Do Just One Thing - create a Customized URL and Use it

Sometimes it’s overwhelming to think how much you have to do in order to have a really good LinkedIn profile. You know it’s going to take a lot of time you can’t spare and what would people think if they looked at it and it wasn’t perfect? All I can say is “get over it.” One of the great things about social media is that it’s a place to continually reinvent yourself, a place to pick yourself up and dust yourself off and try again. If it’s not perfect, that’s fine. If it’s incomplete, that’s fine too. You’ll get there.

I encourage you to just get started. Do something simple. Do you already have a customized URL? Instead of a version of your name with a string of random numbers after it like this www.linkedin.com/pub/sandra-clark/5/209/409 change it to your name, e.g. www.linkedin.com/in/sandraaclark/. Notice that I have an extra “a” in my customized URL. Sometimes you’ll have to use a variation of your name if your first choice is already taken. I recommend you use a variation that you commonly use elsewhere – e.g. your first initial and last name or your name including your middle initial. In general I don’t recommend using your company name or expertise since this is something that may change and your profile can stay with you for your professional life. You can change it in the future but it’s best to keep it and use it everywhere (more about where to use it in a future blog post.)

Go to profile and mouse over it.