Is your LinkedIn profile giving you a career advantage?
You have optimized your LinkedIn (LI) profile by adding a professional photo, writing a compelling Headline and perfecting your Summary section. Further increase your Google ranking and opportunities for your LI Profile to be sourced by recruiters by building your Experience section, adding Recommendations, getting Endorsements, and more…
Showcasing Your Experience
Your LI Experience section is your online resume. It is not necessary to add every job you have ever held. Relevance is the key. Add those positions that demonstrate your expertise and your significant accomplishments in your field. When describing your work experience be concise, and specific. Consider using bullet points to list your accomplishments, or write summary paragraphs that include keywords to boost your profile’s searchability for recruiters. Note your achievements in quantifiable terms, and outline your responsibilities and your role within each company.
Adding Connections
LI is all about networking, and adding the right connections will optimize your profile even more. Making connections expands your network, but it also provides you with access to your connections’ networks, giving you even more career opportunities. LI experts agree that you should be selective about who you connect with, and only add connections who will add to your credibility within your field.
Soliciting Recommendations
Your LI Profile should include at least 5 recommendations. Recommendations not only show up on your profile, but they are also visible on the writer’s profile, which means their connections have access to them. A solid recommendation should showcase your skills and accomplishments, so ask your connections to be specific in noting your key results.
Joining & Engaging in Groups
LI experts agree that you should join as many groups as possible. Search for groups within your niche, and become an active part of them. Raise your profile, as well as your Google ranking, by reposting articles you have read from noted resources. Forbes and Harvard Business Review posts (to name a few) grab readers’ attention and help get you noticed as someone to watch.
Get Endorsements
Build your brand on LI with endorsements. When you endorse your connections, they are prompted to endorse you as well. Endorsements are a key component for driving your Google ranking. You do not have to accept every endorsement you receive, and if you receive an endorsement that doesn’t support your career goals, you can politely decline it.
Customize Your LinkedIn URL
Customizing your URL (i.e. http://www.linkedin.com/in/Your-Name) helps you build your personal brand, and it also drives your LI profile to the top of search engine results if a recruiter searches for your name. Customizing your URL is simple:
- Click “Edit Profile” from the drop-down under Profile at the top of your homepage
- Click “customize your public profile URL”, located on the right side of the page
- Type the last part of your new custom URL in the box (use your first and last name)
- Click “set custom URL”
One Last Note – When Making Changes to Your LinkedIn Profile
As you are making changes to your LI profile, be sure to turn off your notifications so that your connections are not notified of each change you make. To do this:
- Click “Edit Profile” from the drop-down under Profile at the top of your homepage
- In the section called “Customize Your Public Profile”, click “Make my public profile visible to no one”
- Make the necessary changes to your profile
- When you are finished making changes, return to this page and click “Make my public profile visible to everyone”
Once you have built an optimized LI profile, your expertise will compel recruiters to get in contact with you. As you add connections and engage others within your groups, you’ll find that your network grows quickly, giving you even more opportunities to grab headhunters’ and recruiters’ attention.
Wishing you much career success!
Joanne
Author: Joanne Loberg of JL Careers Inc. is a Certified Executive Coach and Internationally Certified Career Management Professional. Copyright JL Careers Inc. All rights reserved.
Need help creating a LinkedIn Profile that will grab the attention of recruiters and head-hunters? Let’s connect to book a complimentary 20-minute telephone LinkedIn Profile Consultation. I’ll review your LinkedIn profile and provide a critique outlining areas needing strengthening and revision.
