LinkedIn is a powerful tool that can help you find a job, or advance in your current career. But, like any tool, it needs to be used correctly to be effective. Here are 9 tips to make sure your LinkedIn profile is job ready:
1. Use a professional photo
This may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people use photos that are not professional. Your profile photo should be a close up of your face, and should be well lit. If you don’t have a professional headshot, ask a friend to take a nice photo of you with your smartphone.
2. Optimize your headline
Your headline is the first thing people see when they visit your profile, so make sure it’s attention grabbing. If you struggle with ideas for your headline, you can use a LinkedIn headline generator to help you. Make sure to use keywords that describe what you do, and include your job title or desired job title.
3. Use keywords
When filling out your profile, be sure to use keywords that potential employers might be searching for. For example, if you’re a web developer, some keywords you might use are “HTML”, “CSS”, and “JavaScript”.
4. Join relevant groups
LinkedIn has tons of different groups you can join, related to just about any topic or industry you can think of. Joining relevant groups shows that you’re active and engaged in your field, and it also gives you the opportunity to network with other professionals.
5. Connect with people you know
LinkedIn is all about networking, so be sure to connect with people you already know, such as friends, family, co-workers, and classmates. These connections can be a great way to get your foot in the door at a company or organization.
6. Seek out recommendations
Recommendations from others are a valuable asset on LinkedIn, so don’t be afraid to ask for them! If you have done good work for someone in the past, they would likely be happy to write a positive recommendation for you.
7. Post interesting content
In addition to filling out your profile and connecting with people, another great way to use LinkedIn is to post interesting content. This could be articles you’ve written, blog posts, infographics, or anything else that would be of interest to people in your field.
8. Stay active
Just like with any other social media platform, if you want to get the most out of LinkedIn, you need to stay active. This means logging in regularly, posting new content, connecting with new people, and participating in groups.
9. Use LinkedIn Premium
LinkedIn offers a paid premium membership that gives you access to additional features, such as being able to see who has viewed your profile and sending messages to people outside of your network. If you’re serious about using LinkedIn for job search purposes, it may be worth it to upgrade to premium.
Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to having a job ready LinkedIn profile that will help you find the job you want!
