Linkedin continues to be a great resource for job seekers. If you have ever applied for a position through LinkedIn or used it to search for an employee, client, or friend then you know that similar to other ‘social media,’ platforms, LinkedIn allows a prospective hiring manager to quickly assess one’s expertise, availability, and experience for a role.
Although it is not the platform to post your vacation pictures and funny cat videos, LinkedIn functions as an intermediary between job seekers and employers who are looking for talent, and a hub for professional networking.
A well-crafted LinkedIn profile is often the first impression you make with potential employers and collaborators. Therefore, your online presence should be as crisp, concise, and professional as any job application you formally submit.
Here are some ways you can revamp your LinkedIn profile:
Highlight the Portfolio Section
- Add a featured section to your profile to highlight recent work or blogs to draw attention
- Add your online portfolios, articles, podcasts, and other work that has been published online.
- If you work in a creative field, this a fantastic way to show off your work, and it easily accessible to hiring managers.
- Add industry-specific keywords in your headline and throughout your LinkedIn profile including the description of past experiences and your summary.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Your Headline
- Your headline is the first element of your profile an employer sees.
- Communicate more than your current position. Considering that you have a whole 120 words, it should include the skills you have, and titles of the positions you hope to have in the future.
- Maximize SEO for keywords that align with your skills, and experience
Update your skills
- Highlight skills that are relevant to the positions you are applying for.
- List your subject matter expertise
- Skills and relevant keywords will help your profile with SEO and increased visibility
- Change the order in which skills appear on your profile to ensure that the most relevant ones come first.
Join Groups
- Join groups on LinkedIn based on your interests and affiliations.
- Network with those in the same industry or who have similar interests as you.
- Communicate with like-minded people, keep up-to-date with industry changes, and even bolster your network for a future job search.
- If you are unsure about where to start, LinkedIn recommends groups for you to join.
Activate Open To Work feature
- Under your profile photo, you can Let Recruiters Know You Are Open To Work:
- Make your profile discoverable by recruiters and hiring managers
- Once you have chosen this option, you can share your tailored career interests with recruiters. Additionally, you can share this information with only recruiters, or share it with the whole LinkedIn community, to increase your pool of opportunity.
Get Recommendations
- Testimonials are one of the best ways to increase efficacy.
- If you have just completed a freelance project, make it a practice to ask for a testimonial
- Ask your employer or client to endorse you on LinkedIn or add a recommendation.
- By doing so, you show that your work is valued by a diversity of people, and helps verify the skills you claim to have.
Update Your Summary
- This is your elevator pitch and needs to be clear, concise, and demonstrate the skills you have and what you are looking for in a future position.
- Keep it engaging, and use an active voice to write it
- Detail education, work experience, certificates, and volunteer experience.
Your LinkedIn profile should be curated for the job you want, not the job you have. It should reflect how your experiences make you stand out from others applying for the same position. In today’s highly-competitive, technology-driven job market, tailoring your LinkedIn profile will make all the difference.
We hope you’ve enjoyed the 571st issue of our a.blog.