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Regardless of whether you are using LinkedIn for referral sales or to advance your career, it is important to make sure that you don't become a victim of self-inflicted tall poppy syndrome.

Most Kiwis, like our namesakes, prefer to avoid the limelight stay humble, keep it simple these virtues are part of the fabric of our culture. Trouble is, we live in a world where the more visibility you have, the greater your opportunities in life. Still, it's tough to go against the grain, isn't it?

If your LinkedIn profile is rudimentary (some people see simple' as a virtue), understated or humble' because you're not one to blow your own trumpet, the reality is to coin a favourite John Key phrase that you're probably going nowhere soon. So, what to do? How do you share enough of your qualities to make the best of your opportunities, without coming across as a conceited you-know-what?

Firstly, don't leave stuff blank, especially not your summary, and use up all of the 2,000 characters LinkedIn provides you, because the more words you use the higher the incidence of keywords and keywords phrases recruiters and prospective customers use keywords to search.

Don't actively try to insert keywords or phrases into the texts. It's artificial and clunky write naturally about who you are and what you do. You don't have to boast, just state the facts, and the keywords will take care of themselves.

In your summary, tell us:

1. Who you are, and what you do not so much your title as more about your key activities during the day, including KPIs (without going into specifics).

2. Next, talk about why do you do what you do' tell us why you are uniquely suited to your profession education, life experiences, philosophies, passions all these things go into the mix that put you where you are right now. Talk about the unique challenges that you have overcome in your work (and how you did that), or share some projects success stories even if it's just a personal story about a happy client.

3. Follow with how you do what you do' not so much the mechanics, but your unique philosophies and how the things that make you who you are also help you to do a better job.

4. Finally, tell us what you aspire to in life what are your goals and your ambitions where do you want to go? Why?

The way to overcome the problem of being seen to be blowing your own trumpet without compromising your chances to advance yourself or your business, is to keep your tone conversational.

Be personable by sharing some personal insights, such as telling us why you do what you do or what you're passionate about.

A good method for achieving a well written, but conversational, LinkedIn profile is to write like you talk. Do this:

1. Lock yourself up in a room away from those embarrassing prying eyes

2. Activate the recorder on your phone

3. Then forget that the recorder is running

4. Taking as much time as you want, repeat back a question to yourself e.g. who am I and what do I do?

5. When you've been through all the questions. Play the recording back to yourself while typing out the answers verbatim

6. Edit as necessary

If you've done it right editing out the ums, ahs, pauses and meandering thoughts you should be able to capture the essential bits the core of what you're trying to communicate while retaining a conversational tone.