LinkedIn: Creating a GREAT Profile

LinkedIn is one of the biggest professional platforms, with over 645 million self-reported users. It has a multitude of uses, from networking, building a personal brand, job hunting or marketing! Companies and individuals alike flock to the site every day, with an astounding 49 million people searching for jobs each week and 6 people being hired through LinkedIn every minute.

So why is it essential to spruce up your profile?

Well, if you’re looking for a job, it’s the place to be. 65% of recruiters use LinkedIn to search for candidates, most of which use your LinkedIn to vet who you are! Having a developed LinkedIn can act as a CV and create leads for loads of different companies.

LinkedIn is also a great place to network with like-minded individuals. Many people have found themselves redundant and turned to LinkedIn to look for help within their community and often enough find new opportunities!

So, now we’ve told you the importance of LinkedIn let’s get into how to make your profile shine!

 

Profile Picture and Header

Your profile picture is a snippet of who you are. Choosing the right one can be tricky! If you’re looking for a new job a more serious photograph might be more appropriate for potential hiring managers. A work photo or graduation picture often does the job.

If you’re wanting to come across as more personable, try a casual photo! A smile can show your friendly side and if you’re planning on creating helpful content this can be very effective in attracting interaction.

You can also add a header to your LinkedIn profile now. Some companies ask you to have a company-branded header to promote themselves. If you’re out of work or not asked to do this, you can use a picture of your city! Again, your header is personalised to you- try to make it fit into the theme of your profile.

 

Personal LinkedIn URL

You might not know but on LinkedIn you can create a personal URL that is visible when someone shares your profile. It might seem like a small thing but personalising your URL with your full name can tidy it up. This is especially effective if you plan to put your URL on CVs or other websites. It makes you identifiable and people will be confident following the link.

What to Include in a Succesful CV

Update Details

As previously said, LinkedIn can act as your CV so all your information should up to date. Add your previous work experience by using bullet points to explain projects and tasks you have worked on. It’s better to talk about projects rather than just listing skills as it shows employers and hiring managers your experience rather than just telling them.

You can also add your educational background and if you have any qualifications in your field. If an employer views your profile they will see if your experience aligns with their requirements, so don’t be shy!

If you’re actively looking for work you can add your email and phone number. This way recruiters can get in touch with you with any new opportunities.

 

6 Tips to Help your Job Search!

 

Endorsed Skills

A cool feature on LinkedIn is the endorsed section, where previous or current colleagues can confirm your skills. You can add a maximum of 50 skills to your profile with a range to choose from! There is something for everyone. Put your key skills into this section and see if any previous or current colleagues will endorse you. This is a great way to back up your experience.

 

Join a network

There are thousands of groups on LinkedIn for you to join. Using the search function use keywords to find any groups that might be interesting to you! Once you’re in you can begin engaging with the content and build your network. This is a great way to find professionals with the same interests as you. Interact with other people’s posts. This way they are more likely to interact with you.

 

Write Articles

The content you post on LinkedIn is extremely important. You want to create something engaging that will wrack up a lot of attention. At the moment the current trend is to push your brand by attaching ‘selfies’ of yourself. This usually creates more impressions and a higher like-to-view ratio.

A good way to create a personal brand is to create content that can be shared by others. This not only builds up a portfolio for yourself but encourages conversations which can lead to valuable connections. It also places you in the centre of many discussions and important topics, which can make you a reliable source.

 

Is Hybrid Here to Stay?

 

Get Active!

Once you’re all set up on LinkedIn and begin posting your content, get active! Using LinkedIn regularly can do wonders for your professional career. Interact with your connections’ posts and let people know your opinion on sector-relevant news. If you are consistent, you will soon see significant results! Good luck!

 

—

Connectment is a specialist recruitment consultancy based in the North East, operating globally. Our specialities span a range of sectors- check out our sector page to understand exactly what we do! If you’re looking to work with us, get in touch today.