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6 Tips Job Seekers Can Use to Improve Their LinkedIn Profile

Recruiters and employers use LinkedIn constantly as a search tool to assess candidates’ experiences, competencies, creativity and personality. Your LinkedIn profile is the premier online place to showcase your unique talents and personal brand.

Use these tips to make your profile the very best it can be:

  1. Make a custom URL.

Just like any other social network, LinkedIn gives you a long, impersonal URL link when you first join. While it doesn’t hurt you to keep it, it also doesn’t help. It’s best to change your URL to best reflect your professional, branded self.

  • Do it in three steps. First, click on Profile. Then, click Edit Profile. Finally, click Edit right under your photo.
  • Make it easy for people to find you. You also can include your URL link in your email signature to drive more attention to it.
  1. Write a compelling Headline.

Your LinkedIn Headline is your opportunity to make yourself invaluable to a prospective employer. Make your Headline searchable by using keywords related to your career goal.

  • Think like a salesperson. What is your greatest asset? Why should a company hire you? Make a list of your best accomplishments and then rank them in order of importance. Take the top two or three and work them into a crisp Headline. Click here for more tips.
  1. Include a professional photo.

Fair or not, we are often judged by the way we look, even – and maybe more so – in a professional environment. Ensure that sure your LinkedIn photo makes the best impression possible.

  • Use a headshot that makes you appear highly professional, but also approachable. Your LinkedIn photo is a visual representation of who you are.
  1. Differentiate yourself via your Summary.

Use your LinkedIn Summary to describe who you are, as well as the legacy you are creating. Write it in the first person.

  • Express your values. Prospective employers want to know what motivates you and how those drivers inspire your work.
  • List your specialties. You can also weave in something interesting that you’re working on and some unique facts about yourself.
  1. Highlight your accomplishments in Your Experience.

This section of your profile is not where you simply cut and paste your resume. Keep it sharp, compelling and easy for readers to scan and want to come back to.

  • Use keywords that paint a portrait of your skills, qualifications and experience. Focus on sharing achievements, rather than providing a laundry list of role duties.
  • Include numbers. Fact, figures and percentages help illustrate success stories and accomplishments. For instance, state that you “grew investment in minority and women-owned businesses 30 percent in a 12-month period.” Also add images, videos and testimonials to bring your story to life.
  1. Invite people to contact you.

Include a way for people to contact you via LinkedIn, whether you ask them to send you a message or an email through a listed address.

  • Learn about LinkedIn’s privacy settings and Open Profile feature. This will help you understand who can send you messages and who can receive yours.

For additional guidance on optimizing your LinkedIn presence, as well as all aspects of your successful job search, contact the recruitment team at PrideStaff Modesto today. Your next great career opportunity is well within reach!

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