How to Use LinkedIn to Highlight Personal Projects and Side Hustles
LinkedIn is widely recognized as the go-to platform for professionals to connect, find jobs, and share career updates. However, it’s also an excellent space to showcase personal projects and side hustles. Whether you’re freelancing, launching a startup, or pursuing a passion project alongside your day job, LinkedIn can help you build an audience, connect with collaborators, and even attract potential clients.
Why Highlight Personal Projects on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn has evolved beyond being a simple resume repository. It now allows users to present themselves as well-rounded professionals with diverse skills, interests, and pursuits. Highlighting your personal projects or side hustles can offer several key benefits:
- Establishing expertise: Personal projects often showcase skills and experiences not typically covered by your main job. Highlighting these can position you as a multifaceted professional with deep expertise.
- Expanding your network: By promoting your side hustle, you may connect with like-minded professionals, potential clients, or collaborators.
- Enhancing personal brand: Showcasing your side hustle on LinkedIn reinforces your personal brand and demonstrates your passion, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit.
Setting Up Your LinkedIn Profile to Showcase Your Projects
Before you start promoting your side hustle or personal project, it’s essential to optimize your LinkedIn profile. A well-rounded profile that balances both your full-time career and personal endeavors will attract attention and add credibility to your work.
Updating Your Profile Headline
Your profile headline is one of the first things people see when they visit your LinkedIn page, so it’s essential to make it stand out. Instead of only listing your current job title, incorporate your personal projects into the headline.
For example, if you are a marketing manager by day but also run a photography business, your headline could look like this:
“Marketing Manager | Freelance Photographer | Content Creator”
This headline tells visitors exactly what you do and how your skills extend beyond your primary job.
Including Personal Projects in Your Experience Section
LinkedIn’s Experience section isn’t just for full-time jobs. You can also use it to list your side hustle or personal project as a separate role. Here’s how to make it impactful:
- Title: Choose a clear title that reflects your role in the side hustle, such as “Founder,” “Freelancer,” or “Creative Director.”
- Company: If your project doesn’t have a registered business name, you can list the name of your side hustle, or simply call it “Self-employed” or “Freelancer.”
- Description: In the description section, explain what your side hustle entails, the skills you utilize, and the value you provide. Be sure to include measurable results or accomplishments, such as, “Increased client social media engagement by 30%” or “Completed over 20 commissioned art pieces for clients globally.”
This will give your side hustle the same level of professionalism as your primary job, showcasing it as a credible endeavor.
Adding Projects to the Featured Section
LinkedIn’s Featured section is ideal for sharing tangible examples of your work. Whether you’ve written articles, created videos, designed graphics, or launched a website, this section allows you to display these projects prominently.
To add a project:
- Navigate to the “Featured” section on your profile.
- Click “Add” and choose “Media” or “Link” depending on whether your project is hosted online or exists as a downloadable file.
- Provide a clear title and description to explain the context and significance of the project.
This section allows you to provide a visual and interactive portfolio that potential clients or collaborators can easily explore.
Showcasing Skills Relevant to Your Side Hustle
If your side hustle involves different skills than your day job, ensure those skills are reflected in your Skills & Endorsements section. For instance, if you are a web developer who also runs a blog, include skills like “Content Creation,” “SEO,” or “WordPress” in your profile.
Encourage people you’ve worked with on your side hustle to endorse these skills. Having a mix of endorsements from both your primary career and side projects highlights your diverse capabilities.
Creating Content to Promote Your Side Hustle
Once your profile is set up to showcase your side hustle or personal project, it’s time to create content that highlights your work. Posting regularly about your personal projects can help increase visibility and attract interest.
Writing Posts About Your Projects
One of the easiest ways to promote your side hustle is by writing posts on LinkedIn that provide updates or insights about your work. For example, you could:
- Share behind-the-scenes stories of how your side hustle started.
- Post about challenges you’ve overcome in your personal projects.
- Offer tips and advice based on your experience in the side hustle.
These posts not only promote your work but also position you as a thought leader in your area of expertise. Engaging content is more likely to be shared, helping your side hustle reach a broader audience.
Using LinkedIn Articles to Dive Deeper
For more in-depth content, LinkedIn allows users to publish long-form articles. These articles can be used to showcase thought leadership, document your journey with your side hustle, or provide comprehensive guides related to your industry.
For example, if you’re a freelance graphic designer, you could write an article titled “5 Design Mistakes Businesses Make and How to Fix Them.” This not only highlights your expertise but also subtly promotes your services to those who might need them.
Sharing Visual Content and Portfolio Pieces
Visual content tends to perform better on LinkedIn compared to text-heavy posts. If your side hustle involves creative work, such as photography, design, or writing, share visuals of your projects.
- Carousels: These are multiple images that users can swipe through, making them great for showcasing a portfolio or a series of designs.
- Videos: If you create video content, LinkedIn supports native video uploads. Share project highlights, tutorials, or client testimonials to give people a better understanding of your work.
Networking and Building Relationships Around Your Side Hustle
One of LinkedIn’s core strengths is its ability to connect professionals. Use this to your advantage by building relationships around your personal projects.
Connecting With Like-Minded Professionals
Search for individuals or companies who share similar interests or are part of the same industry as your side hustle. For example, if you’re running a consulting business on the side, connect with business owners or executives who might benefit from your services. Send a personalized connection request mentioning your side project to establish a meaningful connection.
Joining Relevant LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn Groups are often overlooked, but they can be goldmines for networking. Look for groups relevant to your side hustle’s niche. By participating in discussions, offering advice, and sharing your expertise, you can build credibility within the group and potentially generate interest in your services or projects.
Asking for Recommendations and Testimonials
If you’ve worked with clients through your side hustle, ask them for LinkedIn recommendations. These testimonials add credibility to your work and can persuade future clients or collaborators to trust your services.
Simply send a polite request to clients, explaining how their feedback will help you grow your personal project.
Conclusion
LinkedIn is not just for your 9-to-5 career—it’s also an excellent platform to highlight personal projects and side hustles. By optimizing your profile, sharing engaging content, and networking effectively, you can increase visibility, grow your audience, and establish your side hustle as a credible and professional endeavor. As LinkedIn continues to evolve, it remains a powerful tool for showcasing your multifaceted career and entrepreneurial spirit.