It’s not yet fully realized amongst all professionals that a LinkedIn profile is an essential tool of the job seeking process. That may be an advantage for other professionals who are on the site and already savvy. Many LinkedIn members with strong career skills and accomplishments are sought out by other companies. In other words, instead of applying to jobs, many members are being approached by recruiters or companies themselves. SocialMediaToday.com reports that 77% of all job openings are posted only on LinkedIn, versus other social media sites like Twitter or Facebook.
Associated with an executive search firm, Employment BOOST knows firsthand the value of professionals keeping their LinkedIn profiles up-to-date. Many executive recruiters find their candidates in this way and they can help job seekers achieve better offers as a result.
Your LinkedIn profile needs to sell you and your personal brand. It should not replicate your resume word for word, but it does need to represent your career history’s best highlights. You can skip lengthy sentences on your profile; focus on short phrases that convey your talent and always include numbers to quantify your accomplishments (e.g., “increased sales by 35% in 14 months”).
Some additional LinkedIn profile tips: you should also join relevant groups, follow pertinent companies, and connect with other professionals in the field. This isn’t Facebook, where many people deny or ignore friend requests from strangers. This is a business site, meant to link people to other professionals all over the world. So connect with relevant business leaders. Following groups and companies also shows you’re involved in the industry and you keep up with the industry trends.
Even if you’re satisfied with your current job, don’t rule out new connections. By continually interacting with, or accepting connections, you may be helping out a deserving friend or acquaintance achieve their rightful opportunity.