When filling out your LinkedIn profile, the “Organization” section allows you to provide details about the companies you have worked for or are currently affiliated with. This section is important for showcasing your professional experience and employment history to your network.
Current Company
If you are currently employed, you’ll first want to list your current company here. Include the full company name, your job title, employment dates, location, and a description of your role and responsibilities.
For example:
ACME Inc., Senior Marketing Manager, March 2020 – Present, New York, NY
– Lead team of 5 marketing specialists to develop and execute digital marketing campaigns across multiple channels
– Manage $500k/year marketing budget and track campaign ROI
– Oversee brand strategy and messaging across company’s social media presence
Past Companies
Next, you’ll want to list past companies you have worked for in reverse chronological order. For each company, include:
- Company name
- Your job title
- Employment dates
- Location
- Short description of your role and responsibilities
For example:
XYZ Corp, Marketing Specialist, January 2018 – February 2020, Los Angeles, CA
– Executed email marketing campaigns and managed list of 50k subscribers
– Assisted with content creation for company blog and social media
– Supported SEO initiatives through keyword research and meta data optimization
Education
You can also include details on your education in this section. List the schools you attended, your degree/major, and the dates you were enrolled.
For example:
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor – Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing, Graduated June 2016
Volunteer Work and Other Affiliations
If relevant, you may also want to list any volunteer work, board memberships, committees, or other professional affiliations in this section.
For example:
ABC Nonprofit, Marketing Committee Member, March 2019 – Present
Customize Your Profile URL
Once you’ve added your organization details, you can customize your public profile URL on LinkedIn to make it easier to share. From your profile, click “Edit public profile & URL” and edit the URL to something shorter and easy to remember.
Tips for Organizing Your Profile
Here are some additional tips for organizing the Organization section of your LinkedIn profile:
Emphasize Recency
Focus most on highlighting your current or most recent role. This gives viewers key context about your level of seniority, industry, function, etc.
Tailor to Your Goals
Cater the details to your goals – whether job searching, client prospecting, partnerships, etc. Feature the info most relevant to your target audience.
Quantify Achievements
Use hard numbers and metrics to quantify your achievements and demonstrate the impact you made in roles. This adds credibility.
Spotlight Transferable Skills
Think strategically about the transferable skills you gained even in unrelated roles. This showcases well-roundedness.
Edit and Update Regularly
Revisit your Organization section periodically to make edits and add new roles. Keep things current and well-maintained.
Common Questions
Should I include every job I’ve had?
No, you don’t need to list every single job. Focus on highlighting the most relevant and impactful roles for your goals and audience. You can leave very short or insignificant jobs off your profile.
What if I have gaps between jobs?
Gaps are normal – don’t try to cover them up in a misleading way. You can briefly explain gaps by listing things like “Family Sabbatical” or “Freelance Consulting” without too many specifics.
Can I rearrange the order of companies?
It’s best to list roles chronologically, but you can strategically rearrange the order to highlight companies most relevant to your brand and story. Just don’t misrepresent dates.
Should I list every responsibility and achievement?
No need to list every single responsibility. Pick 3-5 focused accomplishments that showcase the impact you delivered in each role.
What if I’m just starting out?
If you’re early in your career, list any internships, freelance work, volunteer roles, coursework, training, and skills that demonstrate valuable experience even if you don’t have full-time jobs to list yet.
Summary
Your LinkedIn Organization section allows you to showcase your professional background and credentials. Carefully organize employment history, education, affiliations, and other details to paint an accurate portrait of your career for your network.
Focus on highlighting transferable skills and measurable achievements. Keep it streamlined yet thorough, customized to your goals, and updated regularly. The Organization section is key for conveying your personal brand – so make it count.
Table Comparing Different Types of Organizations to Include on LinkedIn
Organization Type | Details to Include | Example |
---|---|---|
Current Company | Company name, job title, dates, location, description of role and responsibilities | ACME Inc., Senior Marketing Manager, March 2020 – Present, New York, NY |
Past Companies | Company, job title, dates, location, summary of responsibilities | XYZ Corp, Marketing Specialist, January 2018 – February 2020, Los Angeles, CA |
Educational Institutions | Name, degree, major, dates attended | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor – Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing, Graduated June 2016 |
Volunteer Work | Organization, position, dates | ABC Nonprofit, Marketing Committee Member, March 2019 – Present |
This table summarizes the key details to include when listing your current company, past companies, education, and volunteer work or affiliations in the LinkedIn Organization section.
Tips for an Impactful LinkedIn Organization Section
Here are 5 tips to make your LinkedIn Organization section stand out:
Tip | Details |
---|---|
Quantify Achievements | Use hard numbers and metrics to demonstrate your impact in each role. |
Showcase Transferable Skills | Highlight skills that translate across roles, even if the roles were in different industries or functions. |
Emphasize Recent Roles | Feature your current or most recent position prominently to convey your seniority and industry. |
Customize URL | Edit your profile URL to something short and memorable for easy sharing. |
Update Regularly | Revisit periodically to edit, add new roles, and keep info current. |
Using hard numbers, showcasing transferable skills, prioritizing recent roles, customizing your URL, and updating regularly can help you create an impactful LinkedIn Organization section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I include unimportant or short-term jobs?
No, there is no need to list every single job you’ve had, especially short-term or insignificant ones unrelated to your current goals. Focus only on highlighting the most relevant roles.
What’s the best way to explain employment gaps?
It’s fine to have gaps – many people do. Briefly explain them without going into too much detail, e.g. “Family Sabbatical” or “Freelance Consulting”. No need to overexplain.
Can I change the order of companies to highlight certain roles?
Yes, it’s fine to strategically rearrange roles to highlight companies most important for your personal branding and goals. Just don’t misrepresent actual dates.
How much detail should I provide about each position?
Pick 2-4 focused, concise accomplishments or responsibilities that concisely convey the impact you delivered. No need for long, overly detailed lists.
Should I cut down my Organization section if it’s very long?
Yes, streamline earlier roles and feature only the most recent and relevant positions prominently. You can keep older roles brief or remove if not critical.
Key Takeaways
- List your current or most recent company first with details like job title, dates, location, and description.
- Add past companies next in reverse chronological order following the same format.
- Include education details like institutions attended, degrees, majors, and dates.
- You can also list relevant volunteer work, board roles, or other affiliations.
- Customize your profile URL once you’ve added your organizations.
- Update your Organization section regularly to keep it current.
An organized, updated Organization section showcasing your most relevant professional experience is key for your LinkedIn profile. Use it strategically to tell your career story and make the right impression.