More than 250 million people can’t be wrong. LinkedIn – the online unifier of qualified professionals and candidate-seeking employers – has rapidly grown in popularity since its 2002 inception. With an ever-expanding interface of profile features, the company isn’t resting on its laurels and it remains a highly effective means of landing a gig for digitally driven job-seekers.
An Engaging Summary
Is your LinkedIn summary a direct duplicate of your resume? This is a big no-no that only hinders your chance of finding a job on LinkedIn. The purpose of your LinkedIn profile is to complement your resume, not copy it. Use a more social first-person approach to your LinkedIn summary, which serves as your digital first impression for recruiters scouring for online candidates. Explain your passion for your industry and tie in examples of how you’ve made a difference. Break up your text into small, digestible paragraphs for easy reading and don’t forget to mention if you’re actively looking for an employment opportunity.
Keywords
LinkedIn’s search engine allows recruiters and hiring managers to actively find potential employees before they even post a job opportunity. This allows companies to save the time of receiving applications and scheduling interviews. It also means your profile better be loaded with the right keywords to make sure your profile is easily found. Let’s say you’re a chef. What types of keywords will recruiters use to search for a chef in
their local area? “Culinary,” “kitchen management” and “food safety” come to mind. Write a list of 10 keywords and phrases for use in your LinkedIn summary and key skills listing. LinkedIn currently lets you list 50, so the more the better.
A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words
Or maybe just 1,000 profile views. A photo within your LinkedIn profile is a must-have. Hiring managers are seven times more likely to check out your profile if you have posted a photo of yourself, according to LinkedIn research and the key to a strong photo is knowing what industry you are targeting. The CEO of a financial services firm, for example, would not be advised to sport an informal profile picture from a family barbecue. Likewise, a relationship manager would not be advised to post a stone-faced portrait of themselves. Understanding your target audience is the first key to choosing and posting the right photo of yourself to your LinkedIn profile.
