If you are a candidate on the job hunt, your LinkedIn profile is one of the most important tools you can use to assist you in the recruitment process. Ensuring that you have a great profile will paint you as a more well-rounded and detail-oriented individual to future employers. Many hiring managers look to LinkedIn to help search for candidates, and for this reason it is important to be doing everything you can to help your profile stand out and make a good impression. We are all busy and may not have a lot of time to dedicate to cultivating an amazing profile. Luckily, LinkedIn has many great features that are quick to implement but are very effective in helping bring your profile to the next level.
- Add a Background
The background feature on your profile is amazing for allowing you to show creativity, personality and showcase who are you! Adding a background is as simple as uploading a photo. It takes 30 seconds and makes a big visual impact when someone visits your page. Your background photo could convey things such as who you are, why prospects should connect with you, what you sell or a picture of yourself- anything that you immediately want to convey to visitors when they come across your page.
- Request a Recommendation
Adding recommendations is an easy and effective way to build rapport and credibility in your field! LinkedIn makes it simple by allowing you to request a recommendation from a past client with the click of a button. Profiles with positive recommendations will be seen as more capable, knowledgeable, and trustworthy, and lets a potential employer know that your skills are valid.
- Update Your Skills
The skills listed on your profile are one of the most valuable features of your LinkedIn account and it is important to ensure that these are updated to reflect your current skillset! It is valuable to include skills that are relevant for your industry and jobs that you are interested in applying for. LinkedIn also allows users to reorder their skills to make the most relevant ones appear first.
4. Add Your Location
Next, update your location! Having an accurate location listed means that you will appear in more search results and making local connections will be easier. With an updated location, your profile will be more likely to appear when the hiring manager of a job makes a search for candidates in your area.
- Optimize Your Summary
Your LinkedIn summary is an excellent opportunity to showcase yourself to your current network and future employers! The best way to optimize your summary is to use this section to tell your story. It is important to focus on your experience and education but touching on where you are now and what you bring to a table is also relevant for a hiring manager who might be viewing your profile. Keep it short and simple, while describing who you are as a professional and why people should want to get to know you.
A final thing you can do to instantly improve your profile is to check your LinkedIn profile strength- this is an icon on your profile that lets you know how complete your profile is. It is a great tool to help see if you have overlooked something and ensures that your profile is completely set up. When creating your profile, you can think of your LinkedIn as your personal sales pitch! Use it to set yourself apart and showcase what you have to offer.
If you are a candidate in building materials, construction or architecture and design who is looking for a change, contact Stephen Borer at sborer@dmcrecruitment.com
