Mastering LinkedIn: A guide for professionals
Mastering LinkedIn: A guide for professionals
Mastering LinkedIn: A guide for professionals
LinkedIn is an incredibly important tool for professionals in all kinds of jobs. It’s a social networking site just for professionals to connect, share ideas, and find job opportunities. There are over 700 million people on LinkedIn worldwide, so it’s a huge pool of talent and resources for both people looking for jobs and for companies looking to hire.
In this blog, we will explore how you can optimise your LinkedIn profile to stand out from the crowd and maximise your chances of landing your dream job.
Getting started: Making a great profile
When searching for new talent, whether you’re part of a hiring team, a recruiter, or just reconnecting with old colleagues, the first thing you do is usually a search on LinkedIn. But if your profile isn’t well put together, you might not get approached about job opportunities—or you might get approached for jobs that aren’t a good fit for you.
Overall themes for improving your profile
Optimise your profile using the right keywords
To make sure people can find your profile when they’re looking for someone with your skills, you need to use the right keywords. Think about the skills and qualifications recruiters might search for and include those words in your profile. Put them in your headline, summary, work experience, and skills section. This will make it easier for employers and recruiters to find you. You should also replicate this task across your CV.
Use data points to show what you’ve achieved
Instead of listing your job responsibilities, explain what you achieved in each role using stats and data points. For example, instead of saying “Managed a team of sales representatives,” say “Led a team of 10 sales representatives and increased monthly revenue by 20%.” Showing what you’ve accomplished helps you stand out from other candidates. This type of detail is often left out of LinkedIn profiles so getting this right will help you stand out from the competition.
Add pictures and videos to your profile
You can make your profile more interesting by adding pictures and videos. You can include things like presentations or portfolios to show off your work. Adding visuals helps people get a better idea of what you can do and breaks up your profile, helping it stand out from the norm.
Optimising your profile
Get the profile picture right
Your profile picture is the first thing people see when they look at your profile, so make sure it’s a good one. Use a clear, well-lit photo where you look friendly and approachable. Dress appropriately for your job and make sure your face is easy to see. Avoid using pictures that aren’t professional.
Be unique in your headline
Your headline is the brief statement that appears below your name on your LinkedIn profile. Instead of simply stating your job title, use this space to highlight your unique value proposition and capture the attention of recruiters. For example, instead of “Marketing Manager,” you could write “Experienced Marketing Professional | Expert in Digital Strategy and Brand Development.”
Change Your URL to match your keywords
You can customise your LinkedIn profile URL to include the important keywords that you inserted into your LinkedIn profile in an above step. This makes your profile look more professional and makes it easier for people to find you in search results.
Set your profile to public
To make sure potential employers can find you, make sure your LinkedIn settings are set to allow public viewing. Make sure your profile, summary, work experience, and skills are visible to anyone who searches for you.
Turn ‘Open to work’ on
LinkedIn has a feature called “Open to Work” that lets recruiters know you’re looking for a job. Turning on this feature increases your chances of being approached with job offers.
Complete the About section
The “About” section on your LinkedIn profile provides an opportunity to give potential employers a deeper understanding of who you are as a professional. Craft a compelling summary that highlights your unique skills, experiences, and aspirations. Use this section to demonstrate your expertise, values, and career goals. Be concise yet descriptive and use keywords that are relevant to your industry.
This section is often left blank which is a huge opportunity to make an impact on a hiring manager or recruiter missed.
Show off your work experience
When you list your past jobs, give a detailed description of what you did. Use bullet points to highlight your achievements and include details like the companies you worked for, your job titles, and how long you worked there. Use this section to give potential employers a clear understanding of your work history and why they should hire you.
As mentioned in the key principles section, make sure you give good detail and outcomes when discussing previous jobs you’ve held. For example:
- What makes you good?
- What has been the direct effect of your work?
- Use data reference points, or impact statements, to illustrate how great you are – drove sales by x, improved NPS by y, reduced churn by z, etc.
- What are you most proud of and what data reference points illustrate it.
Add Your education and skills
Include your education, including degrees and notable achievements. You can also include any relevant and recent training and development courses that you have undertaken. Remember to add skills you have on your profile – this helps employers see what experience you have – and its very quick and easy to do.
Ask for recommendations
This is a very underutilised section of LinkedIn and one which can significantly enhance your credibility and showcase your expertise. Ask people you’ve worked with, including your previous boss, agencies you’ve worked with and previous colleagues to write a recommendation for you, clearing outlining your skills, performance and work ethic. This helps show that you’re good at what you do.
Growing your network
Join LinkedIn groups
LinkedIn groups are communities of professionals who share similar interests or belong to the same industry. Joining relevant groups enables you to connect with like-minded individuals, engage in discussions, and expand your network. Participate actively in group conversations, share valuable insights, and contribute meaningfully to establish yourself as an industry expert.
Follow hashtags
LinkedIn allows you to follow hashtags related to your industry or interests. By following relevant hashtags, you can discover and engage with posts and articles that align with your professional goals. This helps you stay updated on industry trends, gain valuable insights, and connect with individuals who share similar interests.
Engage with content
Use LinkedIn’s search function to find posts and articles related to topics you’re interested in. Like, comment, and share these posts to show that you’re engaged in your field. You can spend as little as 10 minutes a day doing this, particularly if you are trying to engage with one person in particular. Show you are interested in their profile and comments by quickly engaging with them.
Post regularly
Posting regularly on LinkedIn helps you build your personal brand and get noticed by recruiters, employers and other professionals in your field. Aim to post at least twice a week, sharing industry news, articles, or updates about your work.
Tag influencers
When sharing content on LinkedIn, consider tagging influencers or industry leaders who are relevant to your post. This can help increase the visibility of your content and attract their attention. If they engage with your post by liking or commenting, it can expand your reach and potentially lead to new connections and job opportunities.
Analysing your profile
LinkedIn provides users with analytics and measurements to track the performance of their profiles. These insights offer valuable information about the reach and engagement of your content, as well as the demographics of your audience. Regularly reviewing these analytics can help you understand which types of posts resonate with your audience, refine your content strategy, and make informed decisions about optimising your profile. It is recommended to review these metrics on a monthly or quarterly basis to ensure your LinkedIn presence is aligned with your professional goals.
Conclusion
Optimising your LinkedIn profile is important if you want to stand out to employers. By following the tips in this guide—like using keywords, showcasing your achievements, and growing your network—you can increase your chances of finding your dream job. Don’t forget to keep track of how your profile is doing and make changes as needed.
Adrian Lawrence FCA with over 25 years of experience as a finance leader and a Chartered Accountant, BSc graduate from Queen Mary College, University of London.
I help my clients achieve their growth and success goals by delivering value and results in areas such as Financial Modelling, Finance Raising, M&A, Due Diligence, cash flow management, and reporting. I am passionate about supporting SMEs and entrepreneurs with reliable and professional Chief Financial Officer or Finance Director services.
