#JobSearch : 7 Reasons To Update Your LinkedIn Profile Before 2023. A MUSt REad! - First Sun Consulting, LLC | Outplacement Services and Career Transition Firm

In 2023, LinkedIn will be two decades old. A lot has happened since it first launched as your e-resume and online networking platform. In fact, the current version of the platform has little resemblance to its original format thanks to the dozens of extremely valuable personal branding features that have been added over time.

Here are 7 reasons why you need to polish your profile now so you can shine online on 2023.

1. The changes you want to make are fresh in your mind. If you go through a year-end review, you’ve spent some time over the past month or so thinking about what you accomplished in 2022 in preparation for your annual performance assessment. You likely have a good inventory of relevant and valuable content you can use to bring your profile up to date. An annual refresh is always a good idea.

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2. LinkedIn is the first place where people go to check you out. When people want to research you in a professional capacity— even people who work down the hall from you—they’ll typically go directly to LinkedIn and type your name in the search box at the top of the screen. And if, like some computer users, they start their search at GoogleGOOG -0.5%, they’ll end up at your LinkedIn profile. That’s because your LinkedIn profile will likely show up in one of the top three spots. And we know that most clicks on a Google results page go to the top three spots. This is great news. It means you can tell your story in a powerful way online using just one social media tool. If bolstering your career success is a goal for 2023, it just takes one platform to set that goal in motion.

3. We’re likely entering a recession. Most economists agree that a recession is probably on the horizon. There’s less agreement about how serious it will be and how long it will last, but regardless of that, you want to be prepared for any eventuality. With a complete, current and compelling profile, you’ll not only be able to pursue relevant positions should you end up on a layoff list, but you also become an attractive passive candidate: recession or not, your next job might just find you.

4. You need to position yourself for what’s next. If you haven’t updated your profile in a year or more, it may not align with your career aspirations. Although personal branding is about being authentic, there’s also an aspirational element. You want to demonstrate that you’re ready for that role you seek to fill. One place to focus on is skills. When someone checks out your profile, they only see the top three skills for which you have been endorsed. So make sure those are the skills that are relevant for what you want to do next. Reorder your skills to get the right ones on top.

5. You’ll get up to speed on all things LinkedIn. While you’re in the process of updating your profile, you’ll inevitably check out your feed, the queue of connection requests that have come in since the last time you visited LinkedIn and the messages that arrived in your LinkedIn inbox. If you get caught up now, you’ll be well positioned and fully informed to help your professional circles kick off new initiatives at the start of the new year.

6. You can demonstrate relevance. A relatively new feature of LinkedIn that you’re likely not using is Creator Mode. Although this feature was designed for thought leaders who want to publish content on the platform, it can also be used to tell people about your area of expertise. Creator mode allows you to identify your top five hashtags—the topics you want to be associated with. These hashtags sit at the top of your profile, right below your headline, letting viewers know a lot about you from the second they click on your profile.

7. You’ll stand out from your peers. LinkedIn provides one of the best opportunities to increase your visibility and credibility with the people who need to know you. It helps you stay connected to large networks of important contacts. A powerful element that’s rarely used but extremely valuable is called Featured, which allows you to add videos and images to your profile so you can develop a truly three-dimensional tour of your brand in the two-dimensional world. It will give you the edge and allow others to connect with you on a deeper level. It takes time to polish these assets before you post them, so use the holiday lull to choose the best of the best. And if the holidays reunite you with family members and lifelong friends, you can tap their insight to make sure you’re posting the samples that reflect your true brand traits.

Before that New Year’s Eve countdown, make sure your LinkedIn profile doesn’t look like it was created in 2003. Start the new year by making the most out of the platform’s valuable innovations.

Forbes.com | December 19, 2022 | William Arruda