With over 12 million registered users in Australia*, LinkedIn has become increasingly ubiquitous in recent years, no matter what industry you are in. LinkedIn is no longer just the destination for the top end of town, wannabe CEOs and IT Gurus.
There is now a trend for everyone from tradies to chefs, and entry-level employees, now taking advantage of the platform.
Here are some top tips to make sure you are not only found but make it to recruiters’ shortlists.
Are you visible on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn has excellent search functionality, which many employers and recruiters use to find personnel with the specific skills they are seeking. They use advanced search tools to hone in on specific requirements, which job seekers must be aware of.
Titles and keywords are the key
Make sure you use the correct terminology, not just the industry acronyms or abbreviations. For example, instead of using the term BDM, make sure you write out Business Development Manager. Otherwise, you may be missed.
Spell check
If keywords are not spelled correctly, they won’t be picked up by automated scans, and opportunities will be missed.
Make sure you read your profile out loud to yourself. This will spot typos and you will notice any overused words. Also pass it on for someone else to read. If you wrote it, you might make some easy-to-miss mistakes.
Profile image
Including a business-like photo of yourself gives your profile an added feeling of credibility and trust. When an employer is looking at dozens of profiles at a time, this can help give them an added sense of confidence.
You don’t need to hire a professional photographer. As long as you have a modern smartphone, you can take a photo that will be good enough.
Make sure the camera lens is held at eye level of the subject, and that there is good light directed towards the front of the person being photographed, but not so bright they need to squint.
A background photo should be included too, the size is recommended to be 1584 pixels wide x 396 pixels wide pixels, but you can resize a longer rectangular image like the below to fit.
Your profile is your live, online resume
LinkedIn will reflect your experience, so you must include more than just your job titles and employment period. Incorporate achievements and experience from your current and previous roles. You can use this to show off your successes, and any case studies you may have to share.
Keep your profile updated, as you never know who may be looking to you as their next hire! So revise your roles and certifications often.
Headline
This will be one of the first elements recruiters will see when visiting your page. You have 220 characters, so you can use this as a neat summary of what you do and sell your point of difference.
Some suggestions are below:
Hiring Manager at ACME Co – Helping People Reach Their Employment Goals
Sales Manager at ACME Co + 20 Years of Experience in Technology Sales | Motivated by Meeting my Clients’ Needs
Link to companies
Most businesses will have business pages. If so, make sure you link out to their page. This is an easy way to review the companies you have worked for.
Your Location
Employers not only look for the right skills, but they also need candidates who are more likely to accept an offer. Therefore, they will target local candidates at the start of their search.
Qualifications and Education
Ensure your education and certifications are all included and up to date. Often hirers will automatically rule out people who don’t meet the specific criteria they seek.
Increase your network size
Now you have completed the updates, make sure you add connections that you feel will be valuable to your career. Once you have found a selection of people you know or have worked with, the LinkedIn algorithm will show you more people in similar positions that you can then connect with.
Are you ready to find a new role?
Please head to our Job Search page where you can search for your next opportunity https://www.hoban.com.au/jobs/
*https://news.linkedin.com/about-us#Statistics
