As of March 2021, there were more than 740 million active users on LinkedIn. Today, it is one of the top social media platforms, especially for professionals looking to market their brands, establish themselves as industry thought leaders, and network. According to research, nearly two-thirds of users trust LinkedIn to protect privacy and data, compared to around half of Facebook users.
Want to know more? According to LinkedIn, 40% of users change their job, company, or industry every four years. But updating your LinkedIn profile really shouldn’t stop there. Having a user-friendly, complete, and engaging profile will get you noticed by recruiters and hiring managers!
Here are several ways to be sure your LinkedIn profile gets you noticed.
Don’t throw up something you would also likely use for your Facebook profile pic. Your LinkedIn profile picture should be similar to a headshot. Make sure your face is framed and fills more than half of the circle, and you’re dressed professionally. Don’t forget to smile! And it doesn’t hurt to refresh that photo with a new one a few times a year.
That headline spot doesn’t just have to be your job title! Sure, you could put it there, but are there better words you could use to describe yourself and your skills? Take a look at some of your industry colleagues and what their headlines say.
On a similar note, think really hard about your summary. The best profiles tell a story. This is a very personal space. Tell the viewer about you, your experience and skills, your passions and dreams, etc.
As we have talked about in other blogs, when you are filling in your job history, don’t forget keywords that will help you show up in searches by recruiters and companies looking to hire. For example, recruiters in the restoration industry often do searches for things like “Xactimate” or “IICRC”, or phrases like “restoration AND construction”. If you’re a skilled Xactimate writer, but just have “Estimator” in your profile, we will probably find you eventually, but you’ll get lost in the shuffle for a while.
Seriously do yourself a favor and avoid clichés. LinkedIn named these 10 words as being the most overused in profiles, therefore decreasing their value: specialized, leadership, focused, strategic, experienced, passionate, expert, creative, innovative, and certified.
Don’t be afraid to add people to your network! The most you add, the better suggestions LinkedIn will be able to make for you to connect with other relevant people.
These are just a few ways to make your LinkedIn profile stand out! Just like your resume, the better your profile, the more you’ll get noticed.
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