Today, companies and professionals alike are turning to LinkedIn for new career and business opportunities. If you want to join the platform, this guide provides step-by-step instructions, showing how to create a LinkedIn profile for yourself or your company.
Good to know: if you’re looking for a remote job, check out these websites to uncover new opportunities.
How to Create a LinkedIn Account
More and more people looking to take the next step in their careers are joining LinkedIn. Follow the steps below to make a new LinkedIn profile. Read on if you wish to learn more about LinkedIn before signing up.
Access the official LinkedIn website in your browser on your PC. Click on the Join now button in the upper-right corner.
Add your email address (make sure it’s one you’re using for professional reasons), type in a password, and press the Agree & join button. To make it easier, sign up with a Google account.
Add your location, and press Next. Add your most recent job title, whether it was full time or part time, and add your employer, too. If you’re a student, click on the appropriate option below, then click Continue.
Answer whether you’re actively looking for a job, then press Next.
Depending on your previous answer, you’ll be asked an additional question. For instance, what type of job you would consider. You can add multiple answers. Optionally, check the box for Open for remote work.
If you’re actively looking for a job, keep the toggle on for Share with recruiters. If you’re not interested in changing your position right now, disable it, and press Next.
Scan the QR code with your phone to install the LinkedIn app on your mobile device. If you don’t want the app, press Next.
Based on your latest employer, LinkedIn will now show a list of people who work at the same company. You can connect with them from this page. If you wish to skip this, press Next.
LinkedIn will generate a list of recommended pages you may want to follow. This can include pages of companies, players, and industry leaders from your particular niche. You can also search for contacts. Press Next once you’re done with this step.
Right off the bat, LinkedIn will show you a handful of job opportunities from potential employers, based on the information you’ve previously added.
You can create your account in the mobile app as well. Open LinkedIn and tap on the Agree & Join button. Alternatively, use your Google/Apple account to join the network. To continue creating your LinkedIn profile, follow the steps above.
Tip: if you want to get rid of your LinkedIn account, learn how to delete it forever.
How to Make a LinkedIn Personal Profile
Now that you’ve created your account, it’s time to set up your LinkedIn profile page, which will act as your CV. You can even download it as a PDF.
Click on your profile picture (the default image is your first initial on a purple background) in the upper-right corner, and select View Profile.
Start adding details to your profile. For starters, you can add an image by pressing on the large circle with your initial. You can also change your cover image like you would on Facebook by clicking the tiny photo icon in the upper right.
To start adding details to your profile, which will act like a CV, click on the Add profile section button.
Select a field you want to fill out, such as Add position.
Start adding your previous job experience and achievements so that prospective employers can have a birds-eye view of your professional capabilities just by viewing your profile.
You can also add info regarding your education, skills licenses and certifications, awards, and more. The more information you add, the better chance you’ll have of getting noticed. Make sure you explore all the available options, and fill out any relevant information.
FYI: AI can help you improve your productivity at work.
How to Create a Company Profile on LinkedIn
LinkedIn also lets you create company profiles. You’ll need a LinkedIn account, before continuing with these steps.
Note: you’ll need to add a few connections before creating your LinkedIn company page, so take a moment to expand your network first. You may also have to wait a bit, as LinkedIn does not allow new accounts to create business pages. If you have an older account, you should be good to go.
Click on Business in the top menu. Select Create a Company Page.
Select the type of page you would like to create. For this tutorial, we are choosing the Company option.
Fill out all the details regarding your company. Upload the logo, and check the preview view on the right to make sure everything is correct.
Check the I verify that I am an authorized representative of this organization … disclaimer at the bottom, and press the Create page button.
Continue working on your page by adding a description of your company, location, cover photo, and more.
Once the page is set up, people who find your page will be able to Follow it and stay up to date with any news from your business. Start creating posts from your LinkedIn company page, such as simple media posts or polls. Most importantly, begin posting articles to demonstrate your expertise in specific areas.
Finally, don’t forget to invite your connections, including present and former colleagues, to follow the page to start getting noticed.
Note: while this feature can be found under the Business menu, you can access it without needing to sign up for a paid account. However, some of the features will be limited. For instance, you won’t be able to see who visited your page.
Your company page will show up in your LinkedIn account dashboard on the left for easy access.
Good to know: if you want to maximize your chances of landing a new job, check out this list of top tech skills you’ll need this year, according to experts.
Now that you know how to create your account, make sure you avoid these mistakes when building your LinkedIn profile. Also, if you wish to secure your LinkedIn account, enable two-factor authentication on the app.
Image credit: Freepik. All screenshots by Alexandra Arici.
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