Many companies are flocking to Linkedin to find talent to take their business to the next level. Over 30,000 large companies worldwide use LinkedIn as a source of recruiting. Furthermore, Linkedin receives over 100 million applications per month through LinkedIn Jobs. With all that competition, recruiters head to LinkedIn profiles to get an idea of the type of candidates applying for the job.
That profile could be the difference between getting an interview, or your application tossed aside. Certain things recruiters look for - consciously or subconsciously - decide whether or not to reach out to you. To make sure you get the best out of your LinkedIn profile and job search, make sure that these five triggers are in place to attract top recruiters.
Right below, your profile is your headline. Your headline does more than state your job. It’s an opportunity to tell recruiters exactly what value you bring to the table. First, make sure your headline has some information relevant to the jobs you’re applying for. Next, show how you can bring value or results to the role. Use your past achievements or roles to create a catchy headline. Add a combination of your skillset and results for maximum effect:
Example: Sales Manager experienced in SaaS and Cloud Computing sales | Closed 1.2 million in 12 months.
A headline gives you a snapshot of who you are, but a Summary goes a step further.
If you have ample experience, it may not be easy to summarize.
Try pulling key projects or accomplishments that embody what you are trying to communicate. Asking yourself probing questions can help; “What was your most significant project or success in 2020?”
The summary is a place to sell your brand. Many people leave this area blank or include one-liners like on other social media platforms. Linkedin should be approached like an interview, placing your best attributes forward in a professional way.
If you have not created a summary, try writing down some key points you want your employer to know about you. The purpose is to express your brand. It is also ok to periodically update your summary based on your career development.
Another aspect is your choice of words. Many resumes or linkedin profiles are filled with similar descriptions: creative, team-player, organized, problem-solving, and motivated are examples based on Linkedin reports.
You can try more affirmative words such as accomplish, achieve, adapt, generated, and patented, to name a few.
Stay away from ordinary words. Your target audience has heard them thousands of times. Try to stand out and be as specific and direct as possible.
Linkedin allows for the adding of photos, videos, pdfs, and slideshows. This is a perfect opportunity to get creative and make your profile stand out, especially if the job or your skills require you to be more creative.
For instance, if you are a project manager that worked on a recent high profile project. It may help add a pic or slideshow (if possible based on the project’s nature and confidentiality), showing the impact, your team’s work, and critical milestones. It’s a great way to showcase the exact skills recruiters may be looking for.
Don’t stop there. Share videos talking about the latest news in your niche. Engage with others and write long-form posts. The more recruiters see you involved in the niche, the better it is for your future chances.
Nothing says trust like recommendations and endorsements. Luckily, your Linkedin profile allows you to benefit from both. One of your peers, former customers, or superiors, can write a recommendation on your profile. Similarly, you can add a list of skills to your LinkedIn bio, anything from soft skills like Emotional Intelligence to hard skills like coding.
Your connections can then endorse your skills, which confirms your ability to perform these skills. With both endorsements and recommendations, the more, the better.
Ask your co-workers, past and present, to write recommendations, and leave endorsements. This will impress recruiters and encourage them to reach out to you.
Posting content keeps your profile fresh but engaging with others takes your profile to another level. Create posts and join into conversations about your job or niche. Help as many persons as you can, which speaks a lot about your character.
Follow leaders or join groups on linkedin that are aligned with your career choice or interest. Share as much good organic content as possible, even if this is content that you created or by someone you endorse.
For instance, if you are a blogger or digital marketer, share some recent marketing content or blogs, you created that received positive feedback. It is a way or endorsing your existing work and adding dimension to your page by remaining active and prevalent.
Another tip is using the appropriate Hashtags on linkedin. This can increase your engagement and ensure the right connections see your post. You can research trending topics and make sure to use them seamlessly.
Hashtags are a great way for your profile to show up and get more traffic from persons interested in your shared topics.
This ties into your overall goal of having the right persons view your profile - that means recruiters!
In the first 15 secs of an interview, a recruiter can determine if a candidate would be the best fit for the role, fit team dynamics, or the company culture.
Think about the first 15 secs on your page. What do you see?
Your profile picture, LinkedIn banner, and description would most likely be there. `
Have a profile picture that’s professional and high-quality but shows off your personality. Invest some time in creating your LinkedIn banner. Canva has some great templates to design an awesome banner that will alert persons about you and your skills.
Both aspects should be an attention grabber that shows your personality and appealing to a potential recruiter.
With a strong LinkedIn profile, recruiters will be drawn to your skills and abilities. They will easily select you for an interview, as you have showcased not only that you talk the talk, but you walk it too! Keep creating content, articles, engaging, and optimize your profile for maximum exposure. The extra effort will be worth it in the end.
If you need more LinkedIn advice, tips, and content marketing strategies, join my email list. I’ll help you get the most out of LinkedIn and set you up for success.