How to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Earn You THAT Job

LinkedIn is more than just another social network. Many people are getting hired through LinkedIn today, making it one of your greatest assets if you want to land your dream job. Since 2002, professionals have used LinkedIn to network within and across industries, making it one of the best platforms you should invest in when looking for a job. Did you know that more than 85% of recruiters currently use LinkedIn to find candidates suitable for their job openings? 

Having the perfect profile, therefore, will give you a higher chance of getting shortlisted and hired. Many job seekers have a LinkedIn profile already. However, these are not appropriately optimized to help them achieve their goals. We will discuss a few practical tips herein that will go a long way in helping you make your LinkedIn profile earn you the job you seek.

The Risks of Ignoring LinkedIn Optimization

One of the common mistakes many people make is settling and ignoring their LinkedIn profiles, especially when they have a job and are not actively searching for a new one. You might meet a lot of people at networking events, but each time they see your profile, they are taken aback and might struggle to connect this to the fantastic personality they met at the event a few weeks ago.

In this case, you lose out on a lot of potential interviews or selections, especially from head hunters. Your profile should be active and engaging. It is the one place where you market yourself, so the first impression people get from your LinkedIn profile should sell you as an asset that will meet their needs.

Professional Photo

How many times have you come across profile photos of people taken at parties or with family members? If you are making this mistake, please reconsider. At this point, your profile photo should help you expand your connections on LinkedIn. 

You need to use LinkedIn as a professional platform, so profile photos that are suitable for Instagram or Facebook should not be featured on LinkedIn. As much as you are trying to show that you have a life outside your professional circle, this is not the place. Get a professional headshot or a shoulder-up photo that you would be comfortable with if your employer uploaded it on the company website.

Expanding Your Connections

There are different tiers of connections on LinkedIn, and you should know how to use them to your advantage. Try and reconnect with former colleagues. Having worked together, you have a lot in common, and since most of them are aware of how good you are, they could easily recommend you for your dream job. These are valuable connections that might not get you a job, but can undoubtedly strengthen your network.

Other than former colleagues, try and engage your peers in the industry. The shared job descriptions and experiences make it easier for you to relate on different fronts. This is another excellent opportunity for you to get credible leads, whether you are currently employed and looking to upgrade or if you are out of a job.

There are influencers in different industries today that engage people online for various reasons. Try and interact with such personalities online. Other than the influencers, consider interacting with key decision-makers in the industry too. It might call for a bit of research on your part, especially on the companies you wish to work for in the future. It will also help you get an insight into job openings before they are advertised, and even get you closer to key players in the industry.

Quality Engagement Online

Your LinkedIn profile is more than just a place where you go to accept connections and like posts. To get you closer to your dream job, you have to engage people online. These engagements will help you drive conversations that will keep the targeted parties thinking about your ideas and perspective. While on engagement, you should also be careful not to engage in topics that appear too controversial.

Engage in conversations that add value to you and the industry. This is usually something that many people find challenging to do. Besides, when you start commenting or engaging people in a forum, it is easy to get carried away. To make things easier, spare a few minutes a day just for LinkedIn. During this time, there is so much that you can do.

You can share an article that you read, which you feel adds value to the community. If you are in the finance sector, you can share something about expected trends over the coming weeks in the global markets. You can reach out to your connections and find out how they are doing. You can update your profile by posting a photo in a professional capacity, perhaps on a business trip or a gala you attended, completed with a witty caption. These are the things that drive attention towards your profile.

Using LinkedIn Groups

There are many groups on LinkedIn that can help you land THAT job. Within these groups, there are often conversations regarding developments in your industry, new job openings, and so on. Join these groups and try to follow organizations that are relevant to your career pursuits. Other than company groups, follow pages and groups set up by your alma mater so that you are always informed about current events around the institutions and networks you belong to.

If you have contributed to causes in the past, link yourself to pages affiliated with these causes. It is helpful as people within your network might be interested in sharing and learning more about your experience. Within LinkedIn groups, you can easily find other people who share similar backgrounds as yourself in terms of education, career choices, and aspirations.

Now you have the knowledge to get one step closer to that dream job. 

Go ahead and leverage the tips to improve your LinkedIn Profile!