Sharing your LinkedIn profile via message allows you to send a link to your profile to a connection through LinkedIn’s messaging platform. This provides an easy way to share your profile with someone without having to send them an external link via email or other channels.
How to Share Your LinkedIn Profile Via Message
Sharing your profile via LinkedIn message is simple. Just follow these steps:
- Open the LinkedIn mobile app or navigate to the LinkedIn website and log in to your account.
- Go to your profile page.
- Tap the “Share” icon in the top right corner (on mobile) or right under your profile photo (on desktop).
- Select “Share profile via message.”
- A messaging window will pop up with a link to your profile already included.
- Type in the name of the connection you want to share your profile with.
- Compose a message to accompany the link if you’d like.
- Hit send.
The recipient will receive a LinkedIn notification with your message and be able to simply click the link to view your profile.
Benefits of Sharing Your Profile Via Message
There are a few key benefits to sharing your LinkedIn profile with a connection via LinkedIn message rather than through email or other external channels:
- Convenience: You don’t have to copy and paste a profile link into an external email or message. Just a couple quick taps in the LinkedIn app and your profile link is shared through LinkedIn’s messaging platform.
- Messaging thread: Keeping the share within LinkedIn messaging allows you to continue a conversation thread with that connection within LinkedIn, rather than fracturing it across multiple channels.
- Notifications: Sending as a LinkedIn message allows your connection to easily be notified of your share through LinkedIn’s notification system rather than getting lost in an external email inbox.
- Link authority: Shared links on LinkedIn carry more authority and trust than unknown links sent via email. The recipient can easily see the link is from LinkedIn’s domain.
When to Share Your Profile Via Message
Here are some common scenarios when sharing your LinkedIn profile via a LinkedIn message can be beneficial:
- Following up after meeting someone in person. Send them a link to your profile as a quick way to reconnect.
- When applying for a job. Share your profile with the hiring manager or recruiter to provide a quick view of your background.
- After connecting with someone new. Introduce yourself and share your profile to tell them more about you.
- When requesting an introduction through a mutual connection. Provide your mutual connection with a link to connect you.
- When networking online. Share your profile with new connections you want to start building a relationship with.
- As part of pitching media or analysts. Provide your profile as part of your background information.
Best Practices
To make the most of sharing your LinkedIn profile via messaging, keep these best practices in mind:
- Customize your message: Don’t just send your profile link without any context. Add a friendly message explaining why you’re sharing your profile.
- Follow up: Circle back after you share your profile to see if they have any other questions or discuss next steps.
- Watch for notifications: If they engage with your profile after you share, you may get a notification indicating they viewed your profile.
- Keep it updated: Before sharing your profile, give it a quick review to make sure all the information is up-to-date.
- Share strategically: Be purposeful about who you share your profile with and when. Make sure it aligns with your goals.
Other Ways to Share Your LinkedIn Profile
While sharing your profile via LinkedIn message can be highly effective, you have a few other options for sharing your profile as well:
- Public profile link: Grab the generic public link from the URL of your profile and share that anywhere online.
- Email signature: Add your profile link to your email signature so it’s included on all emails.
- Resume: Include the link on your resume when applying to jobs so recruiters can easily view your profile.
- Online profiles: Add the link to your LinkedIn profile on any other online professional profiles you have.
- Business cards: Print your profile URL or QR code on your business cards for easy sharing.
The sharing options you choose depend on the situation and your specific goals. Mix and match different profile sharing techniques to maximize your reach.
LinkedIn Profile Tips
Before broadly sharing your LinkedIn profile, make sure your profile is optimized with these tips:
- Have an up-to-date profile photo that looks professional.
- Include a detailed current position description highlighting your responsibilities and achievements.
- Provide an informative overview summary that describes your background, skills, and goals.
- Showcase your skills, accomplishments, certifications, volunteer work, courses, projects, and language skills.
- Get endorsements and recommendations from colleagues to support your skills and strengths.
- Follow relevant companies to demonstrate your interests and build your industry connections.
- Establish a consistent professional presence by linking to your profile from websites, resumes, and bios.
- Customize your profile URL to be easy to remember and share.
An optimized profile serves as your modern day resume and portfolio. Make sure it puts your best foot forward before sharing it via LinkedIn messages or other channels.
FAQs
Is sharing my profile via LinkedIn message spammy?
It’s not spammy as long as you have an existing relationship or mutual connection with the person, your message provides value for them, and you share your profile contextually when relevant to build the relationship. Avoid blasting your profile link without explanation to random connections.
Can I reuse the same profile link multiple times?
Yes, you can reuse the same profile link whenever you need to reshare your profile. The link will stay the same unless you customize your LinkedIn profile URL.
Should I always customize my profile URL?
A customized, unique profile URL (e.g. linkedin.com/yourname) looks more professional than the default string of numbers and letters. However, it’s not required. Focus first on optimizing your profile content before prioritizing a custom URL.
What’s the best way to optimize my profile before sharing?
Start by adding a professional photo, writing an informative yet concise summary, showcasing your top skills and experience, getting recommendations, and following relevant companies. Check for typos, formatting issues, and inaccurate information. Personalize your profile URL once the core content is solid.
Is there an easier way to share my profile than via LinkedIn message?
The public profile URL is the easiest way to share your general profile since it requires no messaging or contacts. But messaging enables you to share your profile in context with specific connections when relevant to your goals.
Summary
Sharing your LinkedIn profile via message provides an easy and trusted way to give connections a comprehensive view of your background and expertise. By following best practices and profile optimization tips, selectively sharing your profile can help strengthen relationships, land jobs, and elevate your professional brand.
