LinkedIn and job hunting – a match made in heaven
Can your LinkedIn profile help you land your ideal job? Yes, it very well can. Considering the fact that LinkedIn [3] is the single largest social media platform that specializes on business networking, putting an impressive profile in this network can significantly increase your chances of getting discovered by job recruiters and employers alike.
However, since there are millions of people who are also trying their luck in finding a job through the site, you need to create an outstanding profile and optimize it accordingly to get found by the right people. If you are absolutely clueless on how to accomplish this goal, here are some tips that may help you.
Use a powerful profile headline. For the record, a simple and direct headline or personal tag line is all you need. You can develop an effective personal brand by describing the services and the qualities you can offer without going over the top. Avoid using buzzwords such as extensive experience, innovative, motivated, results oriented and dynamic, to name a few, since they are really quite overused. Tip: Consider branding yourself on who you want to be seen to increase your chances of landing your dream job.
Highlight important details. Write a compelling profile summary to build your readers' interest and urge them to know more about you and what you can bring to the table. Keep in mind that the topmost part of your profile is the most important so try to make it more substantial and interesting.
Use industry keywords. Increase your chances of getting found by job recruiters and employers alike by optimizing your profile for the search engines. However, avoid overdoing it or Google may penalize you for keyword stuffing.
Be wise in using recommendations. In this case, more is not necessarily better. Consider featuring only the best or most recent recommendations and keep the rest away from the public to keep your profile clean. If you don't have any experience relevant to the job you are seeking, consider asking for recommendations from your professors and classmates. You can also ask for recommendations that highlight your work ethics instead.
Join relevant groups. Consider joining interesting professional groups and participate actively in the discussions to show your expertise. Keep in mind that job recruiters often frequent groups when searching for prospects.
Consistency is key. Keep your messages consistent across all the social networking [4] platforms that you use. Remember, recruiters will perform an online search before they decide whether you can be a potential candidate for the job.
Uploading an impressive LinkedIn resume can be your ticket to job hunting success so use it to your advantage.