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LinkedIn remains the top professional networking and job-seeking digital platform. For job seekers it is a place to promote your professional story, network, access training courses, and, for the ambitious, be a content creator and power user. The insider tip is that every recruiter mines LinkedIn for candidates or immediately visits a potential hire’s LinkedIn profile after reading their resume.
If you do not have a LinkedIn profile, you may consider setting one up as soon as possible. If you already have a LinkedIn profile, it never hurts to review your existing page to see if can be improved, or commit to those updates you know you need to make but haven’t. Here is a refresher on the LinkedIn basics.
1. Your LinkedIn profile is not your resume. While your resume and LinkedIn profile will share the basic facts of your work history and education (e.g., company/school names, dates), the content should read in a much different way. If your existing profile is a mirror of your resume, it’s time to upgrade. The recruiter or hiring manager already read your resume. If you’re creating a new profile, think of it as a billboard on the job market.
2. EVERY recruiter uses LinkedIn to look for talent. Keep in mind that the professional social network and job market is only one side of LinkedIn’s business. The other is catering to recruiters and the people hiring their users. They are the most powerful power users on the platform and they are actively looking for people like you. That is the #1 reason professionals should have a LinkedIn presence. Not only that, but if you have a premium membership, you can contact recruiters or hiring managers directly through LinkedIn‘s InMail feature. A friendly succinct note to a recruiter may make the difference when pursuing an open job.
3. A good head shot is essential. You must have a current professional profile photo – a good one. LinkedIn is not the platform to experiment with your look. Your profile photo is the first impression people have of you when they visit your page. Keep it simple and professional. No hats.
4. Have a full profile. Fill in EVERY applicable field. Provide as much additional information as possible. A packed profile increases your profiles searchability for all those recruiters, hiring managers, and potential professional contacts to grow your network. You want to be found. You’re a billboard, remember? For example, certifications, languages, volunteer organizations, sabbaticals, side hustles, certifications, are just a few examples. Don’t leave any of your hard work and accomplishments out. LinkedIn likes “completeness.” Anything less than a full profile looks lazy, which is not what you want to project.
5. Grow your network. It is a social network after all. Grow your network strategically. Don’t be shy! Step one: Perfect your profile. Step two: connect to as many people you already know and want to follow on the platform. That will trigger an organic process through you will slowly grow your network. You will receive invitations to connect from people with a few degrees of separation, or are in LinkedIn groups you join, and you should be open to accepting them. Step three: Be proactive. You can reach out and follow your peers, companies, people who inspire you, and the list goes on. Be judicious but open. Even if you’re a long time LinkedIn user, you should periodically review your network and see if it aligns with your current circumstances and long-term goals.
6. Create a Headline That Pops. Your headline needs to impart significant information in 240 characters or less. You may consider this tip when creating your headline.
Format: Position type ♦ About Yourself ♦Additional Info.
Samples:
· IT Solutions Architect ♦ Systems Designer ♦ Recent Graduate – The Academy
· Network Design & Management Analytics Lead | Pursing CCNA
· Human Resources Business Partner ♦ Employee Relations ♦ Available Immediately
7. Write an Effective Summary. Here is where you really have to commit. For your summary, you have 2600 characters to use and each one counts. Your summary is a high-level explanation of who you are and what you have to offer. It should include your top skills, key accomplishments, and the value you add to any endeavor. Conclude with your call to action - what is the next thing you want to do?
8. Write a Position Summary. Once again, you need to pack a lot of focused information into only 2000 characters or less. Summarize your position, detail what you’ve done, and punch the value you added in each case. An easy formula to get your started is the Three “W”s.
a. W-ho is the company?
b. W-hat are you doing, or what did you do, for the company?
c. W-hat are your key accomplishments?
9. Write About Your Education: Reminder: your LinkedIn profile is not your resume. The key phrase here is “write about.” Tell the story of your educational experience as if you were describing it in detail to a friend. Go beyond what you studied. Think about and express its impact on you as a person, not just as a student.
· Format
o School Name
o Degree
o Years Attended
o Activities
10. Skills and Endorsements
· You can select up to 50 skills for which to be endorsed.
· Select and prioritize your Top 10.
· This is searchable, and will help your results!
· Include skills in your summary.
11. Target recruitment firms. As long as you’re growing your network, include prominent recruitment firms. They’ve got access to jobs, and it can’t hurt to build a relationship online.
Philip Roufail contributed to this article.
Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.
