The LinkedIn profile should be treated the same way as a resume and it has become an absolute necessity to have an appealing LinkedIn profile. It is really important to keep your LinkedIn profile up to date and don’t neglect it because in our social media marketing services, LinkedIn has become a vital part and we utilize these new techniques to get our customers the required results. For users who are going to start to set up their profile, it can be really overwhelming, but if you follow these tips you can make your profile stand out from others.
Currently, more than millions of companies are registered on LinkedIn and employers submit more than 200 million plus applications every month. This is something to be worried about because you have to know some smart moves and tricks to get your profile page open. If you want to secure connections that will accelerate your career, take the time to improve your LinkedIn profile.
Catching the attention of hiring managers and employers is important to get you a job, so it is worth the time and effort to make a strong first impression. This article will focus on ways how can your LinkedIn profile be different from others and make it more engaging.
LET YOUR HEADLINE DO THE TALKING
A headline is a group of a few words in which you have to describe your skills, ambitions, and experience. You cannot copy others’ job titles or headlines into yours because it will not make you stand out among others. A well-crafted title can help you stand out from a sea of the same headlines and grab the attention of potential hiring managers.
You shouldn’t let LinkedIn choose a headline for you. If you customize your headline, your profile will instantly be distinguished from others. With only 220 characters it is better to be brief and only highlight important points. Enlist your skills and past accomplishments and show what kinds of problems you are good at tackling. Instead, go through the roof in this section so the important points of what you do get through to your contacts.
Your headline should be tailored for your audience. If you are looking for a job in a particular organization or company, using a headline targeted to that position will help them easily trace you. Using the right keywords is the key to being successful. Because recruiters will use keywords related to the position they are looking for. Use the right keywords to be discovered by hiring managers.
LIST YOUR SKILLS
Overlooking skills and endorsements on your profile is a big mistake. Among many things skills are the most asked questions by hiring managers. Give detailed information about each skill and don’t brag about it.
You can add up to 50 skills in your portfolio, but enlist those skills specifically that are more relevant to your job title. The keywords you use will be used by the recruiters to find potential applicants. So if you add more of those your visibility increases among the search results.
Often the skills enlisted are the usual hard technical skills required for a particular job, but the soft skills you possess must also be included. Choose your skills carefully based on your educational background, past work experiences, and your direction of career. The skills you choose must depict your educational and work experience and they should also include the skills you are working on or are willing to work on in the future.
The first three skills are classified as ‘Top Skills’ and they are publically visible, so choose them very carefully.
YOUR PROFILE PICTURE
The profile picture is literally the first thing a visitor puts his eye on. Your face should cover at least 60% of the frame. Avoid distracting backgrounds and your face should be the focus. Give the right kind of expressions, so the visitors can get the idea that you are warm, welcoming, and open.
The image you use should be of high resolution and it is worth the investment if you don’t have a professional shot.
Your LinkedIn picture increases your rate of response in search results and it can make or break your first impression. Statistics show that LinkedIn members who have a profile photo receive 21 times more views than those who don’t have one. Also, the least you can do is not have a profile picture. Many people will think you are a fake account if you don’t have a real photo.
USE VISUAL MEDIA
A lot of times cover photos are overlooked. A cover photo is a section in which people often do not put their energies. You can add a background/cover photo on LinkedIn just like on Twitter and Facebook. It’s easy and will make your LinkedIn profile stand out, so choose a topic that speaks to your profession or personality.
Choose your background image carefully because it’s one of the first things a visitor gets to see when he comes to your portfolio. You can also add other media forms apart from pictures like videos or infographics. Pictures are often more impactful than words. Sometimes words alone are not enough to describe you, so take the help of visual media as much as you can.
SHARE QUALITY CONTENT
When you share something on your profile you make an access path for your profile. Sharing and producing content is a very easy way to grab attention, but your content must be relevant and unique. A hiring manager must be interested in what you post or share on your profile when they get connected with you.
Long-form content like articles and blogs is a great way to showcase your talents and perspectives. They are doing well on this platform too!
Sharing and creating content is important to get the most out of this platform. Making your profile the center of industry conversation will boost your reputation and create effects that attract attention and reach far beyond your network. Every piece of writing you create or share over time makes you more visible in the eyes of recruiters or hiring managers.
Consistency is the key to making your profile highlighted among millions of other users. Be consistent but post quality and relevant content on your profile. If you don’t do it you lower your chances of being noticed and the value of your profile gets lower.
RECOMMENDATIONS
These mini-references can make a difference in your profile. The more referrals you have the better. Ask several bosses, clients, or colleagues to write one for you. Recommendations are social proof of your capabilities and make your connections stronger. They let the recruiters know that other people have worked with you and you have done a good job.
Recommendations can boost your portfolio significantly. Hiring managers get to know about you and the places you have worked before and you can flaunt your accomplishments. The recommendations you give can also be seen on your profile which lets professionals know that you give credit to others where it is due which can work in your favor. So, it is a smart move to give and get recommendations.
SUMMARY
The next thing to do is to provide a brief summary of yourself. This should be written in ‘First Person’ according to LinkedIn recommendations and let it be a personal space that discloses your personality. You can write about your personal experiences with work, what your likes and dislikes are, who you are, and what makes you different.
Think of a summary as your best shot at presenting yourself and making an impression. Write it in a way so that you can make yourself stand out among others. If you add some non-professional details about yourself it can make your profile interesting. The writing style in this section should be controversial, meaning how people talk to each other in everyday life. Controversial also means easily readable text.
Lastly, the LinkedIn summary section is also important because you can write keywords that your potential recruiters are looking for. the keywords are usually related to soft skills, hard skills, titles of jobs, or industry keywords.
If you leave your ‘About Me’ or ‘Summary’ section blank, even after putting up a great picture or a headline, you are missing an opportunity to get noticed.
EXPAND YOUR NETWORK WITH CONNECTIONS
Connecting with other people is a great way to expand your network. It also saves the connection that you make in a list called ‘My Network’. So when you make a new connection you can check out that person’s publically available connections. These can get you more networking opportunities.
You can also keep up with the latest industry news and trends and generate new ideas for your current role or your job applications. There are many useful articles, newsletters, and courses on the platform that are worth checking out. Networking can also be a great way to find interesting people to follow and connect with.
It also increases your professional representation and visibility of your brand.
FOLLOW THE STEPS ABOVE TO OPTIMIZE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE
The person who has been given a job to hire someone goes through numerous portfolios every day. If they find your profile interesting and different from others your chances of catching their eye increase. You are more likely to be called for an interview, and if everything goes well you may get the job you applied for.
So if you follow the above tips, you will be able to create a unique profile on LinkedIn that will help you expand your network through recruiters faster, so you can get more job interviews and find a job in a short time.