7 Tips to Get You LinkedIn Ready Today
In today’s social media savvy world, your online presence has become almost as important as the very experience your showcasing. Every job search that I’ve been part of in the past ten years has been done on LinkedIn. If someone gives me the name of a person they think might be good for one of my client’s open positions, the first thing that I do is check out their LinkedIn profile. Even if I have a resume in hand, I still look at the LinkedIn profile and all of my recruiter friends do the exact same thing.
If you’re in the market for a new job or even toying with the idea, you need to have an impressive LinkedIn profile that is up to date. Not only is it free to search and apply for jobs on LinkedIn, but also when you apply for those jobs we’re going to check your LinkedIn profile. Even if you are content where you are, the perfect job with a better salary could be out there in the world and you just don’t know about it. If your experience matches the search that a recruiter is conducting on LinkedIn, you might find yourself with an offer that you can’t refuse.
Here are some simple guidelines to make sure you are digitally dressed to impress.
Picture Perfect – Studies show that a profile with a photo is looked at over 20 more times than one without, so have a professional looking, clear headshot. A blurry photo or one that should only be on your Instagram isn’t going to do the trick. You don’t have to pay for a professional headshot, but it shouldn’t look like you’re on vacation.
Headlines count – Include the name of your company and your title, but also use buzzwords that describe the company and your job. If my client is looking for a Marketing Director who has worked at a Media Company and you’ve got those words in your profile, you’re more likely to come up in the recruiter’s search.
Connections matter– With every connection, you have access to more jobs and more people. Plus, recruiters and hiring managers look at your number of connections, especially if your job touches the social media space (and most do today).
Highlight Your Experience – Treat LinkedIn like your online resume. Include all of your relevant experience, not just your current job. Highlight relevant volunteer work. It gives you an opportunity to show your interests as well as exposing skills that aren’t utilized in your professional career.
Be Buzzworthy - Be specific and use the buzzwords that show up in ads all the time; marketing, sales, recruiting. Look at a job ad that interests you and make sure those key works are all over your LinkedIn profile. Have enough detail in the description of your experience that anyone looking has the perfect idea of what you’ve done and what you’re capable of doing.
Be Active - Make connections frequently. Update your profile with new experiences and post any fun activities including podcasts or panels you’ve been on, articles that you’ve written or like and comment on posts that you think are important. It will keep you coming up in other people’s news feeds.
Be a Groupie - Groups are a great way to meet new people and find out about job openings. Don’t be afraid to sign up for groups in fields you are considering. It’s a free peek at new areas of interest and you never know where they will lead!