LinkedIn & Maximising Your Profile
Did you know that LinkedIn now has over 900 million members on it platform with over 58 million registered companies?
And that for every minute that passes, 8 people have been hired into a new role that were found via LinkedIn!
Now that’s some impressive stats 🤯 and just shows the sheer impact that LinkedIn can have to helping you secure that next opportunity.
Regardless of what platform you are using for your job search, whether that be LinkedIn, Indeed, Reed, Otta, Wellfound, Monster, Glassdoor…(the list is endless), a complete LinkedIn profile not only will allow you to showcase your skills and experience to a wider network but also take some of the labour of job-hunting off from your plate.
How you ask?
Simple, by people like me 🙋🏾♀️!
Recruiters, Talent Professionals, Hiring Managers and anyone looking to build a team are constantly on LinkedIn searching, connecting and having conversation with people just like you!
So to make the most of us, I’ll be breaking down ways in which you can optimise your profile and have some inbound jobs land in your emails!
And if your in the group where your receiving too many messages from recruiters and getting overwhelmed, there are some simple additions you can make to highlight that you don’t want to be contacted. Look out for the ❌ in this article!
I will be using my own LinkedIn profile as an example and highlighting ways to tailor to your own skills & personality!
The First Glance
Profile Banner + Profile Pic + Heading Title
Your profile banner and profile picture are the first things people notice when they visit your profile. They create an instant visual impression of yourself, allow you to get abit creative to showcase your skills & personality.
Some top tips include:
Use a high-resolution profile picture
Customize your profile banner: The banner provides an opportunity to showcase your personal brand or highlight your expertise. Use visually appealing images that align with your professional goals or industry.
When it comes to the heading title, it appears below your name and is a concise statement that describes your professional identity.
To optimize this section and make it engaging and informative, you could:
Include relevant keywords: Incorporate keywords related to your industry, skills, and expertise to increase your visibility in LinkedIn searches.
Highlight your value proposition: Express what sets you apart and the value you bring to potential connections. Be specific and concise, focusing on your unique strengths and accomplishments.
Some examples of this could include highlighting any specific tech stack you enjoy working in or if there’s a particular industry you are interested about.
❌ Should you want to reduce the number of messages being sent to you, you could also use this heading space to write a short sentence/ phrase stating you do not wish to be contacted .eg. “Not open to opportunities”, “No Recruiters”, “Please, no InMails” etc.
About You Section
The About section is your opportunity to provide a summary of your professional journey, skills, aspirations as well as add your personality into your profile. No worries about writing a formal statement, writing in a style that is authentic to you and your way of speaking goes a long way with building a connection to anyone who lands on your page.
To optimize this section:
Craft a summary: Write a paragraph that encapsulates your professional background, key achievements, and future goals. Make it engaging and highlight your unique selling points/ areas of expertise.
Use bullet points and keywords: Break down your skills, expertise, and achievements into easy-to-read bullet points. Incorporate relevant keywords to enhance your profile's searchability.
Featured Section
The Featured section is a relatively new addition to LinkedIn that allows you to showcase your work. Use this section to include links to articles you've written, presentations you've given, or any other work that demonstrates your expertise. I always find it’s a great way to link any platforms where you usually showcase your skills, whether that’s twitter, instagram, github, medium. etc.
Optimizing this section can provide additional evidence of your skills and expertise:
Select your best work: Choose projects or articles that demonstrate your expertise and add value to your profile visitors. Highlight your most impressive accomplishments.
Add multimedia elements: Include visuals, such as images, videos, or anything that you are particularly proud of, to make your featured content more engaging and interactive.
Experience
Your previous experience section acts as a virtual resume, showcasing your professional history.
To optimize this section:
Highlight key accomplishments: Instead of merely listing job responsibilities, focus on your achievements and the impact you made in each role. Quantify results whenever possible.
Use action verbs to make your accomplishments concise and easy to read.
Skills
The skills section allows you to showcase your expertise and highlight your strengths.
To optimize this section:
Choose relevant skills: Select skills that align with your industry, job goals, and areas of expertise. Focus on core competencies that add value to your profile and may not have already been mentioned within your previous experience.
Seek endorsements: Encourage colleagues, clients, and connections to endorse your skills. Endorsements add credibility and validate your expertise.
References
If you’ve made to this point of the article and want to optimise your entire profile, then references will be that last added step to really cement your experiences and credibility.
The References section on LinkedIn allows others to vouch for your skills, work ethic, and professionalism. Positive references can significantly enhance your profile's credibility and attract more opportunities. Here's how to optimize this section:
Request references strategically: Reach out to colleagues, supervisors, or clients who have first-hand experience working with you and can speak positively about your abilities. Personalize your requests and provide context to make it easier for them to write a reference.
Be specific in your requests: When requesting a reference, highlight specific skills, projects, or achievements you would like them to mention. This helps them provide more targeted and impactful feedback.
Showcase diversity: Aim to gather references from various professional relationships, such as managers, clients, teammates, or mentors. This demonstrates your ability to work well with different individuals and in different settings.
Encourage details and examples: Ask your references to provide specific examples or anecdotes that highlight your strengths and achievements. This adds depth and authenticity to their recommendations.
Offer reciprocity: If appropriate, offer to provide references for your connections as well. Building a network of mutual support and recommendation can benefit everyone involved.
To summarise, optimizing your LinkedIn profile is can have a significant effect for expanding your professional network and showcasing your skillset effectively. By paying attention to each section, including the profile banner, profile picture, heading title, about section, featured section, previous experience, skills, and references, you can create a profile that attracts the right connections, opportunities AND is still true to you.
Taking it one step further, you can utilize the power of personal branding, keyword optimization, and visual elements to make a lasting impression on visitors to your LinkedIn profile. By investing time and effort into continuously updating and improving your profile, you will be able to align any inbound opportunities with your evolving professional goals.