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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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.

Marvellous! To those in the know, this positions you as a savvy LinkedIn user.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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...