Make A LinkedIn Profile That Stands Out

As a potential candidate for a competitive job, you can be 100 percent sure that whoever is considering hiring you will also be scoping out your social media presence. That includes Googling you, checking your Facebook and Twitter activity, and above all, looking you up on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn has become the go to outlet for professional networking. If you are not already on LinkedIn, you should be. LinkedIn is more than just an online profile. It’s an online resume builder, job search tool, and community builder. Recommendations on LinkedIn from past employers or co-workers make you look that much better to recruiters. In fact, headhunters and HR staff are relying on LinkedIn more and more to find and make decisions about new hires.

Now the question is, what can you do to make your LinkedIn Profile stand out from the crowd? Read on to find out.

Start with the Basics

A standard (free) LinkedIn profile is really all you need to reap the benefit of the professional networking site. But make sure that you flesh out your profile with fascinating bits of information that make you seem real, personable, interesting, and qualified. Make sure your resume is up-to-date and well rounded. Include any websites or blogs that you are involved with or mentioned in. Update your profile periodically with relevant status updates. Don’t forget to include a nice head shot. People don’t hire resumes, they hire people.

It’s All About the Headline

Consider the headline an opportunity to create your own professional tagline. It should give your readers a quick idea of who you think you are, strongly and concisely. Keep it short and to the point. Don’t feel that you are limited to your current or previous job title either. Readers will see that in your career history below. Rather, think of your headline as your brand, or your slogan. A LinkedIn headline is a hook. Make sure that you’re fishing for the right recruiters by including a well-crafted, clear, and intentional headline.

Optimize Your Summary

The bulk of your profile is located in the summary. This is what recruiters will read to figure out who you are professionally, and it’s also where search engines get the same information. Don’t let the idea of optimizing your summary to be “search engine friendly” scare you too much. Simply take some time to put yourself in a recruiters shoes. What keywords would they be searching for if you wanted them to find you? Be sure to include those keywords in your summary. Avoid overloading on keywords though, because you still want your summary to read like a novel, not a dictionary.

Avoid These Costly Mistakes

Don’t pad your resume. The fact that co-workers and employers can see your profile means you need to stay honest. Think about who you are accepting as a connection. Networking is definitely a good thing, accepting invitations from people you don’t know might not be such a good idea. Lastly, make sure your LinkedIn profile is public. Recruiters can’t find you if search engines can’t find you.

Sentech Services, a top staffing agency in Michigan, can help businesses find job candidates who are willing to be great team members. Contact us today to get started!

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