LinkedIn is one of the most popular websites in the world. It has become the default social network for no-nonsense professionals who want to recruit, connect and get hired. It was acquired in December 2016 by Microsoft to the tune of $26 billion and has over 500 million members. It is the full realization of the recruiting process for the 21st century. It will ostensibly be how you, and millions upon millions of others, are hired in the future. So you can imagine how important it must be to have a great LinkedIn Profile. Improving your LinkedIn Profile can lead to more money and better career options. You want a profile that can be found by the right people.
This will not only help you connect to more job opportunities around the world, but will also help you expand your network and increase your chances of social and financial mobility.
Here are a few ways to build a great LinkedIn Profile.
Focus on the Skills Section
Orthodox education and degrees don’t carry nearly as much weight as they once did, as evidenced by the high rates of unemployment among graduates around the world. The MBA and various Bachelor’s degrees have been characterized as useless by CEOs and businessmen around the world. In fact, it is the opinion of certain technology professionals that traditional education may be on its way out the door in the next few decades.
However, the value of individual skills is growing every day. Adding different skills to your LinkedIn Profile is a sure fire way to grab someone’s attention. Employers today, search for skills instead of individuals with advanced degrees because they are available by the barrel. If you fill out your LinkedIn skills section with as many as possible, the chances of recruitment for a particular skill automatically rise.
For instance, if you’re a computer science graduate or a software engineer, you may benefit from a certificate in blockchain computing or SEO, or even expert level knowledge of Microsoft Office software.
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Put the same Skills in your Job Description
Since most searches on the internet are characterized by keywords and categories as well as SEO, you should make sure your most desirable skills appear in as many places as possible. This will allow recruiters to find their way to you more easily.
Mention Your Best Skills Often
Your strongest skills deserve repeated mention. As the best skills in your portfolio you need to clearly state, without explicitly stating it, that you want to be selected for these skills. If you are a React Native Developer, put that down in the skills section and mention it multiple times. This is subliminal messaging, and it’s been shown to work. So go with what works.
List all your Certificates
Your certificates and diplomas and job training is very important. Don’t fail to mention them in your LinkedIn Profile. It’s often true that recruiters are looking for candidates with some specific set of skills. Sometimes the recruiters don’t even mention those skills in the wanted ads or job listings, but have them in the back of their mind, hoping that one candidate fulfills them.
Fill Out Each Section
It’s always a good idea to not leave anything blank. Employers search for different things in a candidate when they examine a LinkedIn Profile. If you leave a section blank and they’re only interested in that section, you will lose a prospective employer.
Most of the time people think it’s not necessary to fill out each section and that simply uploading a CV and highlighting a few skills will do. However, it may be little tidbits like mentioning a trip to a foreign country or the number of years spent learning a different language, or even awards won during competitions that have nothing to do with your profession that may impress someone. A job may require basic knowledge of a foreign region or cursory knowledge of a foreign language and even strong public speaking skills or an artistic sensibility. All of these things may work in your favor and boost your LinkedIn Profile; hence it’s better to leave them in.
Include a Professional Picture
You know what they say about first impressions. They last. It’s true today and will stay true until the end of time. When an employer first looks at you, they should see the person they want to hire. If you want to come across as a true professional, you should be in a suit and tie or pantsuit. If you’re in the field of entertainment, you should dress casually. All in all, you should look the part.
It’s best to get a professional photograph taken at a studio. It may cost a little money, but it’ll be worth it in the end. It will not only help boost your LinkedIn Profile, it will also work for all your social media profiles as well.
Make Connections
Recommendations and professional relationships work better than a Resume any day. If a friend or a colleague recommends a hire to you and you come across someone with similar skills, you’re bound to go with the recommendation. It is human nature to trust people that you work with as well as those whose judgment you’ve come to value over the years. Nothing can boost your LinkedIn Profile like networking.
This is why it’s so important to socialize with people in order to create a connection. It’s simply not enough to have the skills and the advanced degree and all the certificates in the world if no one can put in a good word for you. You can do this online by sharing articles and posts pertinent to a discussion, or engaging in a conversation about something contemporary, as well as asking for help on a work related problem.
Professional relationships matter, old and new alike. And if you’re connected with someone that can simply message a fellow employer or send over a letter of recommendation that they have saved, that’s even better.
Like and Share other people’s Posts and Articles
Most people use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat to post selfies, useless platitudes and vapid vines. However, using them to promote your brand and gaining a following is a legitimate way to earn more money and boost your market value. You can even write a blog and showcase interests that can help with your employment. Today, building an online audience is easier than ever, and is a great way to show your employers you can connect with people.
You should definitely consider linking your social media identity on your LinkedIn Profile, provided that it is professionally built and doesn’t feature and posts that the employer may find offensive or vulgar.
The purpose of a LinkedIn Profile is much more than that of a Resume. It is your entire professional identity, and if you don’t believe that now, make no mistake, it will become clear to you in the future. So use technology to your advantage, and create a solid profile that will boost your identity and your market value.
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