
How does Canva work? What can I do there?Ĭanva makes the design process easy, because it has a range of templates for the things people need to design most, as well as content: photos, elements, words, effects.

You can create presentations, design documents, create social media posts. You can do a lot with it things as simple as adjusting photo dimensions so they fit where you need to upload them.
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In fact, the free version is all most people need, period. What is it?įor the uninitiated: Canva is an online tool, with a free version that will let you do everything I'm going to tell you about below.
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You might already be using Canva but want some tips on what a cover photo on LinkedIn should include and how to avoid some common mistakes when designing yours. It's the logical choice for creating things as simple as a LinkedIn profile cover photo and complex as an illustrated report.

It's one of the top tools I use for my business, because it lets me knock out simple designs in no time. You may have seen ads for Canva or know someone who uses it. We want it to look good: not pixelated, cropped to the right dimensions, relevant to your personal brand.
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What we DO want is a cover photo that says something about who you are as a professional in other words, how you show up in the world of work. What kind of cover photo should I be using? Three types of cover photos to avoid:Ī landscape cover photo (and by "landscape," I don't mean orientation, I mean an outdoor scene).Ĭover photos intended to serve as an advertisement. If this is what you are looking for, you aren't going to find it here. I'm going to show you how to create a great cover photo (and can help you with the rest of your profile as well), and you're here right now, so let's get after it.īefore we dive into the instructions, let me tell you what we will be avoiding. Don't wait for a job search if you aren't already conducting one.

Many of my clients tell me they never made time to create a great profile until they were ready to start a job search. But most people also don't complete their LinkedIn profile, and they are missing out on opportunities because of it. What's out there? What are most people doing? So your LinkedIn profile needs to reflect that personal brand that you want to communicate to employers, colleagues, peers, potential business partners.Īside from those professional reasons to create a great cover photo for your LinkedIn profile, why wouldn't you want to zhuzh your profile? Why wouldn't you want to make it your own? You shouldn't be adding design elements to your resume, but you most definitely can on your LinkedIn profile and the cover photo is where. This is true whether you are a jobseeker, a student, or a profession who wants to manage their profile online. More and more these days, people are learning about other people on LinkedIn. Your reputation is a big part of your personal brand, but often what people learn about you will be what they find out about you online. If you know anything about the field of branding, you are aware of the role design plays. Why is my LinkedIn cover photo important? So take the opportunity to add something that is more memorable and meaningful. The default cover photo doesn't say anything about your work or personal brand Most people have the default cover photo, so yours won't stand out if you do too The two reasons you would want to design your own are:

There is nothing wrong with LinkedIn's default photo, but we can do better. If you haven't added a LinkedIn cover photo, you'll have the default, which currently (2021) consists or some overlapping shapes (a step up from the old nodes default cover photo, if you ask me), which appeared in late 2020 as part of LinkedIn's redesign. It's the backdrop for your profile photo (that's the headshot photo). Some people might refer to this section of your LinkedIn profile as the header, banner, or cover photo but LinkedIn calls it the background photo and it's one of the first things people see when they go to your LinkedIn profile. I'll also share some to-don'ts that will keep you from creating something that looks less-than-professional. I'm about to show you how to create and upload a LinkedIn profile cover photo with the right dimensions - one that looks good on desktop and mobile - and aligns with your personal brand.
