Start Small: How to Make the Most of Your LinkedIn Resources Section

In case you missed it, there’s a lot you can do on LinkedIn. (So much, in fact, that I’ve written dozens of articles to equip you with the tools and tricks you need to succeed on the platform.) From building your network to showcasing your story and growing your business, LinkedIn is built to help you reach your professional goals. 

In the midst of all the features and updates LinkedIn has to offer, sometimes, it’s nice to find a small corner of simplicity. The Resources section of your profile is just that. Think of it as your personal little toolkit—just the essentials you need to stay connected and organized. This small-but-mighty section lives within your LinkedIn profile. Scroll down past your anchor section, where your headline and photo are, and you’ll find Resources, tucked just under the Analytics section. 

At the time of publication, there were six essential resources listed in the Resources section: Creator Mode, My network, Personal demographic information, Salary insights, Activity, and My items. Note that many of these resources can be accessed other ways, but the Resources section brings them together into one easy-access dashboard. Let’s take a closer look at each. 

1. Creator Mode

What is it: Creator Mode repositions your LinkedIn profile with an emphasis on your expertise and content. Turning on Creator Mode elevates your profile, allowing you to focus on building a following on LinkedIn. It also gives you access to special Creator tools and analytics. 

P.S. - Want to learn more about Creator Mode? Check out this article to get started. 

How to use it: Getting started with Creator Mode is as simple as flipping on a switch and adding a few quick details, like content hashtags. I recommend turning on Creator Mode if you want to shift your priority to followers over connections or if you regularly post and publish on LinkedIn. Not sure if Creator Mode is right for you? Give it a try and see how you like it. The great thing about Creator Mode is that turning it off is as simple as flipping back the switch. 

2. My Network

What is it: This resource links you over to your “Discover Hub.” There, you’ll find a summary of all the elements of your network including Connections, Contacts, People I Follow, Groups, Events, Pages, Newsletters, and Hashtags and the number of each. You’ll also notice a prominently featured list of recommended connections and pages to follow. 

How to use it: I love referencing this resource for a quick, high-level glance of everything in my network. By compiling together all the highlights of your network, it allows you to quickly find new areas of growth. For that reason, I recommend the My network feature to anyone seeking to expand their circle of connections. 

3. Personal Demographic Information 

What is it: This resource allows you to voluntarily submit your personal demographic information to LinkedIn. The information you share could include your racial or ethnic identity, your gender, or other demographic information, such as your sexual orientation, military service, or caregiver status. You also turn on a switch within this section to allow LinkedIn to provide personalized recommendations, such as career events, based on your demographics. 

How to use it: If you’re interested in helping LinkedIn avoid potential bias and make its platform more inclusive, by all means, add your demographic information. Often, I encounter clients who are wary of sharing more personal information than they need to on LinkedIn. If that’s you, feel free to skip this optional section. 

4. Salary Insights 

What is it: This unique resource allows you to share your salary information associated with any role listed in your Experience section with LinkedIn. The salary information is not publicly listed on your role, but it provides data that LinkedIn uses to generate salary estimates for various regions and positions. 

How to use it: By inputting your salary into this section, LinkedIn will also provide a custom look at salaries for positions and regions similar to yours. Once you share your info, you can peruse a list of top-paying locations for titles like yours as well as open positions that are similar. I find this resource particularly useful for job searchers who are trying to understand what they’re worth in today’s market. 

5. Activity

What is it: Activity is just like what it sounds like—a complete list of all your engagement activities on LinkedIn. When you click through the Activity resource, you’ll be able to filter by All activity, Articles, Posts, and Documents. 

How to use it: If you’re trying to keep up a cadence of regular LinkedIn activity (I recommend it!), the Activity resource is a great way to keep tabs on your progress. Skimming through this highlight reel of your engagement, you can quickly get a sense of the variety and frequency of your activity. 

6. My Items 

What is it: The My items feature is basically your personal folder. Anything you save across the LinkedIn platform—from posts to articles to jobs—will live in the My items section. A small menu to the left of the screen will allow you to toggle between saved jobs and posts. 

How to use it: Of all the features bookmarked in the Resources section, My items is probably my favorite. I love it because it serves as a personal repository of all the things I want to revisit later. If I’m on-the-go and don’t have time to finish an article on my feed or I want to be sure to comment on a connection’s post later, I can easily pick up right where I left off using My items. I recommend using it to stay on top of your LinkedIn activity goals and keep yourself organized, even when you’re in a rush. 

Instead of getting sucked into the LinkedIn vortex of news, updates, and activity every time you open the app or website, try making the Resources section of your profile your “home base.” From there, you’ll be able to access the essential features that keep you plugging away toward your goals on LinkedIn. 

If you haven’t already noticed, I’m all about making life a little easier. Reaping the benefits of LinkedIn shouldn’t require slogging away for hours behind your computer screen. If you’re having trouble breaking through the noise on LinkedIn, let me help. My free Top 10 Ways to Stand Out on LinkedIn guide will help you nail your first impressions and show off the value you bring to your network. Easy peasy. Snag your copy in one simple click here.