Want to boost your visibility and increase your chances of getting a job? Get a LinkedIn.

LinkedIn has been around for a while, but it seems to get overlooked quite often. It’s a social media site strictly dedicated to business networking and professional connections….and it’s free!

You do need an email address to sign up. There are packages to “upgrade” your profile, where you pay a fee, but you can still see success without upgrading.

Building a great profile will take some time. You enter information like you would on a resume: Education, Work Experience, Qualifications, Awards, Strengths, Volunteer Service, and more. Of course, the more you can add to your profile the better, but keep in mind that quality is better than quantity sometimes.

If you don’t have a lot of experience to add, that’s okay.

There is also an option on the free version to let recruiters know you are actively looking for a job.

This is basically like shining a spotlight on your profile that also flashes the message, “pick me!” This feature does work. I know from experience.

You can also see how salaries for the position you want compares to others. These numbers are based off what people have reported, so keep in mind it may not be totally accurate, but it’s still a good tool to gauge what kind of salary offer you can expect or even counter with.

A newer feature on the site is a recommendations section. This is like having a recommendation letter, that you would usually include in an application, out in the open for anyone who looks at your profile to see. These recommendations can also help boost the traction to your page, and better your chances of getting contacted by a recruiter or your future employer.

There is also an endorsements section. These can come from anyone that you are connected with, and are based on the skills you list on your profile. These recommendations are another way to prove you have a good grasp on the skills you list as your strengths.

Another option to showcase your skills, and knowledge, is by taking quizzes about those topics. This is also a newer feature on LinkedIn.

Word of warning though, these quizzes can be very difficult. If you pass, you have the option to publish your scores on your profile for others to see. If you don’t pass, or don’t feel comfortable doing that, you can always select the option that won’t make your results public.

Other tips for making your LinkedIn profile top notch is having a great profile picture and cover photo.

The profile picture is, of course, the more important one, because people want to see who they are talking to. For this picture, try to use a company headshot or a professional style photo taken by a photographer (see examples above). Stay away from selfies and sexy pout poses. This site is for professionals who are serious about their careers.

When it comes to what to post publicly, you’ll find that a majority of the time, politics and extremely controversial issues are not present on your timeline. You will be more likely to find people showcasing their work, in our case, the videos we create or stories we write. You will also see a lot of inspirational and encouraging posts. Often, there are self-help and self-care tips.

Of course, with any public site, there are negative posts and biased posts from time to time, and, if you search, you can probably find more of them. But, a viral video of a fight in a store is hard to come by, and overall LinkedIn is a good place to find a pick me up or pep talk from other professionals.

LinkedIn also has a free app. Just like on the website you can search for job postings, turn on alerts for certain types of jobs, and save jobs of interest in the app. You can also apply for jobs using the resume information you put on your profile.

Essentially, this site is a one-stop-shop for both job seekers and recruiters. Just remember, keep it professional! 😉👍🏽