You’ve already joined the popular job site, so what now? The experts let us in on how to network your way to the top with LinkedIn.
There are now more than 875-million people on the career networking website LinkedIn. Chances are high you’re one of them. Hands up if you, like many others, created an account only to click around for a while before hearing the sound of crickets and then switching back to Superbalist?
Having an incomplete Linkedin profile is like not preparing for a job interview, says Samuel Day, the managing director of corporate training consultancy Happening People and a LinkedIn guru. ‘Just like in an interview, you shouldn’t sell yourself short on LinkedIn,’ explains Day.
‘A profile can provide a recruiter or prospective employer with much more detail about a candidate’s skills, industry relationships, expertise and achievements.’ Just ask 24-year-old public relations officer Elizabeth.
After enquiring about a job she’d heard of through word-of-mouth, Elizabeth was immediately asked to send through her CV — but it wasn’t up to date. ‘Luckily, I had kept my LinkedIn account current so I sent through the link to my profile,’ she recalls.
‘I was asked to come in for an interview that evening and was offered the job at 8am the next day.’ So, are you ready to up your chances of scoring that dream job? Ready, set, link!
Creating The Perfect Profile
Christine Khor, the managing director at Chorus Executive, is a recruiter who uses LinkedIn to source talented professionals. She has also written a book and blog about career health and well-being. We asked her what she looks for in a profile:
1. Use a professional picture
Photos need to be professional and up to date. A picture from 15 years ago or a blurry shot is not the best look.
2. State your selling points
Use the tagline under your name to summarise the way you want potential employers to see you. Recruiters look for clarity in a LinkedIn profile and need to see candidates’ selling points quickly.
3. Get recommendations
They say that you are ‘judged by those who you know’ and the same can be said for LinkedIn. Recommendations are very useful, especially if they come from credible people and show authenticity.
4. Less is more
It’s tempting to link everyone you’ve ever worked with to your profile, but your network needs to be about quality, not quantity. It’s a reflection of you and your professionalism, so keep it focused.
5. Include promotions
Individuals who can show progress within an organisation stand out as they demonstrate they are promotable and open to learning opportunities.
6. Make your experience clear
The best profiles on LinkedIn clearly explain the company they work or worked for, what their role is or was, and their key responsibilities and achievements while employed at that organisation. Keep it concise but don’t skimp on the details — you want to explain how and why every step has prepared you for this moment.
Now Keep It Going
Your profile is up and running — so what do you do next? Samuel Day has five pointers on how to keep your profile relevant:
1. Update your profile regularly
A completed profile will help it come up at the top of results for your name on search engines and on LinkedIn, so it’s a great way to be found by recruiters.
2. Keep boosting your connections
Think old colleagues, people you may know or want to network with, and reach out. However, go for quality over quantity — irrelevant contacts will only congest your news feed with useless information.
‘HAVING AN INCOMPLETE LINKEDIN PROFILE IS LIKE NOT PREPARING FOR A JOB INTERVIEW’
3. Maintain an active profile
Ensure your profile remains current by sharing content and connecting with like-minded professionals. But remember LinkedIn isn’t Facebook, so always keep it professional.
4. Join LinkedIn groups
Click on the Groups tab and enter keywords related to your industry, for example ‘young women in marketing’. Start or participate in discussions to help build your profile as an expert and make contacts.
5. Get new recommendations
Ask former colleagues or managers (the more well-known or respected in your industry, the better) to recommend you and your skills to strengthen your profile.
Words by Aremediasyndication.com.Au/Magazinefeatures.Co.Za
Photography: Adobe Stock
