Creating an appealing LinkedIn profile is crucial during your job search journey. With the implementation of social media in today’s modern business structures, recruiters and hiring managers commonly use sites like LinkedIn to find candidates for open positions. To make the best use of your LinkedIn, make sure you are following these 4 tips to ensure you have the best chance at landing a job.
Create an Appealing, Keyword Rich Headline
Avoid using generic titles that only speak to your current position and use keywords that showcase your current or past role. Your headline is your first opportunity to stand out against other candidates on LinkedIn looking for job opportunities. Instead of blending in with all of the other Human Resources Managers, stand out by using a personalized title such as “Passionate Human Resources Manager, investing in her future by investing in the people”.
By creating an appealing headline and sufficiently showcasing your value proposition, recruiters are more likely to look deeper into your profile. Utilize the 120 characters and add in strong, descriptive adjectives to create the image of what your work ethics would represent.
Develop an Enticing Profile Summary
The first two lines of your LinkedIn summary are the most important portion of your profile. Since LinkedIn now only allows users to see roughly 200 characters (90 on mobile devices) without needing to “read more”, it is fairly important to represent your value almost immediately. Instead of using generic titles, use objective keywords to position yourself to find positions that you are looking to pursue. If you find that you have additional space, add in accomplishments or create an area to bullet point skills and specialties you have that are most sought after.
Utilize the Skills & Endorsements on Your Profile
Your skills and endorsements are one of the most important areas on your LinkedIn. With 50 open slots for keywords, it is beneficial to use all 50 slots since recruiters and hiring managers commonly search for keywords to find potential candidates. If you are finding difficulty creating keywords that are relevant to your position, use different variations or search for other professionals in the same field to help guide you.
Avoid Leaving Job Descriptions Blank
Just like you would when writing your resume, speak on measurable objectives and highlight accomplishments you have acquired during your previous places of employment. Essentially, your LinkedIn profile should be an identical copy of your resume to avoid triggering any red flags for future employers.