LinkedIN is an underused resource in the professional world,
there are over 347 million users but many profiles fall short. A job seekers
paradise, LinkedIn is a great way to network and share your expertise with
colleagues and within your industry. With so many users’ profiles missing the
mark, how can you make sure that your profile is an accurate presentation of
your professional self? It’s time for a LinkedIn overhaul!
There are 4 essential components to your LinkedIn profile:
picture, headline, summary and keywords.
Updating these essentials will increase the number of visits to your
profile while better defining your skills and expertise. Keeping your profile
updated will allow hiring managers and recruiters to get a better vision of how
you could be useful to their companies.
Picture: Just like a first impression during a face-to-face
meeting, the inclusion of a picture on your profile will many times determine
if your profile will be clicked on.
Profiles with pictures are clicked on 30% more of the time, so this is a
key component in setting yourself apart. The job of this picture is to make you
look friendly and accessible. When choosing the picture you will use, make sure
that it is a clear headshot with no background distractions, in fact the
background should preferably be white or another light solid color.
Headline: The job of your headline is to tell what you do, not who you are. This is critical component and will appear alongside your picture in listings, group discussions and homefeeds. When users do not manually change their headline it will default to your job title and company, which is not always a bad thing when the job title is self-explanatory but more often that isn’t the case. Your headline should instantly allow the viewer to know what you do and who you do it for.
Summary: The advantage of having a well written summary is being able to communicate your personal brand and strengths while briefly summarizing your work experience. Make sure to include work that is relevant for the job that you want and define your career aspirations in this section. Your summary should be your mission statement.
Keywords: The secrets to increasing traffic to your profile
is the inclusion of keywords throughout your summary, headline and job
descriptions. Think of keywords as buzzwords that are used within your
profession or industry. Adding this valuable content will attract employers’
interest and these are the words or phrases that a recruiter would use to
describe your next job. To determine keywords to use or avoid visit:
Indeed.com/jobtrends
By updating these 4 essential areas in your LinkedIn profile
you will attract attention from your network, hiring managers and recruiters.
Have a question? Ask an expert! Post your questions below in the comments and
I will answer them!
