The benefit of LinkedIn for actors and other industry professionals
There is no doubt about the importance of a well-crafted social media profile for professionals in today’s world. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+ are some of the most popular social networking platforms that anyone with an Internet connection can create. They are also the most thought out in terms of presence. But what about LinkedIn? I remember when LinkedIn first came out. I didn’t think of any of that, but I did set up a profile anyway. Today, LinkedIn has more than 477 million profiles ranging from individuals, companies, and groups. It is the number one professional networking platform out there today. If the number of users isn’t impressive enough, the number of profile views for the first quarter of 2016 was 45 billion!
WHY SHOULD AN ACTOR CONSIDER USING LINKEDIN?
Why not? Seriously, in all actuality, what’s wrong with wasting time setting up your professional profile? Outside of my rhetorical question, let’s look at the practicality of what LinkedIn really is. Your LinkedIn profile serves as a digital resume. LinkedIn features help you organize your career and help you keep track of all the projects, experiences, volunteer work, and education you’re involved in. LinkedIn helps other people who may be interested in working with you get a quick snapshot of who you are: your approach, your character, and your experience.
Being an actor, you are in one of the most competitive industries. Anyone who has been in the entertainment industry for any length of time knows that it is all about networking. It’s about who you know and the projects you’ve been a part of. Sure, posting videos on YouTube helps, having a Facebook fan page helps, and possibly even your own website. Social media profiles like Twitter, Snap Chat, Instagram and others help to engage with your audience and fans as well as increase your marketing. But what about your professional image? The fans are great, however you are in “show business”. The most important part of that term is “BUSINESS”. If you’re not developing your professional and business side, it doesn’t really matter how many fans you have because the fans will have nothing to admire if you don’t get a job.
HOW CAN YOU USE LINKEDIN?
The best aspects of LinkedIn is the ability to showcase projects, write articles, get endorsements from your peers, and receive recommendations from those you’ve worked with. Casting directors, producers, and filmmakers always have a ready supply of talent. The same with Agents and Managers. Like it or not, you have to show them why you are worth their time. You may be able to act or sing, hit the mark or deliver on a dime. But, you are not the only one. More importantly, if you can’t show up to work on time, cause trouble, or have an attitude, no matter how talented you are, your personality will overshadow all of that. We all want to work with professionals. They want to know who YOU are. This is where LinkedIn can serve you best.
EXPERIENCE SECTION – The best part of this section is the ability to highlight the experience you have. Are you with an agent or a management company? What work have you done in the past that is industry related or otherwise? What did you do? How did you do it? You learned? What skills did you acquire? This information is great for someone looking to work with you.
PROJECT SECTION – Like a resume attached to the back of a Headshot, projects can be displayed on LinkedIn under the experience it coordinates with. For example, work with the ABC talent agency. While you were there, you were chosen for project 1,2,3. You worked with the actor/director/casting director of XYZ. You have the ability to describe the character you played and other details more fully than you could on the back of your resume.
BACKUPS – We all have abilities. Some skills fit directly with our field of work, others outside of our field of work. Different experiences and projects make us use different skill sets that we possess. The Approval section displays your most outstanding skill set. Additionally, this section allows friends, peers, and networks to support those skills. There is nothing more powerful than others saying…yes, he/she has these skills and they are developed to the point that I am willing to endorse and recommend them for it.
RECOMMENDATIONS – Imagine working with an actor like Leonardo DeCaprio or a director like Stephen Spielberg and they give you a recommendation because of your work ethic or performance on set! That kind of backing would do wonders for its marketability. People like to work with nice people. The best way to show that you are such a person is through recommendations. This section highlights who you are beyond your performance. Illuminate your character, your behavior and your work ethic. My advice is to increase your recommendation as much as possible. It only benefits you in the long run.
VOLUNTEER SECTION – Do you like charities? Are you involved with non-profit organizations? Why are you involved and what do you do with them? LinkedIn gives you the ability to talk about the charities you work with. Can you imagine what this does to your likability factor? Can you imagine how this will help you stand out above the rest and the opportunities that can arise from this section alone?
CONCLUSION
Different social media platforms serve different purposes. Most focus on gaining followers, sharing their thoughts, or moments in time. Others try to show their professional experience. LinkedIn has become the platform to show your professional side. The best part of LinkedIn is that it continues to grow. You have the ability to link your profile to other websites and social media platforms (IMDB, website, fan page, etc.), you have the ability to take the time to develop a quality digital resume that will be accessible to those interested in working with you as you build a history of endorsements, recommendations, articles and experiences. Don’t do what I did and wait to develop your profile. Get started today!
TIPS AND TRICKS
Remember, it’s all about promoting your professional side. Throwing out some half-baked information just to have it isn’t going to work well in the long run. An old saying in the restaurant business is this… “Presentation is everything”; i.e. you might have the best tasting food, but if the presentation is poor, the food won’t taste as good. This is because we eat with our eyes first. This is no different with your resume or your profile. You want it to stand out and you want it to be as professional as possible. So here are some tips to help you.
1.PHOTO – If you don’t have a photo, you don’t have a profile. As an actor, getting a professional headshot is part of the business. Especially if you are a young talent, every time you update your Headshot, you should get in the habit of updating your LinkedIn photo with the new Headshot.
2. BACKGROUND IMAGE – The new LinkedIn design allows for a background image. Use this feature! Adds a unique touch to your profile and allows you to express yourself. Just make sure to keep it professional.
3. ITEMS – LinkedIn allows you to write articles. This is a great way to express yourself and your experience. Writing updates when you finish a project talking about your experiences can be a big help. Writing about things that matter to you will also help others learn more about you and the kinds of projects that will really help you shine. Also, every time you publish an article, your connections automatically receive a notification. This increases your presence in your industry.
NOTE: B.Make sure you are not posting restricted or non-disclosure information about any project you are working on… If you have any questions, please contact your agent, manager or legal professional first. It is better to be safe than sorry.
4. SUPPORT OTHERS – Help your fellow actors! They are struggling just as much as you. If you work with someone who you think does a great job or has great character, please let others know! Trust me, they will think highly of you and I can guarantee they will be just as willing to endorse and recommend you in return.
5. STAY PROFESSIONAL – Whatever you do, keep professionalism top of mind for LinkedIn. It’s not about hounding casting directors or filmmakers to be in your next movie. It’s not about posting what you did over the weekend or talking bad about others. Believe me, social networks, in general, are a double-edged sword. You shouldn’t be doing this on any of your platforms, however LinkedIn is the last place you want to do it. You will be blacklisted faster than you think!