We’re not sure why, but there’s a certain age you get to where you wake up and check your LinkedIn, instead of your socials.
There’s nothing finer than seeing your network build up over time or going on and seeing that someone has invited you to connect.
If you’re a current job seeker, on the hunt for your next dream job, your LinkedIn profile could play a crucial part in you securing it.
Many recruiters use LinkedIn as a direct way of finding candidates or getting the scoop on applicants.
There are a number of things you can do to spruce up your LinkedIn account – giving you a better chance of bagging a position.
First things first, if you’re a job seeker and haven’t got a LinkedIn, we recommend you create one!
1) Lights, camera, action.
LinkedIn is not like your Instagram or Facebook accounts, it’s a way of representing your most professional self. Using a professional photo will likely encourage recruiters to take you more seriously.
So, that photo of you from Ibiza 2018 with three vodka oranges in hand, simply won’t cut it. You don’t have to be a professional photographer by any means but making sure an image isn’t blurred and is appropriate is a fantastic start.
2) Headline news.
Your headline will play a key role in how recruiters and employers search for candidates. It has a 120-character limit and it’s best to utilise this in the best way you can.
You can include various things, such as your last job title, your place of work, your year of graduation, the sector you worked, the last company you worked for and so on. You want to use as many key words as you can – so that people looking to fill roles, similar to what you’re looking for, can find you.
3) Be a social butterfly!
Connections are everything on LinkedIn, and there’s nothing wrong with connecting with as many relevant people as you can.
For example, if you’re a Journalism graduate, find people in the creative sphere to connect with. Writers, social media assistants, PR Officers and everything in between. When you like these people’s posts or comment, their network will see and so will yours.
Resharing posts you’ve read or commented on posts is a great way to get noticed. What may seem cringey to you on social media, is an absolute win for LinkedIn – so don’t treat the two the same.
Often, people on LinkedIn are looking to increase their network too and starting conversations with your connections can often spiral into different opportunities.
You’ll also notice that when you connect with someone, you’re given the option to add a message. This would be a cracking place to just write a bit about what you’re looking for or your reason for connecting. Whether you saw that they were hiring for a role that interests you or you shared similar experience – even if you studied at the same school or uni!
4) Unique URL.
LinkedIn automatically generate you a URL but put simply, it’s just a bunch of letters. You want to be recognisable from your URL and there’s a handy setting that makes this possible.
Head to Settings Manage Public Profile Customise Your Public Profile URL.
Voila! You’ll now be more recognisable to employers, recruiters and even Google!
5) Toot your own horn!
You should be incredibly proud of the work you’ve done and the skills you’ve accomplished – and LinkedIn is the perfect place to showcase this!
LinkedIn has an area for skills, work history, achievements and endorsements and you should utilise them as much as you can. You should include skills that are relevant to the type of job you’re looking for, that way employers and recruiters can determine whether you’re right for a role.
Also be sure to include all of your work history, with accurate dates, and any achievements you’ve got – even if you don’t think they’re relevant as they could display skills in other areas.
Endorsements give your LinkedIn profile a real glow up. It’s an area where previous employers or people you’ve worked with can write a paragraph about the time they spent with you – consider it your very own review panel.
Search for the person you’re seeking a review from Click the three dots at the top of their profile Select ‘Request a Recommendation’ from the menu.
Instead of using large chunks of text on your profile, be sure to rephrase your skills and work history into digestible bullet points. That way, employers don’t have to sieve through endless bits of information to find what they’re looking for.
We’ve also got more tips and tricks for writing your CV or preparing for an interview.