Why LinkedIn, and the first impression
LinkedIn is like a school yearbook for grown-up jobs. People look at your picture and your one-line description to decide if they want to know more, so those parts need to look good.
- Job Bank (Government of Canada) lists networking as a way to find work and suggests you "create a LinkedIn profile" to network online.
- Job Bank also notes that many openings are filled informally, with information shared among managers, employees, business contacts, family and friends. A network helps you hear about them.
- The parts people see first: profile photo, background banner, name, headline, location.
- Photo tips: a recent, clear photo of only you, face easy to see, plain background, good light. Use LinkedIn's crop and zoom tools.
- Banner idea: a simple image related to your field (city skyline, your workspace, a clean colour with your skill keywords).
- Go to a spot with soft light from a window, with a plain wall behind you.
- Ask a friend to take a photo of your face and shoulders, or use your phone timer. Smile naturally.
- Choose the clearest photo: recent, only you, face easy to see.
- On LinkedIn, click your profile photo and choose to upload (names can differ by version). Use the crop and zoom tools so your face fills most of the circle.
- Add a simple banner related to your field, such as a clean colour with your skill keywords.
- Check: at the small size, people can still see your face clearly.
Videos by other creators on YouTube, for reference. They are not made by or affiliated with The Future Market.
Read the video script
[Host] "Recruiters and managers decide in seconds whether to click on you. Here's what they see first."
[Screen: profile top section highlighted] "Photo, banner, name, headline, location."
[Text on screen: Clear photo. Only you. Good light.] "Your photo: recent, clear, just you, good light. No group shots, no sunglasses."
[Host] "Even Canada's Job Bank suggests making a LinkedIn profile to network. So let's make yours worth clicking."
Take or choose a profile photo today: face the light, plain background, shoulders up. Upload it and crop it so your face is easy to see.
ClaudeStuck? Copy a ready-made prompt for Claude
Copy this, open Claude, paste it, and Claude will walk you through the lesson step by step.
For a grown-up: Claude is for adults (18+). Copy this, paste it into Claude, and use the answer to explain the lesson to your child.
I'm learning "LinkedIn That Gets You Noticed" on The Future Market. Lesson 1: "Why LinkedIn, and the first impression". What the lesson teaches: - Job Bank (Government of Canada) lists networking as a way to find work and suggests you "create a LinkedIn profile" to network online. - Job Bank also notes that many openings are filled informally, with information shared among managers, employees, business contacts, family and friends. A network helps you hear about them. - The parts people see first: profile photo, background banner, name, headline, location. - Photo tips: a recent, clear photo of only you, face easy to see, plain background, good light. Use LinkedIn's crop and zoom tools. - Banner idea: a simple image related to your field (city skyline, your workspace, a clean colour with your skill keywords). The exercise I'm working on: Take or choose a profile photo today: face the light, plain background, shoulders up. Upload it and crop it so your face is easy to see. I'm stuck. Please: 1. Explain the main idea in plain, simple words with one everyday example. 2. Walk me through the exercise one small step at a time. Ask me what I've done so far before giving the next step. 3. Don't just give me the final answer. Help me do it myself, and check my work when I share it.
I'm a parent helping my child (about 8 years old) with a lesson called "Why LinkedIn, and the first impression" from the course "LinkedIn That Gets You Noticed". Here's what the lesson says: LinkedIn is like a school yearbook for grown-up jobs. People look at your picture and your one-line description to decide if they want to know more, so those parts need to look good. The activity: Take or choose a profile photo today: face the light, plain background, shoulders up. Upload it and crop it so your face is easy to see. Please explain this so an 8-year-old understands: short sentences, a fun everyday example, and no hard words. Then give me 3 simple questions I can ask my child to check they understood, and a way to do the activity together, one tiny step at a time.
Sources
- Job Bank, Search for job opportunities (networking and LinkedIn): www.jobbank.gc.ca/findajob/resources/search-for-jobs
Headline and About section
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Experience, skills and proof
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Open to Work and your custom URL
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Network without feeling awkward
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Post and stay active (the easy way)
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Final project
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Quiz
Which kind of site suggests creating a LinkedIn profile to network?
Government job-search sites (Canada's Job Bank is one example).
What is a simple headline formula?
Role you want, 2 to 3 key skills, and your focus or proof.
How many skills can you add to a LinkedIn profile?
Up to 100.
Which Open to Work option adds the photo frame?
Sharing with all LinkedIn members.
Is the "Recruiters only" option fully private?
No. LinkedIn says it can't guarantee complete privacy.
How long can a custom profile URL be?
3 to 100 characters.
What should you add to every connection request?
A short personal note.
What can you show in the Featured section?
Posts, articles, links, images, documents, presentations and videos.
Final exam
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Certificate
This lesson is part of full access: every course and every level for one payment.