Three Simple Ways to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

Hiring and recruiting has changed so much in recent years, and increasingly more and more employers are relying on social media to check out potential employees. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn have become very popular across age groups and are now embedded into our daily lives as a norm. From posting pictures, to connecting with others, to simply scrolling down the feeds of strangers, social media is certainly here to stay. Therefore it’s so important for you to ensure your online presence is up to par when it comes to maximizing your job search. 

While this article will not delve into all of these platforms, and the nuances associated with each, it will shed light into the importance of having a fully optimized LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn has quickly become the platform of choice when it comes to making professional connections and enhancing one’s job search. According to HooteSuite, “LinkedIn is the most trusted social network in the U.S. and 73% of social media users at least somewhat agree that LinkedIn protects their privacy and data. Compare that to just 53% for Facebook.” The researchers go on to further confirm that, “LinkedIn has 722 million members. To put that number in context, Instagram currently has 1 billion users, and Facebook has 2.74 billion. It’s not the largest of the social networks, but with a specific business focus, it’s an audience worth noticing.”
As such, it is important to have a fully optimized LinkedIn profile so that you can impress employers, and other business professionals, with a stellar presence online. Check out the following LinkedIn profile writing tips to power your job search today:

1. Write A Compelling About Section

 
LinkedIn is a great social media platform and can even help you land your dream job when completed correctly. So, if you don’t have an account yet, now is the perfect time to create one! Do keep in mind that you must be clear about your target audience when it comes to writing the content for your profile. In other words, write your content with your ideal reader in mind. Having a strategically written about section will draw readers to your profile and pique their interests about you.
 
This platform gives you the opportunity to build your professional persona online and a well-worded about section can help you exude professionalism in such a way that it encourages recruiters and employers to want to learn more about you. Furthermore, a strong LinkedIn about section will set you apart, introducing you to others in a way that is both meaningful and impactful. For example, your about section can not only summarize your skills and background, but also your accomplishments while letting your personality shine through.
The about section is premium real estate space where you can write critical information that captivates and grabs the attention of the reader. This section provides an opportunity to describe who you are, what interests you what the goals of your career are. Our recommendation is to do the following:

1. Write 1 paragraph that captures the unique story of your career - who you are, what you're passionate about, and what you care about.
2. Next, in a second paragraph, describe your top three selling points, or your top three core areas of expertise aligned with your career target. You can even include bullet points to make this section easier to read.
3. From there, elaborate a little bit more and explain what this all means. For instance, you can provide the reader with brief stories or examples. You can even infuse a bit of humor into the content to capture the readers’ attention while showing your authentic self.
4. Be sure to also include relevant keywords aligned with your career target – this will ensure you show up in the search results of employers or recruiters who are searching on LinkedIn for someone with your skill set.
5. Lastly, include a call to action to encourage the reader to take action on your profile. This could include asking the reader to send you a connection request or a direct message with any questions they may have about you.

 

1. Ensure Your Experience Section is Detailed and Thorough

 
LinkedIn is quite different than the other popular social media sites. It is career-focused and is a great place to connect with professionals across industries. In short, the platform itself is catered towards professionals and businesspeople from around the world. It is also the place where recruiters and employers hang out. LinkedIn hosts a network of millions of professionals which makes it a great way to help you get noticed and secure your dream job, faster. LinkedIn provides an advantage because a fully optimized profile can be used to apply for positions directly through the platform. It also offers you a means to contact recruiters , human resources contacts, and hiring managers directly.
 
While LinkedIn profiles should somewhat be similar to your actual resume, they should not be an exact copy and paste. The content featured in your LinkedIn profile should be unique and provide fresh information to delight the reader. You should still list your job descriptions with bullet points and typically 3-6 bullet points per position will do the trick. Your bullet points should be informative and infused with relevant keywords that are targeted towards your ideal career. While short and concise bullet points tend to suffice, longer and more meaningful sentences can also be used to convey the message that you’d like to share with readers.
 
Do keep in mind that your experience section should be catchy and should not read like a simple job description. The goal here is to engage the reader with what you have done so that they fully understand the scope of each of your positions. Include core responsibilities, duties, and most importantly accomplishments tied with results that help you to stand out from the competition. Results that are measurable and tangible can go a really long way towards conveying the value that you bring to the table. Such data can help to market and sell you to today’s employers.
 

1. Update Your LinkedIn Profile Regularly

 
Today’s job market is constantly changing. It can also be very competitive with hundreds of applicants vying for the same vacancy. This is why it is so important to have a LinkedIn profile that stands out. Be sure to update your LinkedIn often with any new changes to career history, accomplishments, new skills, and certifications/training that you have obtained. You can even contribute articles that you have written which are relevant to your field and post them to your profile. Furthermore, be sure to fill in all other applicable sections like your education, credentials, skills, and endorsements. Also, don’t forget to use a professional and clear headshot of yourself. Your LinkedIn profile is a part of you so add just the right amount of personal flair to make it interesting. Your profile can serve as your online resume, but only better! Give it more substance by completing all sections with the most relevant information.
 
All in all, you can make a memorable first impression by way of your LinkedIn profile by simply following these tips. While it will take some time and effort, creating content for your LinkedIn profile will be well worth it when it comes to getting one step closer to your dream job and career.

To learn more about how to Optimize your LinkedIn profile, schedule a call today to speak with one of our career experts. 
 
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