Are you actively using LinkedIn? Well, if you work in the corporate industry then you definitely should be. LinkedIn is not like any other social media platform. It’s a very effective tool for networking, passively job searching (meaning recruiters will find you!), learning new skills, and staying informed on relevant career trends. All of which are going to help you in your career and professional development, whether you’re looking for a new job right now or not.
But, for all the job seekers out there that are not utilizing LinkedIn, then you’re definitely missing out on opportunities!!
Your profile could be what helps set you apart from other candidates. Plus, if you build up good connections and activity you can directly contact the recruiter, hiring manager or other employees at the company you’re interested in, which can help land an interview and a job offer.
As an added bonus, your profile can help recruiters find you when they’re looking to fill highly skilled, high paying positions.
Remember when I told you that less than 10% of jobs are filled from job ads? That means less work for your job search and more opportunities that come your way. It’s a no brainer!
As with anything, LinkedIn is only as effective as the effort you put into it. You want to make sure that your LinkedIn profile represents YOU. Follow all the steps below to makeover your profile and make sure people see you the way you want to be seen.
First: Don’t have a LinkedIn account yet? Check out the setup steps here.
My LinkedIn Profile Makeover Checklist:
1. LinkedIn Profile Picture. This is the first thing people are going to notice when they go to your page, so make sure you use a good quality photo. Preferably a head shot, but a selfie isn’t bad as long as it still looks professional. Be mindful of your background – neutral or office backgrounds are best. Don’t forget to smile!
2. LinkedIn Profile Banner. LinkedIn now lets you update your banner image so don’t leave this blank. Again, make sure you use a quality image that shows off your personality and interests. If you are going to put words in the image, put them on the right side only so they aren’t blocked by your profile picture.
3. LinkedIn Profile Headline. Think about your headline very thoughtfully. The words you put here are going to be what comes up in different search results for recruiters and connections. You don’t necessarily just want to use your current job title. Think about your top skills, and the key words related to the type of job you want.
4. LinkedIn Profile Link. In case you didn’t know, you can actually update the link for your LinkedIn profile. This is helpful when you are sending to others or including the link in your resume. You can leave it as your first and last name, but if you want to be more creative with something more memorable you can change it in the profile settings.
5. Linkedin Profile About Section. The summary is where you really want to concentrate on highlighting your strengths, interests, and what type of position you’re interested in (whether you are looking for a job or not). The first few sentences are the most important. That’s all that will be visible until someone clicks “see more” so make those first words enticing enough for people to want to learn more about you.
6. Linkedin Profile Optimization. Once you have your profile setup, you want to optimize its performance. To start, I recommend engaging on LinkedIn for 15-20 minutes a day. LinkedIn will actually help you by recommending connections and information so you can easily build up your activity. Don’t feel compelled to like, connect, or follow things you actually don’t enjoy. Again, you want your profile to be a representation of you and help you get found by others. You can also search for companies, people, schools and causes yourself and follow those.
The point is that you need to be using it consistently.
Just having a profile up is nice, but to capitalize on passive job search and networking then you have to show regular activity. Suggestions include: adding your skills and interests, use the LinkedIn learning tools, repost articles you like and add your thoughts, provide endorsements to others and ask them to provide endorsements and recommendations back.
Try it today! Follow these 6 steps to makeover your LinkedIn Profile. This provides a better reflection of your professional skills and will be more impressive to attract recruiters, connections, and thus career advancement opportunities.
Don’t forget to add the link to your resume once you’ve completed the makeover checklist.
Want a custom Linkedin profile review?
If you need help with the above checklist or want a free review of your profile then schedule a FREE 30-minute session and paste your LinkedIn profile link in the invite.
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