Tailoring your LinkedIn profile and keeping it updated may seem like a daunting task, but maintaining an informative profile is an invaluable way to get noticed by potential recruiters, employers or collaborators. To help tackle this task, I’ve compiled some of the best tips for managing your profile so that you can utilize your LinkedIn in order to get noticed by potential connections and make a great first impression:
Connect with Recruiters
One of the best resources LinkedIn can offer is the option to connect with recruiters in your industry. When looking for a new job, proactively reach out to recruiters either by finding their contact info on their LinkedIn profile, or by sending them a connection request with a personalized message. Explain in your initial contact with a recruiter that you are looking for new roles and that you would love to connect to discuss potential opportunities.
Respond to Recruiters – Even if you are not looking for new opportunities
Even if you are currently happy in your current position, you should never ignore a recruiters request to discuss potential opportunities, or worse yet, give them a rude response. While you may have no intention of changing jobs currently, you never know what the future holds and you could find yourself looking for a job and wishing you had kept in touch with that recruiter who reached out to you. The best policy is always to answer politely and honestly – let them know that you would love to work with them in the future should your current job situation ever change. It’s a great way to start a relationship and have a head start should something change with your current job situation.
When reaching out to a connection on LinkedIn: Don’t neglect their contact policy
Whether you are sending a message to a recruiter, a potential employer, or someone you admire in your industry who you’d love to form a working relationship with, make sure you always check that person’s contact policy on their profile. While some people may accept messages on LinkedIn, a lot of people include email addresses to directly connect with them or may have specific instructions on how to best reach them. It’s best to check someone’s personal preferences on contacting them so you can show that you have paid attention to the details of their profile.
Editing your profile: Know how much information to include
It’s imperative to not post too much or too little to your LinkedIn. It’s great to include a concise personal summary to quickly recap your career so that anyone looking at your profile can quickly get a sense of your background. However, be sure to not be too superfluous- avoid writing an autobiography about yourself. It’s a fact that people lose interest quickly and you can lose your audience’s attention if you’re too lengthy. As far as your work experience goes, after including your company and title, it’s best to include a brief description of the responsibilities associated with your role – maybe one or two bullet points or an example of some clients you worked with. Think concise but informative; a snapshot of your career that won’t bore your potential connections.
If you want people to connect with you: Make your contact information readily available
If you are open to being contacted by recruiters, potential employers, or potential collaborators in order to further your career – it’s imperative that you include your contact information in your LinkedIn profile. Don’t leave it up to people having to search high and low for your contact information because that’s one way for a potential connection to become disinterested and give up on contacting you. Depending on your profession, if you have projects that showcase your work – it’s also helpful to include a link of any portfolio or personal website you may have in order to allow people to see the caliber of your work and encourage them to reach out to you.
While it may seem like an intimidating task to perfect and manage your LinkedIn profile, remembering these easy steps can help to keep your profile in tip top shape and help attract potential connections in your industry!