Public speaking is a highly valuable skill in today’s professional landscape, and showcasing this experience on LinkedIn can significantly enhance your personal brand, attract potential clients, and open doors to new opportunities. Whether you’ve spoken at conferences, webinars, panels, or workshops, here’s how to highlight your public speaking experience effectively on LinkedIn.
1. Update Your LinkedIn Headline with a Focus on Public Speaking
Your LinkedIn headline is one of the first things visitors see, so it’s important to make it stand out. If public speaking is a significant part of your career or a skill you want to emphasize, ensure it’s clearly reflected in your headline.
Examples:
- “Marketing Strategist | Conference Speaker | Workshop Facilitator on Digital Marketing Trends”
- “HR Consultant & Keynote Speaker on Diversity and Inclusion”
- “Tech Entrepreneur | Public Speaker | Podcast Host”
These headlines combine your professional role with your speaking experience, giving visitors a quick understanding of your expertise.
2. Leverage the “Featured” Section for Speaking Engagements
LinkedIn’s Featured section allows you to showcase media, links, or posts that highlight your professional accomplishments. Use this section to feature videos, images, or articles from your speaking engagements.
How to Add Speaking Content to the Featured Section:
- Videos: If you have recorded speeches or presentations, upload videos directly or link to them on platforms like YouTube or Vimeo.
- Articles: Include articles or blog posts that cover events where you’ve spoken, or highlight interviews where your speaking expertise is featured.
- Event Links: If you’ve spoken at notable industry events, webinars, or conferences, include links to the event page, your presentation, or promotional materials.
This creates a visual portfolio that immediately demonstrates your speaking experience to your network.
3. List Public Speaking Roles in the Experience Section
Public speaking engagements should be treated as professional accomplishments and listed under the Experience section, especially if they are a core part of your career. Even if public speaking is a secondary activity, adding it to this section makes it clear that you are an experienced speaker.
How to Add Public Speaking to Your Experience Section:
- Title: Include roles like “Conference Speaker,” “Keynote Speaker,” “Panel Moderator,” or “Workshop Presenter.”
- Description: Write a brief description of the event, your role, the topic you spoke on, and the audience you addressed. Mention notable achievements, such as reaching large audiences or receiving positive feedback.
- Achievements: List any measurable outcomes, such as an increase in followers or attendees, event feedback, or media coverage.
For example:
- Keynote Speaker at XYZ Conference 2023
Delivered a keynote speech on “The Future of Artificial Intelligence” to an audience of over 500 industry leaders and technologists. Received positive feedback, resulting in multiple speaking invitations at global tech events.
4. Highlight Speaking Engagements in the Volunteer Experience Section
If you’ve done public speaking for non-profit organizations, universities, or other volunteer opportunities, consider adding these under the Volunteer Experience section. This is especially valuable if you’re starting out as a speaker or want to showcase your commitment to specific causes.
Example:
- Volunteer Speaker at XYZ University’s Entrepreneurship Seminar
Presented a workshop on startup growth strategies to 200 university students and aspiring entrepreneurs, focusing on practical tools for business development.
This not only showcases your speaking experience but also highlights your commitment to contributing to the community.
5. Add Speaking Engagements to the Projects Section
If your speaking engagements are tied to specific projects, adding them to the Projects section is another way to highlight them. This could include conference panels, workshops, or training programs you’ve conducted.
How to Use the Projects Section for Public Speaking:
- Project Title: Name the event or the specific talk/workshop you delivered.
- Description: Provide context about the event and your role. Mention the topics you covered and any tangible outcomes or feedback.
- Link to Media: Attach links to event recordings, presentations, or promotional materials.
Example:
- Panel Speaker at Global Marketing Summit 2023
Spoke on a panel discussing “Social Media Trends for 2024,” with a focus on emerging technologies like AI and automation in marketing.
This helps you tie your speaking experience to broader initiatives or industry discussions, showcasing your relevance and authority.
6. Gather and Display Recommendations from Event Organizers
A strong recommendation can boost your credibility as a public speaker. Request recommendations from event organizers, moderators, or colleagues who witnessed your speaking engagements. This gives potential clients or employers third-party validation of your speaking abilities.
How to Request a Speaking Recommendation:
- Personalized Message: When asking for a recommendation, explain why you’re asking and highlight the speaking engagement they can reference.
- Focus on Specific Outcomes: Ask them to mention specific details, such as your ability to engage an audience, the clarity of your message, or the positive feedback you received from attendees.
Example recommendation:
“[Your Name] delivered an insightful and engaging presentation on digital transformation at our annual tech conference. Their ability to simplify complex topics and captivate the audience was exceptional. We received outstanding feedback from attendees, and we highly recommend them as a speaker.”
Having these recommendations on your profile adds credibility and increases your chances of securing future speaking opportunities.
7. Post Regular Updates About Speaking Engagements
Regularly sharing updates about your speaking engagements on your LinkedIn feed helps build visibility and reinforces your expertise. You can create posts before and after events, share key takeaways, or provide insights on your speaking topics.
What to Post:
- Announce Upcoming Events: Share details about events you’ll be speaking at, including dates, topics, and why the event matters to your network.
- Post-Event Reflections: After the event, post key takeaways or lessons learned, and thank the organizers or audience for their participation.
- Behind-the-Scenes Content: Sharing preparation tips or behind-the-scenes moments can also be a great way to engage your audience.
Regularly posting about your speaking engagements keeps your network updated and positions you as an active thought leader in your field.
8. Publish Articles on Public Speaking Topics
If public speaking is a major part of your career, consider writing LinkedIn articles on the subject. Share your insights, best practices, or tips on how to prepare for speaking engagements. This not only reinforces your expertise but also helps others looking to improve their public speaking skills.
Article Ideas:
- How to Prepare for a Keynote Speech: Share your personal preparation process, tips for staying calm, and strategies for engaging an audience.
- Lessons Learned from Speaking at International Conferences: Reflect on your experiences speaking at different events around the world and what you’ve learned from different audiences.
- Why Public Speaking is Essential for Career Growth: Discuss the importance of public speaking in building a personal brand and enhancing leadership skills.
Publishing articles further strengthens your reputation as an expert speaker and provides value to your network.
9. Add Public Speaking to Your Skills and Endorsements
Ensure that Public Speaking is listed among the skills in your LinkedIn profile. You can also ask colleagues, event organizers, or attendees to endorse your skills in public speaking to boost your credibility.
How to Add Public Speaking Skills:
- Navigate to the Skills section of your profile and add relevant skills such as:
- Public Speaking
- Keynote Presentations
- Workshop Facilitation
- Conference Speaking
- Endorsements: Request endorsements from people who have seen you speak. This adds a layer of credibility, showing that others recognize your public speaking abilities.
Having multiple endorsements for public speaking will reinforce your expertise and make your profile stand out to potential speaking opportunities.
Conclusion
Highlighting your public speaking experience on LinkedIn requires a strategic approach, from optimizing your profile to showcasing media, gathering recommendations, and posting updates. By following these steps, you can effectively showcase your public speaking skills, attract new opportunities, and build your reputation as an authority in your field.