A LinkedIn profile can get you your dream job
If you are a job-seeker, having a professional LinkedIn profile is no longer a luxury—it’s an absolute necessity to get the job you want. When potential employers Google your name, your LinkedIn profile is high in the results. You want it to reflect you and your capabilities in the best possible light!
LinkedIn is one of the most straightforward social networks to use for your professional profile; however, most people don’t optimize it to best serve their intended purposes. Below are 10 tips to get your LinkedIn page working for you:
- Have a clear purpose. A generic LinkedIn profile may not serve your intended purpose. For example, rather than putting a minimal profile on LinkedIn, you might use strategies in line with your intended use of the network. For example:
- An active job seeker could explicitly mention that they are looking for a job.
- A passive job seeker might include strategic keywords that recruiters might target.
- A person interested in lead generation for their business might create a profile focused on the products or services that they are offering.
- Someone looking to establish thought leadership might publish articles with the LinkedIn publishing platform, post links to relevant content on their profile, participate in groups or link to content they’ve created in their posts.
- Post a professional photo. When choosing which photo to post, consider the following:
- Choose a photo that looks like you.
- Make sure your face takes up at least 60 percent of the frame.
- Choose the right expression.
- Wear what you’d wear to work.
- Choose a background that isn’t distracting.
- Keep your contact info updated. This includes not just your email and telephone number, but job title and responsibilities too. This communicates that you are accessible and active within the network.
- Focus on your summary. The summary communicates everything; it’s the first substantive thing that people will read on your profile and should communicate why you’re using the network.
- Customize your URL. A non-personalized URL communicates lack of familiarity with the LinkedIn network. A custom URL may make it easier to remember your profile and to navigate back.
- Publish some content on the platform. For example, a job seeker might demonstrate expertise or leadership with a few posts about their experience or philosophy.
- Ask for recommendations. People you know and/or have worked with are often quite receptive to writing recommendations. You may want to provide some general guidelines to get them started.
- Be judicious with your updates. LinkedIn is not like other social media forums, like Facebook and Twitter. Be professional in your updates and posts. Your posts should be thoughtful and accurate.
- Watch your language. Industry-specific or job-specific jargon can be an impediment to effective communication.
- Quality, not quantity of connections. A potential employer may contact anyone in your network to vouch for you – it makes sense that you might want to know them well enough that they say something nice.
Contact Expert Business and Professional Services today to learn more.
Expert Business is a full service résumé writing and career services company offering professional Résumé Writing, LinkedIn Profile Development, Job Search, and Career Marketing Services. We offer complete job search services by taking you from the point of résumé creation to that of employment offer, and everything in between.
With extensive LinkedIn profile writing experience, we can help you improve your presence on LinkedIn. Résumé clients are offered this service at a significant discount, as we are familiar with your accomplishments and have worked diligently to capture your unique personal brand and marketing message.
Call us today at (954) 236-9558 or through email at [email protected]. We are conveniently located at 9220 Chelsea Dr. SouthPlantation, FL 33324.
