With Business Horizons just days away, now is the perfect time to give your LinkedIn profile a facelift. Check out these 10 helpful tips to market yourself and your skillset in a way that stands out to potential employers.
1. A picture is worth a thousand words. A good profile picture is worth even more.
Your profile picture is one of the first things recruiters see on LinkedIn, so it’s important to make a good impression by using a photo that reflects your professionalism. Keep it clear, friendly and professional by using a professional headshot.
2. Use your headline to say more than just what you do.
It can be a difficult balancing act trying to write a good headline. You want to write something original and creative, while simultaneously keeping it clear and informative. The more specific you can be about what sets you apart from others, the better.
3. Customize your URL to optimize your profile.
Make it easier for recruiters to find you on google by customizing your URL. Look in the upper-right corner of your profile, and you’ll see “Edit public profile and URL.” Click it and personalize your URL to say linkedin.com/yourname.
4. Regardless of your employment status, include a current job entry.
Without a current job entry, you are likely to be missed by recruiters on the hunt for new employees. This is because a majority of recruiters utilize the current title box to search for possible candidates. Here are some examples of possible current job entries for you to use: “Full-Time Student” or “_____ in Training” or “_____ Seeking New Opportunity.”
5. Don’t waste the summary space.
The summary section of LinkedIn profiles are often times underutilized by first time users. Use this space to write three to five short paragraphs about yourself. Tell recruiters why you are a unique hire by briefing them about your work-related passions, skills and qualifications.
6. Buzzwords are a buzzkill.
You want recruiters to get excited when they are reading your profile, and nothing bores them more than a profile full of buzzwords. Distinguish yourself from others by avoiding these overused words: strategic, creative, specialized, leadership, passionate, experienced, focused, enthusiastic, expert and track record.
7. Use the skills section to show of just how skillful you are.
Show off your LinkedIn expertise by helping recruiters find you. By putting commonly used search items in your skill section you will make your profile show up when someone searches for that word or phrase.
8. This one is just obvious… have a complete profile.
The fact of the matter is, the more complete your profile is, the better your odds are of recruiters finding you. Fill out every single section of your LinkedIn profile so that recruiters will know that you are willing to put in the effort to go above and beyond.
9. 50 is the magic number for LinkedIn connections.
As a starting point, LinkedIn recommends having 50 or more connections because it tells recruiters that you aren’t a recluse or unsavvy with social media. But don’t sweat this one too much. It takes time to build a network of genuine connections and you don’t want to add professionals you don’t actually know.
10. Sharing is caring, especially when it comes to your career interests with recruiters.
Make it known to recruiters that you’re looking for new opportunities by utilizing the “Career Interests” section located on your dashboard. In this portion of your profile you can tell recruiters exactly what you are looking for in a job and they can find you while they are searching based off of your shared career interests.