Why should I have a good LinkedIn profile?
LinkedIn is different from other social media networks as it’s a place where you promote yourself or your business to be found. Employers and recruiters can find you when they are looking to recruit similar skills to yours and customers can find you if they are looking to purchase your products or services. If you also have a good LinkedIn profile full of keywords it can also help your SEO and people will find you on google.
A good profile will be a summary of your CV, your work history, education and recommendations and endorsements. A poor profile will go unnoticed by employers and recruiters and you may not appear in search results but it can also give off a negative impression – as the saying goes “dress to impress”.
Who will be looking at my profile?
Like a good CV your profile needs to appeal to your audience, so if you are looking for a new job or promoting your company or product, you need to consider “keywords”
The correct use of keywords means you will appear or rank higher in search results when HR professionals or hiring manager go looking for you.
Keywords can also help you rank higher on Google and even direct traffic to your website.
Where do I find these keywords?
Check out job ads for jobs similar to yours. Job titles vary from organisation to organisation.
For example, a Design Engineer may also be called Product Development Engineer or Mechanical Engineer. Here you will start to see a pattern of words and phrases that will help you to appear higher in search rankings.
Profile pictures are they important?
Of course, “ a picture paints a thousand words” A nice friendly picture is inviting and will help people warm to you. If possible get a professional picture taken. Make sure its in focus and professional looking but if you want to show you have a passion for something or want to have a similar picture to your peers in your industry that’s ok too.
Achievements
On your CV you should always list your achievements whether it’s hitting your targets or goals, winning a large project or gained promotion. LinkedIn should be no different, employers want to hear about these and customers want to know that you are successful.
Be yourself and authentic
As with interviews, you should always be positive and if you are happy to share some personal stuff, do it will resonate with your network
RECRUITERS, RECRUITERS, RECRUITERS
Almost all recruiters I know use LinkedIn to source candidates. We have been trained on how to search profiles on LinkedIn and LinkedIn promotes their technology in order for us recruiters sift through profiles to find the right candidates. This in mind, your profile should be written with both LinkedIn’s algorithms and recruiters tricks of the trade so they can find you.
Use the key areas of your headline, past and present job titles, profile summary, and work experience to demonstrate your skills and make sure to include keywords in these areas. Think about it and job may require a Health & Safety Officer who has worked in Construction to hold a NEBOSH Certificate in Construction /and Environmental Engineer with a Masters from Queens.
So recruiters will use the key areas of work experience and education to find you.
Don’t lie
Goes without saying…
If I receive a CV first place I go to is to cross reference the applicants LinkedIn profile and if it doesn’t match I walk away.
Build your network
Connect with people, connect with your peers, join groups with similar interests. LinkedIn now allows you to share video, presentations and slideshows, photos and links from other social media platforms. Use these to help your profile get noticed. You can also demonstrate to your network that you know stuff or are a “bit if an expert”. People may reach out looking advice or help, so it’s good to be active on the platform and it’s a way to network from the comfort of your couch or on the bus to work