4 Reasons Why You Should Update Your LINCS Profile

Good day or evening, Science Colleagues!

I hope you’re enjoying your summer. Please don’t forget to get back with me here about your ideas for a summer guest discussion in the Science COP.

One cool feature of the LINCS COP platform is the ability for each of us to create and maintain a professional profile. It’s becoming more important than ever to have an updated online profile in your professional networks like LINCS and even on LinkedIn. Why should you complete your LINCS profile?

1. It’s the first step in getting to know one another as community members.

As one of my favorite authors, Margaret Wheatley, once wrote, “Conversation is the natural way we humans think together.” One first step to doing that is to update your profile and help others get to know you better.

2. The LINCS Community has thousands of members.

Adult education is a unique and widely diverse field of practice! Practitioners often come into the field “sideways” and have rich experiences to offer their students. One way to set yourself apart as a professional adult educator is by completing your profile. And visit others’ profiles to see how diverse our field really is!

3. It’s a great way to build a professional reputation and get more involved at the national level in adult education.

Others may search for you in LINCS to find out more about your involvement in adult education. Before I respond to someone, for example, I want to know more about the person. Where are they from? What do they teach? How long have they been in the LINCS COP? Where do their interests lie? What have they contributed in other discussion threads? So I make a quick visit to his or her profile.

4. It’s an opportunity for future collaboration.

When you post, your name and avatar (photo or image) appears to the left of your post with a link to your profile. If someone else in the community likes what you have to say and wants to hire you or work with you in some capacity, they can easily access your professional LINCS profile to read more about your work and contact you. But if you haven’t included any profile information? It could be a missed opportunity.

Here’s How to Create Your Profile:

Our colleague, Brooke Istas, has created a short “how to” video (thanks Brooke!).  You can view the video here.

And thanks to David Rosen for outlining it four easy steps:

1. Start at the LINCS Community

            2. Below “Hello,” (upper right), select  [Your Name]

                        3. Scroll down the right hand menu to “View/Edit my profile”

                                    4. Select: “Edit my Profile”

Don’t forget to “Save” once you’ve completed it! If you’d like me to read your profile, just message me (or email me) and I’d be happy to check it out.

Jackie Taylor

Science COP Moderator

jackie@jataylor.net