Your LinkedIn profile, which is essentially
your online resume, serves as a starting point for recruiters and hiring
managers to learn more about you. It's also a great link to include when
applying for new jobs or even new
business opportunities.
Take the advice from CNBC contributor Suzy
Welch: "If you maximize your LinkedIn profile, you may not be looking for
your next job. It could come find you."
Write a great summary
The summary section on LinkedIn is a great
place to showcase your achievements and professional’s goals. In fact,
recruiters consider it the most important section of your profile, according to
LinkedIn. "Use it as an opportunity to talk about your experience,
motivations, interests and skills," says Welch. "It matters."
Upload a good photo
According to LinkedIn, profiles that include a
photo are 21 times more likely to be viewed than those without one. They are
also nine times more likely to receive connection requests. opt for a
flattering, professional photo that best represents you. Skip ones that are
poorly cropped, low-resolution.
Add your location
You know what they say: location, location,
location. It seems simple, but it goes a long way. "Recruiters screen by
location," Welch says. "Leaving your location off leaves you out of
the running for a lot of jobs."
By adding your city or metro area to your
profile, you will boost your chances of being seen by 23 times, according to
LinkedIn.
Include your educational background
By adding your school or schools, hiring
managers and former classmates are more likely to find you in searches. In
fact, profiles with completed education fields receive 17 times more messages
from recruiters.
However, you may want to consider leaving off
your graduation year, which can signal your age to potential employers. "If you maximize your LinkedIn
profile, you may not be looking for your next job. It could come find
you." -Suzy Welch
Specify your industry
Each week, more than 300,000 people search
LinkedIn profiles by industry, the company says.
Listing the industry, you work in, or the one
you'd like to break into, helps you come up with
those recruiter searches. It also helps LinkedIn connect you with the right job
listings, events and trending articles.
List your current position
Having an outdated position on your LinkedIn
profile page looks bad to recruiters. They might think that because you haven't
updated it, you aren't active on the website and wouldn't return their message,
or even that you don't take your online professional presence seriously.
It only takes a minute, and it's a great way to
show your professional trajectory. Be sure to include your current title,
company and start date.
Don't forget to add your skills
Don't think of skills in strictly technical
terms, Welch suggests. If you have great negotiating or public speaking skills,
list them.
More employers are looking for people with soft
skills, so it can only help you. According to LinkedIn, you should include five
or more skills to showcase your different talents.
