This month saw Hollywood gear up for the release of Disney’s 1994 smash The Lion King, which got its general release on the 19th. The original stands as the highest grossing traditionally animated film of all time, and with credentials like that, Amaze Umbrella got thinking about what we can learn about creating a roaring LinkedIn profile that makes the director’s cut.
Tell your story
With a classic plot heavily influenced by Shakespeare’s Hamlet, The Lion King weaves its story with epic skill. Simba’s journey from young cub to rightful King of the Pride Lands sees him encountering many challenges along the way as he learns his true strength. This is the most told narrative of all time, because it’s also the most relatable. When we tell our professional story, it should also take the reader on a narrative journey that taps into human curiosity. Rather than joining the dots from school to professional via university, think of your LinkedIn summary as your plot ‘synopsis’ that’s going to gain the readers attention and make them want to find out more.
Make it relevant to your audience
Much of the Lion King’s enduring appeal comes from a sound understanding of its audience. People want to find experiences that resonate with them, and in business, recruiters want to find the skills that are relevant to the roles they’re trying to fill. To make sure your LinkedIn profile is optimised for their searches, take a look at the job descriptions of the positions you’re after and put them into a word cloud tool like Wordle. The ones that stand out are what recruiters are searching for. Make sure you use these words and phrases throughout your summary and experience instead of buzzwords and rhetoric that will go under the recruiter’s radar
Add multi-media
As with most Disney animations, The Lion King is a multi-sensory delight with richly drawn visuals and memorable scores from artist like Beyoncé. The new film is CGI enhanced, which promises audiences an even more memorable cinema-going experience. Adding multi-media to your LinkedIn profile is a great way to add interest to your profile and make it stand out from the rest. LinkedIn lets you add photos, videos, and slideshow presentations to your profile summary, so instead of just talking about your work, you can show examples or share a presentation. To do this click ‘Edit profile’, scroll down to your summary, click on the box symbol, then ‘add file’.
Give them the stats and awards
With an initial worldwide gross of £700 million, The Lion King finished its theatrical run as the highest-grossing release of 1994 and the second-highest-grossing film of all time, having also sold over 30 million VHS tapes. The film also won two Academy Awards for its achievement in music and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture. Stats and awards make impressions as they translate much more directly than statement that aren’t measurable. When possible, include numbers, case studies and any awards that prove your success.
Get your message out there
On its original release, The Lion King was accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign that included tie-ins with Burger King, Mattel, Kodak, Nestlé and various merchandise. In other words, there’s not much point in creating something if you don’t get the message out there. LinkedIn is essentially a marketing tool that lets you build a network of contacts, request endorsements and join groups with the aim of promoting your business. You can post articles, link with recruiters via the ‘open candidate’ function and add links to your blog, website or online portfolio. Getting your profile seen and read is the end goal, so putting aside a bit of time each week to build your contacts or add an industry related article can really boost your visibility.
A great LinkedIn profile and CV can make the difference between hitting a recruiter’s ‘yes’ pile or getting binned.
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