While many academics are aware of the importance of LinkedIn, I’d say that many – myself included – underutilize LinkedIn for all it can offer us.
A feature on LinkedIn I particularly see people under-use is the Featured section of LinkedIn. This prime real estate on your LinkedIn profile can be a game-changer when it comes to showcasing your skills, accomplishments, and personal brand. Why? The Featured section sits right above your Work Experience section. And so, before a recruiter or hiring manager scrolls down to look at your work experience (which may already be on your resume) you could showcase more of your work here.
In the video below, we explore the aspects of your career that you can place in your Featured Section to optimize it for maximum impact.
What to Include in the Featured Section
When it comes to the featured section of your website, the possibilities are endless. Here are 5 things you can feature in this section.
1. Your publications
If you are a professional in academia or research, one of the most valuable additions to your featured section is a list of your publications. This allows you to demonstrate your expertise in your field and showcase your credibility. You can copy a link from Google Scholar or PubMed (like this) with a list of your publications. The great thing about this is you will not have to update the link as newer publications will continually be added to this page.
2. Your talks/presentations
If you have given presentations or talks at conferences, seminars, or other events, including videos of these events in your featured section can be a great way to showcase your public speaking skills. This is a great way to showcase thought leadership on specific topics.
3. Your personal website
If you have a personal website or blog where you share your thoughts, expertise, or creative work, including a link to it in your featured section can provide visitors with a more holistic view of who you are.
4. Your community work/social involvement
If you are actively involved in your community through volunteer work, nonprofit organizations, or any other form of community engagement, showcasing this in your featured section can be impactful. It demonstrates your commitment to making a positive impact beyond your professional life and can resonate with recruiters or hiring managers who value social responsibility.
5. Your portfolio
As a medical writer, having a portfolio is important so when I actively looked for medical writing/communications jobs, I placed a link to my portfolio in the Featured section. If you are pursuing a career that needs a portfolio, this is a great place for you to showcase it.
Conclusion
Don’t leave your LinkedIn Featured section blank! Technically, while you could place anything you want in your Featured section, I find that optimizing for two or three aspects of your career is often enough to make a great impression.
Join 2000+ PhDs and academics who receive my weekly newsletter full of career development tips designed for academics & receive 34 non-academic career ideas. Click here to join: theboldphd.com/careerslist