Posted in Career Best Practices

Is Your LinkedIn Profile Costing You Job Opportunities?

Looking for a new job is hard work—but a compelling LinkedIn profile can make it easier! An optimized and up-to-date profile can get your name in front of hundreds—or more—of professionals in your industry, creating the opportunity to make valuable employment connections.

Review these 8 tips to create a LinkedIn profile that will help you connect with people who can advance your career:

Use a professional-looking photo.
Help recruiters and employers put a face to your name by adding a professional-looking headshot to your profile. If a creative photo fits your profession, then go for it. However, remember that LinkedIn is a professional platform, and your goal is to impress. Shoot for friendly, tidy, recent, and high-resolution.
Create a compelling headline.
Your headline is the first thing recruiters will read when they visit your profile. Use it to briefly and clearly convey relevant details about who you are. Use keywords relevant to your desired role to help employers who are searching by job title find your profile.
Write an engaging “About” summary.
Your summary appears right after your headline and is likely the next thing a recruiter will read. You don’t have to write your life story, but you should include your current job, years of experience in your field, relevant skills, passions, and what you do well and would bring to a potential employer.
Highlight your work experience.
Employers will want to know if you’re qualified for their roles. Include relevant work experience in this section and use action language to explain the impact you made and the results you delivered.
Ask for recommendations.
Social proof is a compelling way to show your value. Contact former bosses, clients, customers, and professional connections and ask them to leave a recommendation on your LinkedIn profile.
Complete your profile.
Profiles with the most fields filled out will appear first in searches. Explore all your options and complete as many as you can.
Use Keywords.
Make a list of keywords relevant to your industry and desired role. Then include them in your headline, summary, work experience, and skills sections to optimize your chances of appearing in recruiters’ searches.
Be active—but not too active.
LinkedIn is a networking site. To get the most out of it, you’ll need to interact by sharing content, joining groups, and liking, sharing, and commenting on your connections’ posts. However, don’t go overboard. Potential employers may notice if you spend so much time online it appears as if you’re never working.

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