With few law firm websites reflecting professional bios for their business services team members, often the only official record of your professional journey is a resume. 

The truth is… resumes are seen by relatively few people over the course of a career. 

Even if a job change isn’t in today’s plan, maintaining a strong LinkedIn profile is a great way to demonstrate professional growth and build your reputation. 

As we wade into the quieter days of August, here are a few tips for positioning your LinkedIn profile for the future:

• Craft a compelling headline in place of a typical job title to highlight your expertise and energy right from the start.
• In the "About" section, summarize your professional journey by highlighting key achievements and career aspirations in an engaging and authentic way. Talk about your growth in a few concise sentences while resisting the urge to just list job duties.
• Shine a light on your experience by adding recent projects, major accomplishments, and quantifiable results from your work as they happen.
• Connect with colleagues, industry contacts, and other professionals who you may learn from or collaborate with over the course of your career. Add contacts as you refine your career path and build out experiences. 
• Engage with your network by sharing insights, commenting on posts, and expressing your take on relevant topics in authentic and well-thought-out ways. 

LinkedIn is often my first stop when researching a candidate. And there is no doubt that law firm hiring managers are doing their own research into the digital footprint of future employees. 

Use your profile to power up your career to make a great first impression before you even know you are being considered.

-Jason Caramanico