If you're like most job seekers, you're probably using LinkedIn.
As a thriving professional hub, you can standout to potential employers, meet with like-minded people, and showcase your experiences, talents, and successes. Additionally, a professional-looking LinkedIn profile can significantly strengthen your personal brand and position you as the winning candidate during job search.
Fortunately, creating a great LinkedIn profile doesn't have to take long. Here are six tips to help you get started.
1. Create a custom profile URL
This is a must-have. A personalized URL not only adds a professional touch, but also increases the clickability of your profile when it comes up in search. This means more views of your profile, which can lead to more job connections and job opportunities.
Custom profile names are available on a first come, first served basis, so don't delay in claiming yours. Follow LinkedIn's simple step-by-step instructions to get it.
2. Upload a professional photo
This is almost a cliche, but I need to mention it because I notice that many of my clients still resist having a public, professional-looking photo of themselves on their LinkedIn profile. In today's world, it is not merely a good idea — it is expected. Absence of a photo on your LinkedIn profile will prevent recruiters and hiring managers from reaching out to you.
A photo which was taken while you were out with your friends isn't the best choice, either.
If you can, invest in a personal headshot. If not, you can take a photo yourself, as long as you ensure that the picture:
- has an uncluttered background
- portrays you from shoulders up
- shows you smiling at the camera
- is taken in a professional setting (in other words, don't use a photo that was taken by a friend when you were out)
3. Add keywords to your profile
Every day, thousands of recruiters search LinkedIn for people with your job title and skills. If you're not coming up in search results, you're reducing your chances of being offered job opportunities.
To improve your profile's visibility in LinkedIn search results, ensure that your LinkedIn profile contains relevant keywords throughout your main job description, summary, job titles and descriptions in your job history as well as endorsements/skills section.
For example, if you're a communications manager at a national nonprofit, the obvious keywords to include would be "communications manager" and "non-profit."
However, recruiters might also be looking for you by using desired skills as a criteria and your job title won't always necessarily reflect those skills.
That's why, if you were the communications manager above, you could also also consider adding keywords like "community management", "project management", "campaign management", "print", "TV" and "digital" in your profile.
To further improve the chances of your LinkedIn profile coming up in search results, I recommend that you ask a few of your colleagues and clients to endorse you for skills that match your job title.
4. Update your status
You should be regularly reading interesting online content that is relevant to your career.
When you find something that you like, post it to your profile, adding a few words to provide your own context. Doing this not only keeps you informed, but also makes you appear up-to-date and relevant.
You'll find plenty of relevant and high-quality articles on LinkedIn Pulse.
5. Join and participate in a group
Which aspect of your career are you most passionate about? Chances are, there's a lively discussion happening right now in one of LinkedIn's groups on that topic. This is important because it gives you an opportunity to connect with other people in the nonprofit sector.
Best thing is, being part of a group allows you to bypass LinkedIn's standard requirement to be connected to someone in order to reach out to them. If you and another professional are part of the same group, you can communicate without limitations.
6. Link to your other personal brand assets
What other web properties do you own, which can improve how you look online?
Do you have an interesting Twitter feed? A blog on which you disseminate your ideas? An online portfolio of your works? A company page which mentions you?
By linking to them from your LinkedIn profile, you're giving recruiters a more comprehensive view of who you are as a professional.
Make sure you're linking only to material which is congruent with your personal brand and that you follow a well thought-through strategy, rather than haphazardly posting material online.
If you don't yet have a personal branding strategy, check out my Definitive Guide To Personal Branding to save yourself a lot of time and avoid pitfalls on this journey.
