Woman holding a smartphone with linkedin logo

LinkedIn is a powerful monopoly. It's a vital tool for recruiters; more importantly, LinkedIn has become a "must participate" expectation in corporate America generally. Everyone you want to do business with, every potential corporate employer (or client, if you are in a law firm), every recruiter, etc., looks to LinkedIn to get more information on you. Sometimes, it is even their first impression of you.

Failing to maximize your LinkedIn presence used to qualify simply as opt-out laziness. Now I would raise a poor LinkedIn profile to the level of personal professional negligence. With that in mind, here are my top three tips for earning your LinkedIn black belt.

1. The photo matters.

Like it or not, your headshot matters; it strongly influences how you are perceived. Go with a simple business look. And smile! It won't hurt. If you do not have an appropriate public relations shot on file, spending a few bucks on a professional photo is money well spent.

2. Don't be picky.

A robust number of LinkedIn connections is helpful. As your number of connections increases, so does your visibility with decision-makers. Decline invitations from total strangers and obvious sales ploys, but otherwise just click "yes" on connection requests and don't overthink them.