As a contract worker, the benefits & opportunities of using LinkedIn as a career building and networking tool are massive. I mean…..think about all those full-timers out there, sitting tight in their corporate jobs, while you’re living a more innovative, exciting and stimulating professional existence. Right? Right.
So to help you keep living the dream, we’ve got a few tips to get more from your LinkedIn profile and time spent on LinkedIn. Read on….
1. Keep it Tidy
- is your profile up to date? Give employers an up-to-date picture of your skills & history
- are your contact details complete? Include your mobile number – make it easy for employers to get in touch * have you claimed your vanity URL? If you haven’t find out how to, here: Claim Vanity URL
2. Validation is Everything
Probably more so for contract workers. So operate by the mantra that to give is to receive:
- provide unsolicited references for people you’ve genuinely enjoyed working for. Don’t go on & on though. Short, sharp, to the point, accurate. They’ll love it
- endorse colleagues & employers of past gigs, specifically related to their areas of expertise (no gratuitous endorsing please….it’s too transparent)
- don’t be afraid to ask your employers and/or your colleagues for a brief reference before you leave a gig. Get them to provide this via LinkedIn
3. Hey you! Are you awake there?
Are you never, ever on LinkedIn? Are you never, ever sharing any content? Then things need to change:
- find & share great content from across the web related to your skills, your industry or the industry you’re looking to for your next gig. Update your feed with fresh content a couple of times per week (don’t overdo it)
- if you’re finding it hard to source original, valuable content, use a platform like scoop.it – you’ll find a WORLD of awesome content that’s not being shared by everyone else on LinkedIn
4. Join Contractor Related Groups
Networking, like endorsements, are critical to your ability to raise your profile on LinkedIn. We’re a little wary of LinkedIn groups given they can sometimes be a real time vacuum. So be judicious about your time spent in any or all of the following groups:
The Personal Branding Network; over 16k members, some great conversations & content
The Independent Contractor Alliance; a private, US based group, great discussions & content. Very good networking opportunities
The Freelancers & Self-Employed Professionals; another very good private networking group for freelancers & independent contractors
And….if you’re up for sharing some LinkedIn love, check out & like our LinkedIn company page at: CXC Global A/NZ LinkedIn Page
