5 Ways to Ensure that Your LinkedIn Profile Grabs a Recruiter’s Attention
By Laura-Jane (Kerr) Sarkodee
We are all familiar with LinkedIn as ‘the’ professional online network, but the sad truth is that whilst users are on the increase, the typical user is not maximizing networking opportunities on this fantastic site and only spending on average 21 minutes per month there.
If you are one of those individuals who are not making the most of LinkedIn and you are either looking for a new job, or open to hearing about new opportunities, then this post is for you! I will walk you through the best way to pimp up your profile, to get noticed by Recruiters are make the process of job searching much easier for you.
1. Upload a Professional Headshot
- If you do not have a head shot on your profile, then you will appear lower down search results (not good).
- Not only that, but in this social world that we live in, a profile picture helps to humanize you and says that you are serious about your profile / career!
- Don’t have a headshot? I have attended many events, where professional photographers were offering to take professional headshots for as little as £10 – invest in yourself!
2. Create a Seductive Headline
- When your profile appear in search results, the headline will be visible to Recruiters before they click into your profile. You this to make YOUR profile stand out in the list and entice them to click on you!
- Too many profiles simply state a ‘Job Title’. Use the Headline to sell yourself! What value can you add to a potential employer? For example, “10 years experience adding over £200k to sales figures year on year”.
3. Write a Killer Summary
- When a Recruiter has clicked on your profile, generally the first section that they will come across is your summary, so make sure that it lives up to your headline.
- Give a brief summary of your experience, industry and key roles. ‘Brief’ is the key word here though – Recruiters don’t have time to read through reams of information so make it scanable.
- It is a good idea to highlight a list of any key skills / specialisms. You cannot include bullet points directly on LinkedIn, so construct your list on word, and then copy and paste – simples!
- You may also want to highlight any key career achievements here. I would limit these to the top 2/3 and again, keep them concise. Always remember to include facts, figures, timescales and percentages where possible.
4. Ask for Flattering Recommendations
- Many people that I work with aren’t very comfortable with this, but get used to it! If you want to get noticed and get ahead in your career, then you need to shout about what you are good at. What better way to do this, than get someone else to shout about it! Think about previous customers, partners, suppliers or line Managers who would be prepared to write a few lines and vouch for how awesome you are!
- I would aim for about 3-5 per position if possible. Your credibility as a potential candidate will increase significantly if someone else can recommend your work!
5. Join 50 Industry Groups
- I hear you say “50, really?” – my response is “Yes, really!” The more relevant groups that you join, the bigger that your network grows and the more visible that you are to Recruiters and potential employers who are also members of those groups.
- You can also elect to receive e-mail notifications from the groups that you join, which often include JOBS!
- Finally, you can massively increase your visibility by liking or commenting on discussions within your industry groups or indeed by becoming a thought leader and sharing your own content!
So, there you have it! 5 ways to ensure that your LinkedIn profile grabs a Recruiter’s attention. Why not set aside a few hours this week and pimp up your profile, so that Recruiters start approaching you about new opportunities instead of having to chase them?
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I'd love to hear about your own job searching experiences using LinkedIn in the comments below.
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