After all, if you’ve spent time building your LinkedIn network and creating a comprehensive profile that details your professional history, you want to take steps to safeguard this important information. And that’s why now is the perfect time to tackle these two LinkedIn tasks:
Export Your LinkedIn Contacts
If the unthinkable happens and your LinkedIn account is compromised, having a record of your contacts will allow you to quickly restore them—think of it as the equivalent of backing up your hard drive.
To export your contacts, head to LinkedIn and click Connections, then Contacts. Select Export Connections at the bottom right of the screen and select your preferred file format (.CSV and .VCF are both available). After that, hit Export and you’ll have a saved list that includes first and last names, company, title and email address.
Export and Save Your LinkedIn Profile
Like exporting your LinkedIn contacts, exporting and saving your profile gives you an additional layer of protection should your profile become compromised or otherwise inaccessible. The process varies slightly depending on whether or not you have the new LinkedIn profile.
If your profile has been updated to the new format, go to Profile and select View Profile. Click Edit and Export to PDF. Save this to your computer and, for additional safekeeping, print a hard copy that you can file away for future reference.
If you’re using the old profile format, select Profile, then Edit Profile. From the pull-down menu in the View box, select Export to PDF.
And while you’re at it, now’s the perfect time to make sure your profile is complete. Enhance sections like Summary, Experience and Skills and Expertise by adding published works, projects and certifications, if applicable. Consider expanding your network, too, whether by perusing LinkedIn’s suggested contacts or entering your email credentials to let LinkedIn do the work for you. Our only tip? When you do connect with someone new, please take just a few seconds to customize the default connection invitation—it’s a small step that makes a big impression!
What else is at the top of your 2013 to-do list?
Photo by Kate Hiscock via Creative Commons