Clients ask me I every day about the importance of LinkedIn. Can I really find a job through that site? Does it really matter what I post? Should it be different from my paper resume? The resounding answer is yes, yes, yes!
1) Pictures! Let’s be honest…we are human right? If you were hiring someone for a job and were tasked with making an initial selection for the VP of your company to interview, wouldn’t you want to know ahead of time whether that person had green hair? I always say that job searching is very similar to dating, and this is a great example of that. Grab a great shot of yourself, preferably smiling and with no one else in the background, and start attracting employers with your great credentials and warm, professional appearance.
2) A Headline that summarizes your personal brand. Yes, LinkedIn will automatically default to your current title. Ask yourself though…how much does your title really encapsulate who you are? I was an Advertising Manager for four years. The amount of time I spent really focused on Advertising was probably 25%. The remainder was spent on processes and procedures, organizational planning, talking to people about what was working. Use your headline to promote yourself. That’s what hiring managers see in search results next to your picture (See #1 for reasons why you have one posted) so make it count!
3) Skills and Expertise. What happened to the specialities box on LinkedIn? Who cares!! The new endorsable Skills section is AWESOME!! While reco’s are still important, let me tell you, it’s a lot easier and likely that someone will endorse you for a skill than write a recommendation. And as someone who writes for a living, there’s a reason many people pay for writing. It sound harsh, but it can really divert the attention from your brand when you have a poorly written, over generalized, lackluster recommendation. Plus, LinkedIn’s algorithms LOVE these new skills, and they really help boost your rank.
4) A Current Position. Unemployed? Still need a current position! LinkedIn really likes profiles that are 100% complete. They are much more likely to get shown than those that are not. What to do if unemployed? Use it to your advantage. Company: a dynamic organization. Title: Currently seeking a Director of Marketing position. Done, done, and done!
5) An Honest Recommendation. Yes, you can go around recommending people in the hopes that they recommend you back. However, it’s really not the same as getting an honest to goodness reco from someone who knows, appreciates, and WANTS to endorse your work.
LinkedIn is the wave of the future. It’s not going anywhere. Trust me, I’m typically a late adopter (just got an iPhone last year). Do yourself a favor and update your profile. Check for typos, network like crazy, and get yourself connected.