Power Up Your LinkedIn Profile

The 2012 Out & Equal Workplace Summit is the perfect platform from which to make powerful connections and develop career-enhancing professional skills.

Loaded with workshops and networking options, this year's Summit expects to attract more than 2500 LGBT and allied employees plus human resources, and diversity professionals and workplace leaders from global corporations.

Here's a sneak peak of just two professional development workshops you could attend at the Workplace Summit.

Increasing the Value of Your Professional Image Recognize the inherent power of your professional presence and understand the impression it can form in the mind of those with whom you do business.

Coming Out to Clients: Making LGBT Work in Relationships
Ever wonder exactly what the right moment is to let your client or prospect know about your life when you're not with them? Do you worry about that in a way you don't think your straight colleagues have to?

Supercharge your LinkedIn Profile-5 Tips

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Many of us have our profiles posted on LinkedIn, but how many of us put our profiles to good career-development use?

These quick tips will make your profile work harder for you.

1. Publish three (not more) references. One reference should contain comments from someone who was in charge of your performance evaluation.

2. Describe yourself in keywords in your profile summary.

Keywords help your profile show up in employee recruitment and networking searches.

3. Build your network thoughtfully.

Your contacts should include 1) One from someone with authority over your performance appraisal. 2) One from a successful project team colleague 3) One from a customer, external or internal.

4. Join groups and participate in discussions intelligently

When you post a discussion or comment on a discussion, make your content brief but substantive.

5. Steer clear of canned messages

"I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn" is meant as sample content. Write your own brief content.

These tips are provided in one page with details and examples here.

Julie Beach, M.A. Associate Director Career Development & IT Services Out & Equal Workplace Advocates CareerLink Hotline: (415) 694-6535

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates is committed to ending employment discrimination for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees. We believe that people should be judged by the work they do, not by their sexual orientation or gender identity. Every day, we work to protect and empower employees to be productive and successful-so they can support themselves, their families, and contribute to achieving a world free of discrimination for everyone. Learn more about our programs and services. Out & Equal 155 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA 94104 415.694.6500