3 Secrets to Getting Hired on LinkedIn
Looking for a job can be tough work in it of itself, even tougher now that the road to employment often begins online. And in a digital world of professional networking, there’s no site as popular as LinkedIn. In fact, back in February, technology company Bullhorn surveyed nearly two thousand staffing professionals on their use of social media when hunting for talent. No surprise – almost all of the respondents said they used some form of social media, but a staggering 97.3% specified using LinkedIn as a recruiting tool.
Despite the site’s popularity, many job seekers haven’t invested enough time to understand its best uses and really establish an online presence they can be proud of there – including myself. So, in hopes of putting my best foot forward on the platform, I did some research into LinkedIn’s features.
Joshua Waldman is author of “Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies” and the owner of tricked out LinkedIn profile. In researching ways to improve my own profile, I came across Waldman’s work and one of his free webinars on the topic. Here’s what I learned.
Turn Heads With a Headline
“Sometimes it’s those seemingly very simple things that when they’re missing can really impact you,” says Waldman about the need to spruce up one’s LinkedIn. “Particularly online those things can have small small changes in the real world…you may not even know what missed opportunities you’ve had.” One of the most overlooked yet important areas of a well-built profile is the headline, says Waldman. Instead of letting LinkedIn use your most recent professional title as your default headline, he suggest identifying the job you want in yours. Aside from outlining your career goals, it will also attract recruiters looking for just that.
Get Search Engine Optimized
That brings me to the next tip: optimizing your profile with words and phrases that will help recruiters find you. LinkedIn, like Google, has extensive search features that depend mostly on keywords on pages throughout the site. That means if someone (a recruiter or prospective employer) isn’t connected to you, they’re most likely to find your page based on the keywords you add to it. As a journalist who often seeks out credible experts, I can attest to the importance of an online profile that clearly articulates exactly who you are. For example, if you want your next position to be a senior marketing executive with – say – Coca-Cola, it would be beneficial to include keywords like “brand,” “marketing,” “senior” and “Atlanta” (where Coke is headquartered.) And the good news is that you don’t even have to necessarily work them into your profile. LinkedIn lets you add keywords in special sections for skills, expertise and interest.
Show Off Your Work
LinkedIn’s newest and, perhaps, best feature is its “portfolios.” The site has adjusted for our project-based workforce to allow users to upload samples of their work. Are you a marketer who is especially proud of an ad you designed? Now you can include a sample document, image or link under a description of the project. This is especially important when it comes to showing a potential hirer exactly what you’re able to do beyond a few buzz words.
Photo Courtesy, LinkedIn.
