Searching for jobs today looks a lot different than it did 10, 20 years ago. Back then, job applicants would either take a resume or job application and mail it back or hand it in to an owner or manager.
Now, with professional platforms like LinkedIn, employers are able to scout out prospective employees easier than ever and before actually even meeting them. Because of this, it’s crucial to know how to create a profile that impresses hiring teams and recruiters. According to LinkedIn data, 44% of hirers on LinkedIn explicitly use skills data to fill their roles, and eight people are hired every minute on the platform.
Follow these steps to create a Recruiter-approved LinkedIn profile to set yourself up for success during your job search.
1. Use a high-quality headshot.
One of the quickest ways you can make a good impression on someone with your LinkedIn profile is to use a high-quality headshot. Not only that, but statistics show that LinkedIn members with a photo receive 21 times more profile views and 9 times more connection requests than those without a photo.
This doesn’t mean you have to go out and pay someone to take it for you, either— a nice headshot can be easily taken on an iPhone (the latest models have the highest quality cameras) perched on a shelf or with a tripod. By getting yourself polished and dressed sharply and taking a warm and welcoming photo of yourself, you are helping to leave a lasting first impression on those who come across your page.
2. Write a catchy headline.
Your headline is the line of text that is positioned right below your name on your LinkedIn profile and is the first thing that profile visitors read. LinkedIn’s default settings will auto populate this with your current position, and while that’s okay for starters, you have 120 characters to craft up something that pops and allows you to stand out— so why not write something that will give you a leg up?
3. Don’t underestimate the power of your summary.
A good LinkedIn summary has the power to stop potential employers in their tracks. The short bio that summarizes all of your information into a digestible, conversational snippet to describe who you are and what you do will help you stand out from the crowd and allows your personality to shine through.
Your bio should communicate to hiring managers and recruiters that you are an interesting, hard-working, and reliable professional who would make a great addition to their team. A few suggestions we have to grab a reader’s attention include:
- Keep it conversational. A professional LinkedIn summary doesn’t need to be stiff and stilted— write in first person as if you were introducing yourself in an interview. Soft skills such as communication are incredibly important in most jobs, so showcasing this in your summary can help with showing this and increase your chances of being contacted.
- Be clear and concise. Since it is a summary, you will want to get clear on what it is you want to get across. If a reader gets to the end of your bio and are confused about what you have to offer, your summary isn’t doing its job. We recommend having a friend or colleague read over your summary to make sure that its detailed yet to-the-point.
- Touch on your motivations and expectations. This will help recruiters and hiring managers understand what you are looking for when it comes to your career, as well as what you expect to gain from it.
4. Keywords, keywords, keywords.
Including relevant keywords on your profile is one of the most important practices for making your LinkedIn profile stand out. To choose the right keywords for your profile, we suggest conducting a search of job descriptions attached to open positions in your field that you are interested in. What skills and duties are cited the most? Do you have experience with those skills/duties? If so, make sure to include those specific words and phrases throughout your profile where they fit effortlessly.
Keyword are important because hiring managers and recruiters search for people with these specific skills, and by entering in these keywords, profiles that fit the search criteria appear at the top. So, if you want to make yourself more visible to recruiters and others hiring for positions you are interested in, keywords are a must!
5. Highlight your experience.
While this one may seem obvious, be sure to keep in mind that internet readers frequently have short attention spans. Include and jobs that you deem relevant where you want your career to go along with two to four interesting and impressive, keyword-dense bullet points for each job you include. This is also a great place to show what you accomplished in each position and demonstrate the impact you’ve made in previous roles.
6. Don’t be afraid to get active.
LinkedIn isn’t just an online resume— it’s a networking site. To make the most out of it, you are going to want to be active. Check out what other people are posting, engage with posts you find insightful, like and share posts that catch your eye, etc.
Another great way to be active on LinkedIn is to regularly post professional, informative, and relative content. Marketing yourself as an expert in your field and staying on top of new developments in your industry will allow others who may be interested in the same topics to come across your page.
We hope this was a helpful start for anyone looking to make the most out of their LinkedIn profile and start getting seen by recruiters and the hiring managers for roles you are interested in. To learn more about how you can stand out during the hiring process, be sure to check out our previous post with expert insights from Director of Recruiting, Emily Rickson-Astry, and get in touch with Q Consulting in Minneapolis today with any questions.