How to Develop Your Executive Brand on LinkedIn

BY JESSICA HOLBROOK HERNANDEZ 

One of the most important aspects of any job search is developing a brand that helps define you as a top professional in your field. At the executive level, it becomes even more pertinent that others are able to quickly identify the level of expertise you can bring to the table by seeing your name or title.

LinkedIn has become an amazing tool for the executive job seeker who wants to build his or her brand. But the site is useful only for those who make the most of the opportunities it presents.

So, what steps should you take to effectively develop your executive brand on LinkedIn?

Give Yourself the Appropriate Professional ‘Headline’

A great first step in branding yourself on LinkedIn is customizing your Professional “Headline.” This headline not only showcases how you define yourself as an executive in your field; it makes you easier to locate when people conduct keyword searches on the site and in search engines.

Headlines can simply define your role (e.g. Chief Financial Officer), but it’s recommended you dig even deeper by describing yourself in your role(s) (e.g. Veteran Chief Financial Officer and Visionary Entrepreneur).

Personalize Your URL

Another important step in developing your executive brand on LinkedIn is to personalize your URL so that it displays your name—or name and title. Changing your URL from the generic one your profile is assigned is as simple as visiting “Edit My Profile” under the Profile header and clicking “edit” next to your URL listed to the right of “Public Profile” in the first large profile block.

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