LinkedIn is the worlds leading social platform for business professionals.

Founded in 2002, the social network has grown to over 600 million active users from around the globe. On the site, users are able to highlight their professional experience, network with new and existing business connections, share thought leadership articles, and even apply to jobs. On the other end, employers use the platform to advertise open positions and recruit qualified talent.

If this is your first experience using LinkedIn, youll quickly learn that its very user-friendly and no more difficult to use than other social networks. Refer to this comprehensive guide to find everything you need to do in order to make the most of your LinkedIn profile.

If youre looking for something specific, feel free to skip ahead:Creating a LinkedIn profileHow to edit profile summaryHow to add experienceHow to add skillsUsing LinkedIn connectionsHow to change profile URLHow to post an article on LinkedInLinkedIn profile tipsHow to delete your account

LinkedIns interface is set up very similar to other social media platforms. Users are prompted to create a profile detailing their career experience, education, and any relevant skills or volunteer activities.

Once youre signed up, you are given access to your LinkedIn feed, which is powered by an algorithm that delivers status updates from your connections as well as other content that is deemed useful or relevant. The feed will populate with more content as you connect with more people and grow your network.

Users also have the option to follow high-profile industry influencers such as Oprah, Katie Couric, and Richard Branson.

To create a LinkedIn profile, start by creating an account. Be sure to choose an email that you check frequently, as you want to stay on top of any notifications or connection requests that you receive.

1. Fill out your basic information including your full name and phone number2. Upload a professional photo3. Add your location4. Import your contacts list

Once your account is ready, its time to start building out the rest of your profile. A LinkedIn profile is set up similar to a traditional resume. At the top is your picture with a headline, along with a short summary section.

The summary section of your LinkedIn profile is intended to be very similar to the type of summary that is usually included in a resume.

1. Click the Me icon at the top of the homepage2. Select View Profile3. Click the pencil icon on the right side of the About section4. Fill out summary text and click Save

Source: LinkedIn

Along with your picture and headline, your LinkedIn summary is one of the first things that someone viewing your profile will see. To put your best foot forward, its important to have a summary that is professional and up-to-date.

When it comes to what you say in your summary, its really up to you to decide. Some people choose to recap their work experience, while others prefer to show off their personalities and include a quote or something more creative.

Check out the templates below for some inspiration.

Currently [role] at [company]. Formerly [past role] at [past company]. Interested in [2-3 personal interests]. Lets connect!

This is your standard one-size-fits-all LinkedIn summary. In a few sentences, youve outlined your current and past experience, as well as shared things that youre passionate about. This is the perfect template if you prefer to keep things short and sweet.

Known best for [major accomplishment]. A [role] at [company] looking to [career goal you wish to accomplish].

This template is ideal if you have any major accomplishments youd like to highlight. Although you have the opportunity to do this under your work experience further down on your profile, your summary is an easy way to showcase your greatest achievements front and center.

To use my gifts of [2-3 qualities or skills] to [overarching goal you seek to reach].

A personal mission statement defines who you are as a person and a professional. It outlines the things youre most passionate about and what values are most important to you. If you want to get more personal in your LinkedIn summary, this is the way to do it.

Im a [job position] at [company]. [1-2 sentence description about what your company does, its mission or goals]. [Any additional information about your company and its role in the market]. [Link to company website or careers hub].

Even if youre not looking to make a career move anytime soon, you still want to have a LinkedIn summary that is a strong reflection of who you are as a professional. With this option, you can highlight your current role and the company you work for, as well as advertise any job openings or upcoming events your organization is putting on.

The bulk of your LinkedIn profile will be made up of your experience. In this section, you are prompted to add current and past roles as well as short descriptions of your responsibilities at each position (the latter is optional).

1. Go to your profile by clicking the Me icon at the top of the page and select View Profile2. Scroll down until you see the Experience header and then click the big plus (+) sign3. In the pop-up, enter your company, job title, and other relevant details4. Click Save

Source: LinkedIn

Add any relevant and standout details related to your current and past positions. If you list any accomplishments in your summary, this is your opportunity to elaborate on them.

If youre on the hunt for a new gig, its a good idea to add your formal resume to your LinkedIn profile. Once its uploaded, it will show up at the bottom of the summary section.

1. On the homepage, select View Profile from the dropdown menu under the Me icon2. Click on the pencil icon to edit your profile3. In the pop-up, scroll down and click Upload under media4. Find your resume file and click Save

Source: LinkedIn

By uploading your resume, youre going the extra mile to show potential employers that youre eager to find a new position.

Skills and endorsements live at the very bottom of your LinkedIn profile. If you havent listed any skills on your page yet, this section will not appear on your profile.

Source: LinkedIn

To get started, follow these steps:1. Click the Me icon, followed by View Profile from the drop-down menu2. Select the blue Add profile section to the right side of your name3. Click Skills from the drop-down menu4. Type out which skills you want to add

Source: LinkedIn

Once you do this, a designated skills section will appear towards the bottom of your profile. You can always go back and add or remove skills by scrolling to this section.

Similar to a resume, you want to highlight your most marketable hard and soft skills on your LinkedIn profile. Dont be afraid to get specific when listing your skills this section is your opportunity to make your profile stand out.

These are technical skills that youve earned through education, certifications, or work experience.

Here are some examples of hard skills to list on your LinkedIn profile:

These skills are less related to your technical expertise and more related to your ability to collaborate and work with others. Soft skills are often more difficult to quantify.

Here are some examples of soft skills:

Organization

Be sure to list skills that are an accurate reflection of your abilities as a professional. To make your profile more credible, you can seek out endorsements from your LinkedIn connections. More on that later.

Your LinkedIn network is one the most powerful tools the platform has to offer. Your network is made up of connections or people who you have professional relationships with. This could be current or past coworkers, clients, and even mentors.

The more connections you have, the bigger your network is and the more opportunities you have to be noticed for job openings and show up in LinkedIn search results.

The first step toward growing your network is making connections. To connect with someone, follow these steps:

1. Click My Network at the top of your homepage. A list of possible connections will populate.2. Click on a persons profile that youd like to connect with3. Select Connect to the right of the persons name4. Fill out the pop-up box if you want to add a personal message with your connection request5. Click Done

Source: LinkedIn

Your connection request will be pending until its accepted by the person on the other end. If they accept, you will be notified of your new connection.

LinkedIn gives users the option to follow other users or brands. This is different than a connection in several ways. Using the follow feature allows you to see their posts and articles on your newsfeed, but they wont be able to see yours.

This is useful when following industry influencers that you may not know personally, but you still want to see their content.

One of the major benefits of growing your LinkedIn network is the ability to leverage your connections for endorsements. As previously mentioned, endorsements help boost your credibility since your peers are validating your skills.

A great way to start getting endorsements is by giving them, heres how:

1. Go to your connections profile by searching their name2. Scroll down to the Skills & Endorsements section3. Click the blue plus (+) sign to endorse a skill4. In the pop-up, select a skill level and how youre familiar with your connections skills

Source: LinkedIn

Its important to note that your connection will be notified of the endorsement and will have to accept it before it appears on their profile.

Just like any other social media network, LinkedIn is vulnerable to hosting users that misuse the platform outside of its intended purpose.

Its important to tread with caution and be aware of strangers that try to connect with you. If you suspect a user has bad intentions, it may be best to block them.

Follow these steps to learn how:

1. Go to the users profile2. Click More on the right side of their name3. From the drop-down menu, select Report/Block4. Click Block from the pop-up to confirm your decision

Source: LinkedIn

After a user is blocked, they will no longer be able to see your profile or contact you. If you change your mind down the line, you can always unblock the user.

When you first create your LinkedIn profile, you automatically get assigned a URL. Most of these auto-generated URLs look like a jumbled mix of letters and numbers.

Luckily, LinkedIn makes it easy for users to update and customize profile URLs.

1. Click Me at the top of your homepage, followed by View Profile2. In the top-right corner, select Edit public profile & URL3: Select the pencil icon and type out your desired URL4: Click Save

Source: LinkedIn

All LinkedIn profile URLs follow the same format. Your new URL will look like this: http://www.linkedin.com/in/custom-url-here.

One of LinkedIns less-known features allows users to publish long-form articles right on the platform. This is different than posting a status, which limits you to 1300 characters or less.

Follow these simple step-by-step instructions to post an article on LinkedIn:

1. At the top of your LinkedIn newsfeed, click Write an article on LinkedIn2. Write your article. Be sure to include a headline and any relevant images or videos3. Click Publish

Source: LinkedIn

Once you hit publish, the article will be shared with your network via the newsfeed. Users can like and leave comments on the piece.

The key to using LinkedIn effectively is knowing all of the platforms capabilities and leveraging them to your benefit. Creating a profile that is up-to-date is only scraping the surface of what LinkedIn can do for your career and professional brand.

Check out these tips to take your LinkedIn presence to the next level.

LinkedIn groups are online communities of people who share similar interests or experience. Joining a group is a great way to meet like-minded professionals in your industry, share knowledge, and expand your network.

You dont have to work in a creative industry to see value from adding pictures, videos, or other multimedia files to your summary. One of the easiest ways to make your experience stand out and highlight past projects youve worked on is by adding them directly to your profile.

Whether youre gearing up for an annual performance review or negotiating a final offer at a new company, its important to know your earning potential.

The LinkedIn Salary Insights tool offers wage information based on your role, location, company size, and how much other people in your role (or the position youre applying for) are earning.

Sending direct messages, or InMails, on LinkedIn is a low-pressure way to create deeper connections with your network. Always be sure to send a personalized InMail message if youre requesting to connect with someone outside of your primary network.

Additionally, remember to always keep things professional and format direct messages similar to a work email.

Keeping tabs on trending hashtags is a quick and effective way to stay in-the-know and share insights with others in your industry. To discover hashtags, enter the topic youd like to follow in the search bar. LinkedIn will populate your search results with hashtags that match your query.

LinkedIn is available at no cost; however, the platform does have a paid offering for users who want to unlock extra features and perks. Deciding which LinkedIn Premium plan is right for you will depend on what youre looking to get out of the platform. Popular paid features include access to analytics and a resume builder.

RELATED: If youre not ready to take the plunge into the full paid offering, LinkedIn offers a one-month free trial for users.

If there ever comes a time when you want to delete your LinkedIn account, its very simple to do.

1. Click the Me icon at the top of the homepage. In the drop-down menu, select Settings & Privacy2. Under the Account tab, scroll to Account Management and click Change3. Select a reason for deleting your account4. Enter your password and click Close Account

Source: LinkedIn

Once you close your account, it will be officially inactive and not visible to other users.

While the days of handing out business cards and filling out paper job applications may not be over just yet, more and more people are turning to digital platforms, such as LinkedIn, to job hunt, network, and build their professional brands.

With this guide in your back pocket, youll be a full-fledged LinkedIn guru in no time.

LinkedIn is far more than just a social media platform for job-seekers. Learn how businesses leverage LinkedIn as a marketing tool toadvertise job openings, attract qualified talent, and build brand awareness.

Excerpt from:

How to Use LinkedIn: Must-Have Tips for Professional Success - G2