More than just another social network, LinkedIn is a platform that can give your career a major boost. During the hiring process, 87% of recruiters use LinkedIn to evaluate candidates, according to the Jobvite Recruiter Nation Report.
Even if you’re just a passive job seeker, keeping your LinkedIn profile updated can seriously enhance your career. A recruiter trying to fill your dream job might stumble upon your profile and realize you’re the perfect fit, so make sure it’s up-to-date at all times.
5 Key Ways to Update Your LinkedIn Profile
Use these tips to create a LinkedIn profile recruiters won’t be able to pass up.
1. Craft an Engaging Headline
Your headline sits front and center, directly under your name, so use this prime real estate wisely. Sure, you could simply insert your job title, but that doesn’t really say much about you. Instead, maximize this space by highlighting your specialty and how it benefits the reader.
For example, if you’re an account manager, a good headline might be, “Dedicated to maximizing profits by cultivating long-term customer relationships.”
2. Upload a Professional Photo
On other social media sites, fun and quirky profile pictures are perfectly acceptable — and even encouraged — but that won’t fly on LinkedIn. In this setting, only a professional-looking headshot will do. If you don’t have one, dress like you would for work, stand against a plain white wall, and have someone take your picture.
3. Complete Your Profile
The more information you include in your profile, the better. Not only does it give recruiters a clear picture of your skills and experience, it also allows you to appear in more search results. Even if you don’t think it’s necessary, thoroughly complete every section from experience to accomplishments, because you never know what might catch the reader’s eye.
4. Seek Endorsements
Singing your own praises in the experiences and accomplishments sections is important, but the words of others often resonate even louder. Boost your credibility by asking one person a month to endorse you. Choose people who have worked closely with you, so they can include specific skills and accomplishments that will make you shine brightly.
5. Write Original Content
LinkedIn allows you to write and publish content on its platform, so take advantage of this opportunity to showcase your expertise. Write about issues currently impacting your industry to get noticed. Try to stick to a regular publishing schedule — i.e., weekly, monthly — so you’re sharing fresh content often.
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