PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT additional platforms – including Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and online portfolios – in an upcoming article ).
BUILDING A SOLID LINKEDIN PROFILE A person ’ s LinkedIn profile is often one of the first results to appear when someone searches a name online , so it is important to spend some time crafting a well-developed and up-to-date profile . According to LinkedIn ’ s website ( https :// about . linkedin . com ), LinkedIn has more than 774 million members from more than 200 countries and territories , making it the largest networking site targeted specifically toward professionals . Although this platform may not immediately seem like a valuable tool for those in the sports field management industry , it certainly can be when utilized effectively . LinkedIn allows you to showcase your expertise and credibility within your industry , and gives you the opportunity to connect with other professionals in your field , as well as prospective visitors to your facility . Outlined below are specific steps you can take to help you build a compelling professional profile and make a positive first impression with potential connections .
Upload a profile photo This helps establish legitimacy , and leads to more people engaging with your profile and posts . Choose a photo of you that clearly shows your smiling face . For the sports field management industry , a nice photo of you outside standing on a field you maintain often works well . Photo size should be 400 pixels wide by 400 pixels high .
Add a background photo A nice landscape of the field ( s ) you manage would be perfect . This immediately captivates a viewer ’ s attention , and shows off your work from the very beginning of your profile . Photo size should be 1,586 pixels wide and 396 pixels high .
Create an attention-grabbing headline Yes , you can simply use your current job title , but consider being more creative . This is one of the most important sections within your profile , because the description you include will appear next to your name in search results along with your profile picture . Therefore , it is essential that it accurately reflects your role , as well as persuades readers to learn more about you and your background . The headline is limited to 120 characters , so the key is to be compelling while also keeping it concise . Sample headlines include :
Grounds Superintendent at Top-Rated Campus Facility in Alabama
Turf Manager at 4.5-star Rated Baseball Complex in Charlotte , North Carolina
Grounds Manager with Expertise in Perennial Cool-Season Grasses and Horticulture
Sports Field Manager | Mentor | President of STMA MoKan
Tell your story in the “ About ” section Showcase your personal brand by highlighting your key experiences , strengths , specialties and successes . Write your story in the first person , and show your personality by sharing some personal insight into what you enjoy outside of work . A sample about section is as follows :
“ I am a sports field management professional with 15-plus years of experience within public and private universities throughout the northwestern United States . During 10 of those years , I led teams of 15-30 to maintain high-quality cool-season grasses , including Kentucky bluegrass , perennial ryegrass , and bentgrass varieties across diverse college sports facilities . I enjoy mentoring up-and-coming turfgrass professionals , and have been active in regional professional organizations , most recently as the president of the Pacific Northwest Sports Turf Managers Association . While work does take up a majority of my time , I enjoy fishing , golfing and expending the energy of my German shepherd , Harley , as much as possible .”
Highlight artifacts in the “ Featured ” section Include images , articles , websites , etc ., that show off your work and professional achievements . You can upload files or insert web URLs .
Expand on your relevant work history in the “ Experience ” section Add a brief description for each work experience outlining your accomplishments and incorporating keywords whenever possible . If you have been in the industry for several years , we recommend only including positions from the past 15 to 20 years at the most . Consider featuring media , when possible , to provide examples of your achievements . This can include such artifacts as photos of the fields you have managed and the web URLs of the organizations where you have worked . By adding images that demonstrate the results of your actions , it can serve as an abbreviated version of your electronic portfolio . This is why it is important to take photos of your work ! The following is a sample experience entry :
Grounds Manager , Northern Pacific University
Led sports turf operations and a team of 13 across a large campus with two soccer fields , football field and practice facility , and baseball and softball fields .
Upon hire , increased health and aesthetics of neglected turfgrass by implementing aggressive fertilizer and pesticide application programs to combat identified disease and pest infestations sportsfieldmanagementonline . com October 2021 | SportsField Management
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