Whether you’re actively looking for that next career move or are passively searching, if used well LinkedIn can form an important part of your job search.
How important is my LinkedIn profile?
Reportedly, having a good LinkedIn profile can boost your chances of an interview by a staggering 71%.
The most important part of LinkedIn is your profile. Anyone looking for you will be able to get a good idea about your skills, employment information and recommendations from your profile. If complete it can even get you in the top ranking for a Google search.
Consider it your Online CV
What better way to promote your skills to recruiters and potential employers than providing all the information you would usually provide on a CV on your profile. Gaining ‘Recommendations’ adds credibility to your statements for recruiters who are looking for that additional reason to consider you for their vacancy and act as a ready made reference.
Be professional
Everything you add to LinkedIn should be of professional nature including your photo. A headshot is best, representing you in a business not social pose if possible.
Optimise your profile to be found in a search
Use the ‘Professional Summary’ to give a round up of your skills. Make sure you select an industry, as this is part of the search criteria, and add a headline as it appears at the top of the page when your profile is viewed. Make use of keywords and skills from your CV to increase chances of being found in a search.
Get connected
By growing your network by connecting with credible contacts rather than people you don’t know will increase your chances of recruiters finding you and ultimately open up more opportunities.
Understand the differences
Whilst LinkedIn is a part of your job hunting strategy, it is not a replacement for your CV. As Emma Alkirwi, CV and LinkedIn Expert, explains:
Both CVs and LinkedIn profiles have their place and can be very effective as long as they are used correctly.
For a consideration of the differences and how you can optimise both, click here.
Use LinkedIn to Search for Jobs
Recruiters and employers not only use LinkedIn as a place to search for candidates, it’s also somewhere for them to advertise current opportunities so why not use it as part of your job search.
We use LinkedIn as part of our recruitment process along with other social media sites and all the major job boards. So it’s important to bear this in mind when job hunting. Don’t be tempted to put all your eggs in one basket and hope that by using LinkedIn you will be inundated with job offers, of course this isn’t the case. Proactively use the job boards and register your CV with agencies that specialise in your area of expertise to maximise your job search and career prospects.
Click here for a guide to building a killer LinkedIn profile to complement your CV.
