5 Best Features of LinkedIn

LinkedIn is designed for business networking and sharing. This makes LinkedIn a very different type of Social Media platform from sites like Facebook and Twitter. LinkedIn allows professionals to connect and interact on a professional level.

Some of the best features of LinkedIn include;

1. Resume – LinkedIn is a great way to show off your experience and education! Not to mention any awards you may have received or associations that you may belong to.
2. Recommendations – LinkedIn allows people to post public recommendations for you and your services. These recommendations are specific to a company or position and can be of great value to your profile.
3. Groups – LinkedIn groups are a great way to associate you with others in your field or geographic area. Groups are also a great source of information and networking.
4. Events – Linked In allows you to publicize events to your network and collect RSVPs. It also allows you to search for local events and events that others may be attending.
5. Links – LinkedIn allows you to publicize links to websites and twitter accounts at the top of your profile. In addition, LinkedIn has applications that allow you to link to other sites, such as word press, drop box, Slide Share, and more.

For tips and suggestions on how to best use and establish a LinkedIn profile, contact Office Solutions ^ME for a personalized consultation and tutorial.

Also feel free to view my LinkedIn profile: LinkedIn profile of Kathrine Farris

Resume Formatting Tips

We make assumptions based on appearance, and resumes are no different. In addition to being clear, concise, and informative, your resume needs to be easy to read, appealing to the eye, and unique. Your resume should portray your personality as much as your experience, and be easy to visually navigate.

In addition to the actual content of a resume, consider formatting for readability and personality;

• Font – Size and type can help make your resume flow better and increase readability. Headings should be Larger and Bold. Limit font styles to 1 – 2. A san serif font can be used throughout, or descriptive text could be easy to read in a serif font type. Subtitles, such as dates and employer names can be italicized to help differentiate them from descriptive text.

I recommend headings be 11-14 point, Arial (or some other san serif font), and Bold. I recommend descriptive text be 9-12 point, and either the same font type as your titles, or times new roman (or some other serif font).

• Spacing – There should be more space between paragraphs than between lines. This helps to ‘group’ information. There should also be just enough space between lines to read your content.

I would recommend 1.15 – 1.5 between lines, and 6 – 12 points between paragraphs.

• Color – Here’s a great place to show character. Add some color to your presentation! Titles, Your name, a border, your footer, are all good options for a splash of color.

I would recommend keeping your use of colors to 1 shade, 2 at most.

• Effects – Using effects such as Horizontal lines, Page boarders, Bolding, Italicizing, and Bullets, can help text stand out and guide the reader’s eye where you want them to look.

I suggest horizontal lines between sections, bold and colorful headings, and bullets outlining experience or education.

• Length – With increasing experiences, resumes have become increasingly lengthy. Unfortunately, many people will not look past page 2, so be careful not to put anything important on page 3 (if you have one). Better yet, try to fit it all on 2 pages.

I suggest trying the following; minimize space between lines and paragraphs, decrease margins, and decrease font size.

Check out these additional resources for more information on Resume writing and formatting:

WritingHelp-Central

Resume Tips – Top Resume Tips

Sample Resumes

Guidelines For A Better Resume Presentation

Resume Basics for Freelancers

Need more help with your resume writing and formatting? Contact Office Solutions ^ME!