Did you know? LinkedIn has over 1 billion members worldwide! With this strong user base and community, LinkedIn serves as the go-to platform for professionals as well as newbies to find a wide range of potential opportunities. Not only this, but a perfect way to stay connected with recruiters and industry experts.
With these many users and new profiles created every other day, standing out can be a challenge. But what if we told you that you can nearly double your visibility by customising your LinkedIn profile!
Crafting a well-structured profile is now a necessity to catch the eye of recruiters as you land your dream job.
But where to start? What all to include? And how to stay ahead in the sea of profiles?
Don't worry! We're here with this comprehensive guide, that'll not only help you build a perfect LinkedIn profile but also will help you get your dream job in your dream company. So, let's dive in!
First things first! Your profile picture and banner will be the first thing people will notice as they tap into your LinkedIn profile. So, it is very crucial for you to make that first impression a positive one. Starting from your LinkedIn profile picture, choose a professional-looking headshot highlighting your clear face, neat dress-up, and of course your confidence with a smile. Make sure you avoid blurry photographs, too-close selfies, or pictures with low visibility.
Then it's time to pour some customisation into your profile banner. This is the place where you can show your creativity and skills, in one place. Taking advantage of this option that LinkedIn provides you, make sure that you create a visually appealing banner to catch the attention of job seekers while you make your profile a memorable one.
Right under your LinkedIn profile picture & banner, comes your headline. It should clearly convey who you are and what you do. But instead of writing a simple job title, you can use this in a much more efficient way. By this, you'll not only show your expertise but also highlight your unique value proposition. Moreover, this will let your job seekers instantly find your profile while they're on their hunt for new hires. You can also include some relevant keywords that increase the chances of your profile appearing in the top search results by 2x.
For example: Instead of "Marketing Manager," you could write "Innovative Marketing Strategist | Driving Growth Through Data-Driven Insights”
If you're a regular LinkedIn user, by now you might know what a profile summary is. But if you're just starting, your LinkedIn summary is all “about you” that your connections and recruiters should know.
In this section, it is your chance to highlight all that you've accomplished so far. From including your achievements and growths to aspirations and what sets you apart from others in your field, you can fill in every relevant information. You can also use storytelling techniques to make it more engaging to keep your visitors hooked, but at the same time make sure that it is clear and concise enough to reflect your actual skills and experiences. This summary will also help you to boost your profile’s rankings and visibility in search results.
After your profile picture, banner, and about section, comes listing your experiences and achievements. Treat your experience section of your LinkedIn profile as a digital resume, detailing all your work history and accomplishments. Here, you get to put your past roles and companies you've worked with.
You can also add a description and skills that helped you outshine your past job roles. Make your focus on quantifiable achievements and outcomes, rather than putting information just for the sake of it.
As you describe your past roles, use bullet points to highlight key responsibilities, projects, and results. This will not only make your profile more attractive but also let recruiters gain a better understanding of “why you're a perfect fit for their organisation?”.
Also, don't forget to make use of multimedia features such as images, videos, and presentations, where you can provide your work samples, experience certificate and much more.
Your “Skills” & “Endorsements” section will set you apart from other profiles. So, be very careful while selecting your skills as they'll eventually reflect your capabilities and will determine your chances of getting hired. Take your time, sit down and note all the relevant skills that align with your career goals and industry trends. You can also take guidance from your mentors to know the current trends or take inspiration from other profiles, so you just don't end up choosing some random skills.
Next comes the visible proof of your skills that you just stated above. For this, LinkedIn provides you with the endorsements feature. To get some reliable ones, you can ask your colleagues, mentors, and clients to endorse your skills, adding credibility to your profile.
To add solid proof of your skills as you showcase your proficiency feel free to use and complete “LinkedIn Skill Assessments”. This will give recruiters a fair reason to approach you and get you with your dream job role.
Recommendations reflect your capabilities and authority in the industry you've been working in. Plus, if you already have an experience of a couple of years, this is a golden opportunity for you to showcase your expertise. Now you may ask, “Can anyone give me a recommendation?” The answer is no! Because you might get one, but it'll not be beneficial for you in the long run.
Always ensure that you collect recommendations from colleagues, supervisors, and clients, as they can provide valuable social proof of your skills and professionalism. For this, just politely reach out to past and present coworkers and ask them to write a brief recommendation highlighting your strengths and contributions. Quality recommendations always carry bonus points and will leave a positive impression on recruiters or hiring managers.
You don't want to make it difficult for industry people to find you on LinkedIn, right? And that's where the role of your LinkedIn URL comes in! Some people often overlook this part but let us tell you that your URLs are actually customisable. To do one, just go to your profile settings and edit it into one that is way easier for people to find and remember your profile. Ideally, use your full name or a variation thereof.
Then comes your contact information! Ensure that it is up-to-date and easily accessible for recruiters or any professional from a company that wants to reach out to you. Include relevant details like your contact number and e-mail. By making yourself accessible, you're only increasing your chances of getting more job opportunities and offers to collaborate in future.
Networking is the new LinkedIn buzzword. In the current scenario, LinkedIn has evolved far more from being just a job posting platform. It's where you can connect with like-minded professionals, share views, and get a variety of job leads.
To keep yourself up front in the era of networking, start by actively building and maintaining your professional connections. For this make sure you connect with colleagues, industry peers, and alumni to expand your network. In order to add some really good connections to your list, make use of personalised connection requests. This gives you a fair chance to briefly introduce yourself and explain why you'd like to connect with them!
You have your profile and network in place, now it's time to share your expertise and get those eyeballs of your recruiters or job hiring teams. You can start by sharing your views and opinions, something that you newly learnt, any new skill that you added to your skill set and how that is helping you reach your industry goals, or even just your experiences. This is a powerful way to increase your visibility and attract opportunities on LinkedIn.
You can also contribute to articles, share industry insights, and comment on posts to showcase your expertise and personality. Success doesn't happen overnight, and similarly for you to find a better job opportunity you need to constantly show up. Then either it is in the form of posting and engaging or by connecting with industry professionals. Moreover, LinkedIn is a two-way street, the more you interact, the better you know. Else you'll just end up being another profile on this platform.
Remember, consistency is the way to go!
Last but not least, always stay up-to-date! Maintain an active LinkedIn profile and keep a keen eye for current trends. Keep making appropriate changes to your profile and regularly review your latest achievements, skills, and career goals.
For example, if you just learned a new skill via an online course, don't keep your certificate hidden somewhere in your phone but showcase it on your LinkedIn wall. Always stay aware of new job openings, and networking events by following relevant companies, thought leaders, and industry publications. Filter out all the information and opportunities that are relevant to you or will be useful in the near future. Don't be another dead profile but regularly leave your valuable bits of information in any possible way. This will not only keep your profile visible but also attract new opportunities to advance your career.
Now that you have a stellar profile, let's explore how to leverage it for your job search journey:
By now you're done with curating an impressive LinkedIn profile, maintaining an active account, and gaining some positive visibility. But with millions of job postings on the platform, how to find the right opportunities? Or how to avoid job listings on LinkedIn that don't match your preferences and skill set? Don't worry, we got you!
Your profile is set, your job preferences are filtered, and boom there's what you've been doing all this for. This is when recruiters or hiring managers contact you, based on your profile or the job posts you've applied for! Here’s how you go:
There you go! From an optimised LinkedIn profile to actually landing a potential job opportunity. In the era where LinkedIn is more than a job platform, use your profile smartly to connect with industry professionals to stay ahead of the curve.
A well-crafted profile will not only provide you with active job search options but also establish your presence with a certain set of skills. As you keep applying for jobs, make sure to stay connected with recruiters or hiring managers, and build relationships as you maximise your visibility.
With all the tips we provided above, you'll not only have a professional profile but also become well-positioned to advance your career and achieve your professional goals. And just when any recruiter connects with you for any openings make sure you deliver your expertise promptly. Every other day new job roles are posted on LinkedIn, so make a wise decision when it comes to joining one. Lastly, stay aware of trends and keep yourself up-to-date with the latest technology options. Good luck!
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