When using the number one site for professional connecting, new LinkedIn biographers can often fail to follow the proper protocol for developing a professional profile, leading to calamitous results. Here are eight rookie mistakes to avoid:

1. Not having a completed profile. Before you do anything, you should have a complete and well written profile. Have it proofread before you publish it to be sure it is ready to go. Your profile should include your up-to-date information, including your current (or most current) employment and dates.

2. Not having a posted picture or using an out-dated picture. LinkedIn is a business professional site, so you should have a current professional picture posted for other professionals to view. This is particularly important if you are promoting a company or product, or are seeking new employment. Also, you don't want to surprise a potential employer by your appearance if called for an interview. Do not post a cartoon, or other juvenile picture, to your profile even though this may be your profile picture on Facebook. Facebook is social, LinkedIn is strictly for business.

3. Asking people to connect to your bare, incomplete, or outdated site. If you haven't been on LinkedIn in quite some time, and your profile still shows you as a student or employee, and you graduated two years ago, or left the job on your profile, then it is sending out the wrong message to any prospective connections.

4. Asking for endorsements when your site is incomplete. If your goal is to align with connections that can help you find employment, or create and place an endorsement for you, an incomplete profile sends a loud message that you either are too lethargic or incompetent to update your profile, or you haven't done a thing for the last two years. No professional is going to place an endorsement on an incomplete LinkedIn page. Be prepared, many won't even connect to an incomplete one.

5. Pressuring people you have previously asked for endorsements to get them done. It is best to make the request, and then let the person do it in their time. Many professional people who make endorsements want to formulate and review them before they see them posted. A well written endorsement can do wonders for a LinkedIn profile. However, if you haven't heard back from someone you have contacted, or seen an endorsement in 2 to 4 weeks, then it is a pretty good guess that they are not going to endorse you and you should move on.

6. Asking people in the same work tier to endorse you and your work. Once again, endorsements should be statements as to your work abilities and contributions. They have little meaning when done by someone who does the same job you do. While having co-workers who like you is important, it is better to have non-peers and supervisors endorse you and your work on your LinkedIn profile.

7. Joining "statement" or religious groups on LinkedIn. This may have been acceptable some time ago, but, once again, in today's specialized world it is not proper, and may send the wrong message to potential employers, and other professionals.

8. Joining groups you cannot actively participate in. Having a large number of groups showing on your profile does not mean anything if you are not actively participating. If you are seeking employment, then you should join groups which actively discuss employment and list jobs. If you are employed, you should join professional groups directly associated with your job.

C.A. Stapleton, A.S., B.S., M.B.A., is an experienced professional career consultant, mentor, and rsum/biographical writer. Get more information @ http://www.vet2work.com or http://www.naturallysilver.com. Copyright. All rights reserved Worldwide.