From young professionals starting their careers to CEOs, LinkedIn is the place to be. With it being such a popular networking platform, many recruiters use LinkedIn to search for potential employees. If you are looking for a job or thinking about it, it might be time to get on LinkedIn if you aren’t already.
Find out how you can stand out and get your profile noticed by recruiters:
Upload a professional profile photo on LinkedIn
Pictures speak a thousand words. Your photo is one of the first things to be noticed on your profile, and you want to make a good impression. Upload an approachable yet professional photo. Be sure to wear appropriate clothing and think about what your body language conveys.
Don’t use pictures that you have to crop yourself out of. Luckily cellphone cameras have high resolutions, and you can take as many pictures of yourself as you need without having to shell out for professional headshots.
Write a catchy headline on LinkedIn Bio
Your headline is your hook, so be bold. A simple job title is boring and doesn’t say much about you. Your headline should encompass who you are as a professional and your interests. While you can include your job title, you want to show what sets you apart from other people in that position.
Complete your LinkedIn profile
This sounds like a silly and obvious tip but fill out your profile entirely. There are many advantages to have a completed profile. LinkedIn assigns ‘strengths’ to profiles based on their level of completeness. You are more likely to appear in a search with a higher strength profile than someone who only has a profile picture and a job entry.
Create a custom URL for your LinkedIn profile
Create a new URL, preferably using your name. When you sign up, LinkedIn automatically creates a URL for you made of random letters and numbers. For more common names, you can add a few numbers or include your job title. Customizing your URL will help you stand out and get noticed by recruiters. Plus, if you link your profile on your resume, a customized URL will appear much more professional.
Tell your story
Use the ‘Summary’ section to promote your personal brand let your personality shine. Use this section to introduce yourself and emphasize any essential skills or achievements. You can also include non-work-related interests, but this is entirely optional. A strong summary will conclude with a call to action. In other words, let recruiters know what your intent is.
Use the right keywords to rank high on searches
Just like your resume, keywords are essential to get noticed on LinkedIn. The platform’s profiles are made up of multiple sections, which gives you tons of opportunities to include keywords. Don’t just throw in buzzwords haphazardly because you think it’s what will get you clicks. Use them within the proper context and be sure they accurately reflect your skills and accomplishments.
Reach out for endorsements and pay it forward
To make a strong case, you need evidence. Endorsements act like evidence to recruiters that you do have the skills you say you do. Whether or not you are actively job searching, don’t be shy about reaching out to past supervisors or colleagues for endorsements. When a recruiter looks at your profile, they will have a lot more confidence in your skills if you have people to back you up. Remember to pay it forward. If you wholeheartedly believe in someone’s abilities, endorse them!
Stay engaged with your network
Once you complete the above tips, stay active. Don’t leave LinkedIn behind just because you aren’t actively job hunting. You’ll never know what paths could open up just by leaving a comment! Keeping up engagement will help you grow your network and remain visible to recruiters.
About Live Assets | IT Staffing Solutions
Live Assets is a boutique IT Staffing/Recruiting firm specializing exclusively in building IT teams of excellence for the Information Technology sector.
We are a small, but productive team that works closely together and has had a 96% success rate for the past number of years!
We have a diverse number of clients and industries and focus on both full-time and contract I.T. opportunities.
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