When you’re on the job hunt, figuring out how to stand out among the crowd is key. There are many ways to accomplish this, including but not limited to, a creative resume, informational interviews and your LinkedIn profile.
If you’re a job seeker and do not have a LinkedIn (what are you doing?!) you should absolutely create one. Your profile is considered to be a “living” resume in that you can modify and update it constantly. While you still need a hard copy of your resume when applying to jobs, you can go into more detail on your LinkedIn and cater to many audiences.
While you should monitor your online presence and personal brand, especially in regards to social media, a properly managed LinkedIn can open doors to career opportunities you never thought were possible. To capitalize on these opportunities, we found some great LinkedIn profile tips for job seekers from our friends over at The Muse.
Put in the Time to Make It Awesome
As is the case with many things, if you put in the time and effort, your LinkedIn profile will reflect it. The more complete that your profile is will lead to better odds of being found when a recruiter is searching for candidates. However, you don’t just want a recruiter to see your profile and not engage further. Make sure your entire profile is completed, so when a recruiter finds you they can see your skills, previous work experience, etc. and determine if it fits with the role they’re looking to fill.
Get a Custom URL
What better way to stand out from the crowd than customization? When creating your LinkedIn account, you will be given a default URL with some combination of numbers (i.e. linkedin.com/1234567890). Luckily, you can edit your unique URL to something easier to remember, such as your name (linkedin.com/in/zacharyseybert). Not only will this help you remember the direct link to your own profile, but it is also easier for recruiters and colleagues to find.
Add Multimedia to Your Summary
Regardless of the industry you are in/are trying to enter, showing work examples in the form of multimedia goes a long way. A common phrase in writing is “show, don’t tell,” and it directly applies to this tip. Saying “I created custom images for company x,” is one thing, but if you include the actual images then it takes that fact a bit further and adds some credibility to your claim.
Add Projects, Volunteer Experiences or Languages
Building on the aforementioned point, you can include unique projects you were a part of at various job opportunities to show examples of your work. Additionally, by including different activities you are involved in, people who view your profile will be able to see how well-rounded you are. Do you speak Spanish? Be sure to include that! Anything that makes you more marketable to those in charge of hiring is something that you should include on your profile.
Be a Groupie
Looking to connect with others in your desired industry? One of the best resources LinkedIn offers comes in the form of “Groups.” Consider joining various groups of interest in order to network, contribute to various conversations, or even something you want to learn more about. Often times, various professional opportunities come down to “who you know, not what you know,” so by becoming a member of different groups, you have the chance to connect and network with other professionals with the same interests.
On the recruiting side, if you share a common group with someone looking to hire, you might stand out and have an increased chance of landing an interview!
Wrap Up
With employers increased use of social media during the hiring process, it is always quite surprising meeting someone who does not have a LinkedIn profile. On the other end of the spectrum, it is also surprising when someone who has a LinkedIn profile has nothing on the page other than their name and current city. As a job seeker, you want to be somewhere in the middle (have a LinkedIn profile WITH content on it). With these few tips (find the rest of them in the full article here), your LinkedIn presence will help you along your job seeking journey.
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