to know; this is the sort of person I would like on my team or these are the results I want for my business. People are less interested in what you do, and are more interested in what you can do for them!
Question 6:
6. The Background/Summary section of your profile is where you can write about yourself. Which of the following best describes what you have written there? Your Answer: D1 I have explained how I help my clients and the outcomes they receive Analysis: This is ok, but most people are more interest in the outcomes you have achieved. They should be able to look at what you delivered, either as a service provider, or as an employee, and think, this is the sort of person I would like to get to know; this is the sort of person I would like on my team or these are the results I want for my business. People are less interested in what you do, and are more interested in what you can do for them!
Question 7:
7. In the Background/Summary section of my profile I have clearly explained what I would like people who are interested in me/my products or services to do next (this is a ‘call to action') Your Answer: A1 Yes I have Analysis: Excellent! There isn't a book on sales you'll ever read that doesn't tell you to ‘ask for the business'. Whoever you are engaging with, it is essential you tell them what you want them to do next. A call to action galvanises them to act and to act right now, while you have their attention. It makes it easy for them to take the next step. By including this, you are ahead of most other profiles you will see on LinkedIn and you stand a much better chance of attracting new business and new opportunities or developing new relationships with like minded people, in the world of virtual networking
Question 7:
7. In the Background/Summary section of my profile I have clearly explained what I would like people who are interested in me/my products or services to do next (this is a ‘call to action') Your Answer: B1 No I haven’t Analysis: My advice is to include one right now! There isn't a book on sales I've ever read that doesn't tell you to ask for the business. Whoever you are engaging with, it is essential you tell them what you want them to do next. Make it easy for them. A call to action galvanises them to act and to act right now, while you have their attention. By including a call to action you will differentiate yourself from most other profiles you will see on LinkedIn and you will stand a much better chance of attracting new business, new opportunities or developing new relationships with like minded people, in the world of virtual networking
Question 8:
8. In the Experience section of my profile... Your Answer: A1 I’ve listed my job titles only Analysis: This is ok, but remember past actions are the only reference point people have for future effectiveness. By just putting your job title you leave others to make assumptions which may be founded on a limited or flawed understanding of your role. The experience section is your opportunity to explain not only the title of your role, but the scope of the responsibility you shouldered and, importantly, the outcomes you delivered to the team, the customers and/or the organisation
Question 8:
8. In the Experience section of my profile... Your Answer: B1 I’ve included my job titles and a list of responsibilities for each role Analysis: This is good, but remember that most people are really only interested in outcomes. Whilst it is important to give people a clear understanding of the breadth and scope of the role and the responsibilities you shouldered, you will benefit from including the outcomes you delivered to the team, the customers and/or the organisation. This will help others put a value to your contribution. This shows you can work smart, not only that you can work hard
Question 8:
8. In the Experience section of my profile... Your Answer: C1 I’ve included my job titles, a list of responsibilities for each role and I’ve also explained the difference, the outcome and/or the impact I brought to each role Analysis: Impressive! This is everything anyone could want to know about your work and the results you can deliver to the team, the customers and/or the organisation. Your past actions are the only reference point people have for future effectiveness and this gives others all the detail regarding you and the efficacy of your contribution
Question 9:
9. You can request/receive recommendations and display them on your profile. Which of the following reflects what you see on your profile? Your Answer: A1 I haven’t received any recommendations yet Analysis: It's not what we say about ourselves that counts, but what others say about us that people are interested in. Viewers of your profile often view the recommendations you've received on your profile to see what others have to say about your work. They are more likely to contact someone who has recommendations over someone who has none. Recommendations recognise or commend your work and can come from people who value your efforts, services or products, such as managers, colleagues, co-workers, customers, and clients. Hiring managers and people searching for new customers and suppliers prefer to work with people who come recommended. Don't you? Be proactive here, and seek several recommendations from within your network
Question 9:
9. You can request/receive recommendations and display them on your profile. Which of the following reflects what you see on your profile? Your Answer: B1 I currently have 3 recommendations Analysis: Well done! Three recommendations is the minimum required to get you on the path of an ‘All Star' profile. You obviously understand that viewers of your profile will often view the recommendations you've received and use this as a part of their due diligence or decision making process, when creating a short list of potential new contacts, suppliers or employees. I recommend getting 10 or more. Be proactive in requesting recommendations from managers, colleagues, co-workers, customers, and clients. People always naturally gravitate to those who come highly recommended
Question 9:
9. You can request/receive recommendations and display them on your profile. Which of the following reflects what you see on your profile? Your Answer: C1 I have more than 3 but less than 10 recommendations Analysis: Well done! You are well on the way to an ‘All Star' profile. You clearly provide great outcomes to everyone. When it comes to recommendations, I firmly believe numbers count. People always naturally gravitate to those who come highly recommended and others are using the evidence provided by recommendations to create their short lists for future business partners or employees. So be proactive in requesting recommendations from managers, colleagues, co-workers, customers, and clients. I recommend getting 10 or more, to ensure you stand head and shoulders above the crowd
Question 9:
9. You can request/receive recommendations and display them on your profile. Which of the following reflects what you see on your profile? Your Answer: D1 I have more than 10 recommendations Analysis: Impressive. You clearly provide great outcomes to everyone. You obviously understand that viewers of your profile will commonly view the recommendations you've received and use this as a part of their due diligence, or decision making process, when creating a short list of potential new contacts, suppliers or employees. Don't forget to also use these recommendations in your email signature, on your websites or any other electronic communications you may send out to clients, prospect or hiring managers
Question 10:
10. And finally... which of the following best reflects how you feel about your profile? Your Answer: A1 It is a good representation of who I am and how I help my clients / employer / colleagues Analysis: Brilliant! LinkedIn is where you manage your professional reputation, online. It is not an easy task to compose a profile that represents who you are and the outcomes you are able to deliver. If you are comfortable you have achieved this then you are to be commended for taking the time to present yourself professionally and for taking a giant leap in differentiating yourself from the run of the mill profiles which more commonly populate LinkedIn
Question 10:
10. And finally... which of the following best reflects how you feel about your profile? Your Answer: B1 It is not that bad, but I recognise it is incomplete Analysis: This sounds like you are not entirely happy with your profile. LinkedIn is where you manage your professional reputation, online. You're almost there. It is not an easy task to compose a profile that represents who you are and the outcomes you are able to deliver, but it will certainly be worth the time investment, in the long run. If you are struggling, get help from a friend but revise your profile until you are really confident it presents you in the most professional way possible. All sorts of new opportunities and collaborations could be just around the corner! You just never know...
Question 10:
10. And finally... which of the following best reflects how you feel about your profile? Your Answer: C1 It doesn’t describe what I really do or the outcomes I deliver Analysis: You are clearly not happy with your profile. LinkedIn is where you manage your professional reputation, online. You're almost there. It is not an easy task to compose a profile that represents who you are and the outcomes you are able to deliver, but it will certainly be worth the time investment, in the long run. If you are struggling, get help from a friend but revise your profile until you are really confident it presents you in the most professional way possible. All sorts of new opportunities and collaborations could be just around the corner! You just never know... Important Additional Information As you are already aware, viewing LinkedIn profiles has become a normal part of the due diligence process. Others will make a decision about you and your organisation from their online search results. Typically decision makers will get 60% of the way through the procurement cycle before engaging with the short list. If your online presence, or visibility, is poor during the research phases of the procurement cycle you will simply not be considered. The information on this page will help you make some of the needed changes to your profile, based on the answers you gave. Of course there are many other steps you can take to ensure your profile is ahead of your competition. If you would like to learn more about creating your perfect 10 LinkedIn Profile and beyond go HERE
Warm regards, Mark Perl |