Different people use LinkedIn differently. It is the go-to platform for networking and business development. It is also an easy space for people from all walks of life, from freshers to entrepreneurs. This platform has also popularized different ideas and concepts, including personal brand-building. That’s why hiring managers find a candidate’s LinkedIn more reliable than their CVs. Why should a company hire you? What makes you different than others? LinkedIn is the right tool to assist you in answering these questions. With such an important tool in hand, is it being utilized to its potential?
Here are some tips that professionals follow, and you can use them, too, to increase your chances of getting hired!
1. Start with the basics
The first thing that will catch a person's attention when visiting your LinkedIn profile is your Profile Picture. LinkedIn being a professional platform makes it obvious that your display picture must also be professional. Here are some suggestions for a professional picture:
- Good lighting for better clarity.
- Background should be clear and with minimal objects/ distractions.
- While dressing up avoid loud colors and prints. Better to go for soft colors like white, light blue, grey, etc.
- Pose professionally. Better to go for a headshot that covers more than 50% of the frame.
2. Answer “Who are You?” in one line
Your profile’s headline is a short 50-character self-description. It should highlight your key skills and align with the role you are applying for. It should feel original and should not look like you are trying to be someone else.
3. Time to Elaborate
The summary section is the space for explanation. Here you get a chance to describe yourself, your achievements, and your aspirations within 300-500 words. But being precise is still in the picture because people don’t have time to read exaggerated stories. You can be creative but it should give a clear picture about you to the readers.
4. Highlight your Achievements
The Featured Section on Linkedin is the right space to highlight your achievements, awards, publications, volunteer work, etc. This will enhance your profile and make you stand out. Hiring managers will get the idea that you are a person who goes out of their way to upskill themselves.
5. Recognition and Recommendation
If you have been recognized for your contributions, don’t feel shy to ask people to write a recommendation for you on LinkedIn. It is important to be appreciated by professionals on LinkedIn who have benefited from your skills and expertise. It is not only about your work contributions. People who appreciate you, notice your work ethic as well and that’s something hiring managers always look for. You can also pay back by writing a recommendation for them.
6. Skills Endorsement
Endorsement on LinkedIn is like getting a thumbs up from your connections for the skills you possess. It highlights your key areas of expertise. It has been seen that people with more endorsements have more chances of getting hired. Make sure your endorsed skills match the industry requirements.
7. Video speaks louder than words
Highlighting your professional activities with the help of a video will boost your personal brand. If you are attending a conference or speaking at one, make sure to document it well and share it on LinkedIn.
8. Be Active
As mentioned before, your LinkedIn profile is more reliable than your CV. So you need to be active on this platform for higher chances of getting hired. Share your written content or repost another post. What you share on LinkedIn gives a glimpse of your professional knowledge to the recruiters. When you repost someone else’s content, it is better to repost it with your thoughts because people need to know your perspective. Be part of different communities and groups and engage there as well.
Make sure to avoid clichés. Your posts should be original. If you are sharing a motivational post, please be genuine. Don’t forcefully try to portray yourself as a kind, sweet, and motivational human. The number of “I hired a candidate who was rejected 10 times before” posts is too many.
9. Come out of your Shell
LinkedIn being a professional social media platform requires engagement with others. So start engaging. It could be as simple as congratulating someone for their achievements or sharing your insights on a post. Commenting on a post and sharing your understanding will enable others to respond to you and start a meaningful interaction. Eventually, it will increase your knowledge and also help you build meaningful connections with other professionals.
Conclusion
In the process of building your LinkedIn profile and branding yourself as a potential candidate, the platform helps you learn and grow. It is one of the best places to learn the industry standards as you see experts from various fields sharing their insights. Not only do you get to read them, but you also have a space to comment and engage with these professionals. If the L'Oréal Paris tagline “5 Problems, 1 Solution” can be tweaked a little and made suitable for LinkedIn, it would be “4 Problems, 1 Solution”. Those 4 problems or areas of need are- Networking, Brand Building, Knowledge Sharing, and Recruitment. Not saying LinkedIn is the only stop, but surely a go-to place.
At Job Booster, keeping our LinkedIn page up-to-date is a must as we understand how important the platform is. The Job Booster Social India LinkedIn page makes it a point to post relevant industry blogs, videos, and interesting memes. Regularly posting relevant content has increased its followers from 4 to over 2000!
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