LinkedIn stands apart from other social media and networking sites by focusing on professional networks. As a result, it’s also the best social media account for job seeking. However, “just” having a LinkedIn profile with your name on it isn’t enough. To take full advantage of LinkedIn’s powerful job-seeking and self-promotion tools, you’ll need a fully developed profile.
How Do I Develop My LinkedIn Profile?
A developed LinkedIn profile highlights your best skills and experience while providing sufficient background information to establish that you know your field – but not so much you overwhelm a recruiter or hiring manager browsing profiles during a lunch break. Key areas to consider when building your LinkedIn profile include:
- Profile photo. Your profile photo should be a photo of you alone. Ideally, it will be a head-and-shoulders image of you taken by a professional photographer, although a photo of you standing against a plain, neutral-colored background, like a wall, will suffice.
- Headline. Your headline should be catchy and memorable, but not because it contains an obvious joke or gimmick. Try to use at least two keywords that sum up your core career path or skill set.
- Summary. Your summary offers a scant 400 characters to describe yourself to hiring managers, so use it wisely. Rely on vivid keywords that sum up your skills, experience, and major accomplishments. Write in the first person here; your resume, with its more formal wording and details, can be included in full under “job history.”
- Skills and expertises. Start by inserting the keywords you’ve used in your headline, summary and job history. Then, add any keywords you missed. Consider both hard and “soft” skills like communication, motivation, and perseverance when adding skills and expertises.
- Contact information. A phone number and an email address are ideal here. If your email address isn’t a neutral, professional handle such as your name, set up one through a free web-based service like Gmail or Yahoo!
Using LinkedIn
Once your profile is up and running, how can you use it to your advantage? Common uses of LinkedIn include building connections, posting frequent updates, joining groups and participating in their discussions, and following companies you’d like to work for in order to stay informed. A company’s LinkedIn profile is also a valuable source of information when you’re preparing for an interview.
While many job seekers use LinkedIn in these ways, fewer consider one of LinkedIn’s most valuable offerings: a way to stay connected to your recruiter. When you work with a recruiter, he or she can communicate with you via LinkedIn, offer profile tips, and share your information with employers more easily.
While LinkedIn offers a great platform to showcase your skills, experience, and talents, it is only one tool to leverage in your job search. Working with a recruiter who specializes in your field opens up job opportunities you may not find through traditional searches. At Marquee Staffing, our focused recruiters offer expertise in a number of industries. As California’s premier staffing firm, we have placed top talent in top positions throughout the state. Contact us today to learn how we can help you find a great position!