Your LinkedIn profile is one of the most valuable assets in your job searching arsenal. It’s an online platform where you can connect with other professionals and find job opportunities.
If you don’t already have a profile, it can be intimidating to create one, but once you do decide to create one, it’s worth making sure that it’s set up properly in order to get the most out of your LinkedIn presence.
In this article, we’ll walk through the best ways to use your LinkedIn profile for job searching so that you can make the most of this powerful tool for finding jobs, networking with other professionals and companies, and increasing your brand visibility!
| Takeaway |
|---|
| Optimize your LinkedIn profile with a professional picture, a compelling headline, and a detailed summary to make a strong first impression on potential employers. |
| Showcase your relevant work experience, skills, and accomplishments to highlight your expertise and attract job opportunities. |
| Utilize LinkedIn’s job search feature to find and apply for relevant job postings in your field of interest. |
| Engage actively on the platform by posting valuable content, participating in groups, and networking with industry professionals to increase your visibility and expand your network. |
| Customize your LinkedIn URL to make your profile more discoverable and professional. |
| Leverage endorsements and recommendations from colleagues to build credibility and trust with potential employers. |
| Follow companies of interest and stay updated on their activities to identify potential job openings and opportunities. |
| Network with professionals in your industry to gain valuable insights, advice, and potential referrals for job opportunities. |
Get In The Hiring Manager’s Mind-Set
Here’s the thing: hiring managers don’t know what they’re looking for, so your job as a job seeker is to help them find it. You have to get in their mindset and show them why you are the solution to their problem.
To do this, identify the most specific problem that hiring managers need to solve. If there are multiple problems or opportunities you can address with the same skillset such as being fluent in two languages then focus on one at a time and make sure that you’re able to demonstrate how those skills apply specifically toward solving these issues.
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Present Yourself As A Problem Solver
You want to present yourself as a problem solver. To do that, you need to be specific about your achievements. Don’t be afraid to show off your accomplishments. Don’t overdo it, but don’t undersell yourself either.
Be specific about what you did and how you did it don’t just say “I increased sales by 20 percent,” say something like: “I increased sales by 20 percent by implementing a new marketing strategy that involved targeting small business owners within our target market.”
In addition, if there were any numbers associated with what you achieved (such as the 20% increase in sales), include them! This shows employers that you know how to track results and quantify success.
Avoid Boasting
Don’t boast. Your resume is a place for bragging, but your LinkedIn profile is not. Use facts and figures to back up your claims if you want to appear credible, rather than using empty boasts like “I’m a really good salesperson.”
Instead, focus on what you did at each of your jobs in terms of accomplishments and results rather than listing off accolades without any context or proof (e.g., “I won employee of the month”).
Tell stories with examples that illustrate who you are as a professional and how you can help others do their jobs better or achieve their goals faster. For example: “I was able to increase revenue by 30% after redesigning our website landing page by incorporating new features based on customer feedback from our most recent survey.”
Think Of Your Linkedin Profile As A Resume
You should think of your LinkedIn profile as a resume that you can use in the future. You should be writing it now so that it’s ready to be used at any time. Your LinkedIn profile is another way for you to showcase your skills and achievements, but it also serves as an effective tool for getting noticed by recruiters when they look through job applications.
If you’re trying to get hired, your LinkedIn profile should be a reflection of the work you want people to see.
It’s up to you whether or not any potential employer might like what they read in it (and we hope they do!), but at least the most important information about who you are as a professional will be written down somewhere where they’ll know exactly what kind of person they’re hiring when they look at your page.
The “Summary” section of your LinkedIn profile is where you can really showcase what you have to offer. It’s important that you write it in a way that’s easy to read and understand so that potential employers will be able to learn more about who you are as an individual without getting bogged down by unnecessary details.
The “Experience” section should list all of your job positions, including any volunteer work or internships.
The “Education” section should include information about where you went to school, when, and what degrees or certifications you earned. This is also the place where you can list any other courses or training experiences like if there’s a class online that taught you how to use Photoshop.
The “Skills & Endorsements” section will give potential employers an idea of what your strengths are so they know exactly what kind of person they’re hiring when looking at your page
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Don’t Write In The First Person
The first person pronouns “I”, “my”, and “me” should be avoided in your LinkedIn profile. Since you’re trying to portray yourself as a professional, it’s best not to use these words when describing yourself or the things that you’ve done. Your audience will be the hiring manager and not your friends, so avoid using any words related to yourself as much as possible.
If there are certain achievements that only happened because of your own efforts, don’t say them out loud; instead, describe them in a way that is applicable to all audiences.
For example: “Leading our team through difficult times” is better than “I led our team through difficult times.” The former emphasizes that it was a team effort, while the latter makes it seem like everything was accomplished by one person (you).
Include Keywords
The first step in creating a compelling LinkedIn profile is including keywords.
Keywords are the words that describe your job and industry. Your LinkedIn profile will show up in a search if it has keywords that match the searcher’s query. So, use words that appear in the job description (and if you can’t find them, call your recruiter or hiring manager).
If the job description has the words “data analyst,” then you should use that phrase in your profile!
Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date. Don’t just update it once in a while when you have time – keep it fresh and add new skills as you get them! If there’s one thing recruiters love, it’s people who are always learning.
Make Your Linkedin Profile Active By Adding Regular Updates And Posts
It’s easy to let your LinkedIn profile languish in neglect. You might be posting new content on your blog or website, but it probably isn’t showing up in your LinkedIn activity feed.
To keep your profile active, add regular updates and posts about industry-related articles, job hunting tips, and advice for others, or even share some of your own articles that are relevant to the field you’re applying for.
The more you post on LinkedIn especially when it’s something interesting the more likely recruiters will be to check out what else you have going on.
You can also comment on other people’s posts: this is an easy way to connect with other professionals in the industry who could potentially recommend you later down the road if they see that you have shared interests or have similar backgrounds.
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Add Recommendations
One of the best ways to improve your online presence and make yourself stand out among other job seekers is to ask for recommendations. While you may think that it’s easy enough to ask anyone, it isn’t.
If you know someone in your network or a professional group who knows other people in your field, they can be an excellent resource for connecting with potential connections.
It’s important not to ask just anyone for a recommendation on LinkedIn you want people who have the ability to influence others who are hiring decision-makers at their company or organization.
Additionally, if you’re asking someone who doesn’t know anything about you personally (and hasn’t had any dealings with you), there’s no way that person could provide a meaningful recommendation that would benefit your job search journey!
Start Networking With Other Users On The Platform
LinkedIn is a great place to start networking with other users. You can search for connections and reach out to them directly, or you can simply send a request. Before you do, though, make sure that your profile is well-optimized for job seekers.
For example, if you’re looking for a new position in marketing, there’s no better way to get noticed than by adding your LinkedIn profile as an endorsement on your resume.
This will allow recruiters who see it to click through directly from the document and learn more about what makes you stand out as an employee which could be just what they need before making their final decision!
Use The Networking Section To Find People Who Can Help You With Your Job Search
The Advanced Search options on LinkedIn are a great way to find people that can help you with your job search.
The network tab will show you everyone in your network, along with their current job title, company information, and more. If you’re looking for someone specific, type their name into the search bar at the top of this page.
If you’re looking for someone who works at a specific company or even has recently been hired type in the company name and click “Advanced Search.”
Once you’ve chosen all of these options, click “Search.” LinkedIn will then display profiles that match what you’ve selected above!
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Request Informational Interviews From People You Know In Your Industry
Informational interviews are a great way to learn more about an industry, position, or company. They can also help you build your network and make connections with people who can be helpful later on in your job search process.
For example, if you want to work in the fashion industry but don’t have any experience there, ask someone who does (or is at least connected to someone who does) for an informational interview.
You can use this time together as an opportunity to learn more about what it’s like working in their field of expertise and how they got started along their career path. If you’re not sure where to start looking for these kinds of connections yet, we’ve got some tips below!
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Creating A Great Linkedin Profile Is An Important Part Of Putting Yourself Out There Professionally
Your LinkedIn profile is a great way to network with people in your industry, but it’s also an opportunity to show off your skills, experience, and accomplishments. It’s one of the first places employers will look when considering you for a job. Creating a well-rounded profile can help you stand out from other applicants and make you more likely to be noticed by recruiters.
If you’re unsure of how to start creating your profile or what information to include, don’t worry! We’ve put together this guide full of tips that will help take the mystery out of making an awesome LinkedIn page. In the end, we’ve included some helpful links if there are topics that interest you specifically.
Further Reading
LinkedIn Profile Tips: Explore essential tips and techniques to create a standout LinkedIn profile that attracts potential employers and enhances your professional brand.
Tips for Getting Hired on LinkedIn: Learn effective strategies for leveraging LinkedIn to increase your chances of getting hired and securing new job opportunities.
Ways to Use LinkedIn to Find a New Job: Discover various methods and features on LinkedIn to optimize your job search and connect with prospective employers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Write A Linkedin Summary?
LinkedIn summaries should be short and compelling. Think of it as your elevator pitch the most important information about yourself that someone would want to know in a very short period of time.
You want to summarize what makes you unique, relevant, and valuable as an employee or job seeker because they’re going to skim this first before deciding whether or not they want to read more about you.
What Should I Add To My Linkedin Profile?
LinkedIn profiles are meant to promote your personal brand and attract potential employers, interviewers, and recruiters into connecting with you so that they can learn more about what makes you special via your other social media accounts (like Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook).
By looking at how active (or inactive) those platforms are for each person who works there.* How do I get more LinkedIn recommendations?
What Is Linkedin?
LinkedIn is a business-oriented social network that allows you to connect with people, get tips and advice, find jobs, make contacts, and more. It’s not just for professionals looking to advance their careers; it can also be used by students searching for internships or summer jobs.
What’s The Difference Between A Linkedin Profile And A Resume?
A profile is designed to showcase your professional background in its entirety including educational credentials and additional skills/experience rather than focusing on your latest job title alone as most resumes do.
What Is A Linkedin Summary?
The summary section at the top of each member’s profile includes their name, position within their company (or school), current city of residence (or location where they last worked), as well as links to any other social networks they choose to share from this location on their home page (like Twitter or Facebook).
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.