Pro Tips to Set Up LinkedIn Profile for Job Seekers

LinkedIn is an online application that helps businesses evolve and job seekers to get employed. Having a LinkedIn profile has become crucial in this era of rapid digitization because it gives you a professional online presence.

This application allows you to meet like-minded professionals who help you achieve your goals. To attract employers or recruiters on linked it, you must have an optimized profile.

Here are a few tips to help you in used LinkedIn to its full potential;

Custom URL

When you initiate your LinkedIn profile, you get assigned a URL. Which is a string of characters; hard to remember, let alone share.

To make your profile info easy to remember and access, you need a custom URL. You can edit your URL by clicking “Edit public profile & URL”.

The URL needs to be simple and easy to remember. Having a unique name makes it easy. But if you have a common name, you need to get creative. One way of doing this is by adding your certification to it.

For example, if Ms Parker Hill has a common name, she is most likely to pick “ParkerHill-CD” as the content developer. You can also add your middle name, age, birth year etc. the goal is, having a distinct and clean URL.

A custom URL should make it easy to share, find and read!

Be proactive

Never abandon your LinkedIn till an opportunity comes knocking, “That’s your number one way to start seeing more success on LinkedIn,” states Hallow – an active LinkedIn user. After becoming more active on LinkedIn, he saw skyrocketing responses: a 600% increase in his following and a 1000% increase in his profile views.

How can you be active?

Engage and communicate. Interactions can get done by posting, commenting, reacting and more. This stage is where you prove why companies should take note of you.

Opportunities do not get served to you on a silver platter; you need to be preset and show that you’re capable. It will also help you learn more about your line of work, job opportunities and further optimization.

If you design a graphic; post it, If you film a video; post it. And even if you write an article; post it. Your activity reflects who you are.

The LinkedIn profile branding specialist states, “To be successful, be proactive. Research the opportunities. Network with other people and develop a profile that showcases who you are, what you do, and shows why someone should take note of you.”

Network and grow!

LinkedIn is a well-known networking platform for job seekers. It doubles as a growing platform; when you network with people of your field and interest, it helps you grow professionally.

Linked in allows users to connect and build a network. You can also participate in groups where you meet people from a company you’re interested in or your profession; they help you grow and improve; they can also learn from you.

In a group, you stay up to date with the latest development in your field and get to hear different points of view on a topic.

Networking will allow you to connect with future employers; who can guide you through the application processes and update you on open positions.

Use Keywords

Keywords are an insight into who you are and why the audience visit your profile. Vehicle picking keywords you should consider what your employer will seek.

You can get ideas by seeking other seniors in your profession and viewing their profiles. What is the one-liner that will tell whether “you’re fit for the job”.

Using keywords is not enough; you need to know how to use them as well.

For example: if you were to write “experienced” in your bio, the employer would ask themselves,” experienced in what?”.

The statement does not explain anything about your skills or you and is very vague. So if you are applying as a database manager, go with “experienced in SQL.”

Once you figure out the right keywords, add them everywhere; in your experience, summary, headline, skills and drop them in conversations.

Show off those skills

Do not be afraid to show off your skills; if you scream loud enough, someone is bound to hear you

Include your skills in every section. It is your way to show who you are and what you are capable of; do not let them waste away in the “skills and endorsement” section.

Another great piece of advice is to show your skills in action! Make a portfolio and attach it to your profile. Let your recruiter know how important you are for their brand.

You can add up to 50 skills in LinkedIn, but when your name pops up, only 3 are visible. Make sure those three are your most important assets.

Do not add soft skills! If You are a Content Writer, and one of your top three skills says “English”, even when you post your work, this is not necessary. It is recommended to use different tools or software you have used for the top 3.

Linked not only lets you show off your skills but assists you in polishing them and even picking up new ones. LinkedIn learning is a new feature to allow you access to professional courses so you perform better.

Your completed courses will get automatically displayed on your profile.

Prove yourself as a presentable candidate.

Recommend, Forward

Recommendations are a significant boost to your profile. They allow professionals to view how valued you are by other professionals.

They are a form of a reference letter. Recommendations build up your credibility and give insight into how you are in a professional setting.

They add social proof to your profile and exhibit your networking values. They show how you are/were as an employee as well.

How do you get recommendations?

One way to get recommendations is to give them. If your coworkers, former employee or current employee require a reference, help them out; they’re most likely to reciprocate.

Another way is to ask for recommendations. When you work for someone, they usually give you a recommendation letter before you leave, but don’t be afraid to ask your boss.

Your coworkers’ reviews of you matter the most since they are the ones seeing you at work first-hand.

Look the Part

Your profile picture matters!

It is a display of who you are, which is why you should never skip your photo. Statistics show that people with a profile image are 21% more likely to get profile visits and 9% more likely to receive a connection request.

However, you cannot decide on just any image. You need to look the part. Dress professionally; a suit and tie aren’t necessary; any button-up gets the job done. The background needs to be white or any plain light color; this will show your face more clearly and better.

Get the lighting right. No one will click on someone who is barely visible, people want to know optimum information about who they hire. A good image allows them to be interested in you as a person.

Once you upload, you should take up at least 60% of the image. If you want to get creative with your profile picture, show yourself doing an activity or indulging in a hobby like painting, pottery, photography etc.

Interests make your interesting

Adding your interests are your chance to add more personality int your profile. Talk about what you enjoy outside of work; no one likes a workaholic. This section makes you look relatable, and people are more likely to approach you.

Interests are also the secret to getting posts you’ll enjoy. It builds access for you to be a part of the community which interests you.

Always type in first person

Sticking to first-person intros is essential since it proves your confidence and what you think of yourself.

When you type in the third person, it will make you seem reserved and less confident. And recruiters will believe that someone else wrote it for you.

Being confident is significant when it comes to business because it’s never a one-person job.

Example: “Jacob is a hard worker.”, this will attract nobody, and it feels as if you’re reading a story. “I am a hard worker”, shows how much you believe in yourself and proves your confidence and power.

Invest! Upgrade to paid

If you desire to be regarded more seriously and stand out, a premium account is an investment for you.

Once you go premium, a membership badge will be on display on your profile. This indicates how seriously you take your profession. More recruiters will feel compelled to reach out.