LinkedIn is much more than a network for finding a job. This was exposed by Judit Sorribes, a consultant specializing in LinkedIn, and Carme de Olazábal, a professional photographer, in the masterclass LinkedIn and a good professional image held in the auditorium of the SC Trade Center in Sant Cugat and dedicated to professionals and companies in the Trade Center interested in improving their digital presence and generating new opportunities through this platform.
The session began with a key question: “Why are we on LinkedIn?” According to Sorribes, it is essential to have clear and specific objectives, since the time we spend on it can become unproductive if we do not know what we want to achieve. “It is not enough to want to sell more: you need to know who you want to sell to and what you can offer them”, he pointed out. For example, he said “wanting to get five clients who generate a certain volume of turnover, or 50 new contacts per month, the objectives must always be measurable and focused”.
One of the central points of the presentation was the personal profile, which, according to the expert, “cannot be just a virtual curriculum. If we are looking for a job, it can have this approach, but if our goal is to get clients or create a personal brand, it must be a sales page, clear and aligned with our differential value”. And according to Sorribas, “the personal brand is what they say about you when you are not there”.
The speaker also spoke extensively about publications and defined LinkedIn as a powerful tool to use to show not only what we know, but how we do it and what makes us different. In her opinion, she recommended publishing between 2 and 4 times a week, combining training or informative content, sales content and more personal content, without reaching the intimate scope, but showing who we are, what we think or how we live our professional day to day. In addition, she stressed the importance of interacting with other publications, making comments and establishing real and natural conversations and stressed that “the quality of contacts must be above quantity”.
Another key idea was the need to learn to do virtual networking: look for people who have studied in the same place, who share interests or who may need our services, and start genuine conversations. “LinkedIn is a spectacular platform to learn and connect, but you have to have a clear strategy and be constant,” he concluded.
The second part of the session was given by the photographer Carme de Olazábal, who focused on the power of the image and remarked that photography not only transmits professionalism, but is key to generating trust and security. Carme is also expert in business and corporate photography. She indicated the importance of showing the face and stressed the idea that “real images help to strengthen our identity and make us memorable”. De Olazábal is committed to personalized portraits, which reflect the personality and purpose of the professional or team. In addition, the portraitist encouraged the attendees to move away from the bank images and bet on “own, authentic and strategically worked photographs: from the profile photo, to the corporate portraits and the images we use in events or publications”.
“Present yourself with your best image,” she insisted, showing examples of good and bad practices. And she reminded that a good photograph not only improves external perception, but can make the difference when it comes to connecting with the target audience and standing out from the competition. With this session, the SC Trade Center consolidates its commitment to the professional boost of its community through useful, applicable events and training focused on the tools that today open new doors for professionals from all fields.
