Why: Editing your LinkedIn Public Profile moves you up in keyword searches, plus it shows you are tech savvy.  You will use this shortened link to your profile on all your email correspondences and on your business cards.  Many job seekers also include it on their resumes. 

How: When you first join LinkedIn, you are assigned a Public Profile (e.g., www.linkedin.com/pub/Your-Name12/344/abc/5).  You want to customize this (e.g., www.linkedin.com/in/yourname).  Note the differences: “pub” becomes “in” and you drop all the letters, numbers, and slashes after your name.  Note also that “Your-Name” becomes “yourname.”

• Hover over Profile along the top menu, then click Edit Profile. 
• Look for “Public Profile,” generally the last item in the light blue area box. 
• At the end of this link is the word “edit.”  Click “edit” and a new column opens on the right side of your page. 
• Look for the blue link “Customize your Public Profile URL.”  Click on the link and a pop-up box opens.  This box allows you to change your URL to simply “yourname.” 
• In the box, type in your name, all in lower case with no spaces.  If your name is already taken, you will be prompted to choose another.  For example, stevehines was already taken, so I am stevehines1.  You can choose to add your middle name or initial, or any other name not already in use. 
• Click "Set Custom URL" and then note your new Public Profile URL.

Steve also writes a Q&A column for APICS Professional Association. To read the current article, click here.