If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, you’re missing out on a killer opportunity to get flooded with job offers.
Worse, you’re giving your competition the edge because 40% of recruiters won’t interview you if they can’t find you online.
So, having a LinkedIn profile isn’t a matter of choice; it’s a must.
But a blank LinkedIn account doesn’t cut it. If you want to wow recruiters and get showered with job opportunities, you need to optimize it.
This guide shows how you can start improving your LinkedIn profile.
Get a Custom URL
First things first.
When you create a LinkedIn account, your profile URL has a nauseating mix of characters and numbers that don’t roll off the tongue.
Which would you rather choose?
linkedin.com/in/Aasfjhw27482xaA291 vs. linkedin.com/in/max-woolf/
Exactly.
Also, a custom profile URL gives a much friendlier SEO look that helps you rank better in LinkedIn search. And it looks 10x better in your resume’s contact info section.
So, go ahead and learn how to get a sweet customized URL.
Help Recruiters Find You
This one might sound obvious, but we don’t want to take chances.
If you want recruiters to know you’re open for a new job, navigate to the Career interests bar and flip that switch from Off to On.
Perfect.
Get ready to bathe in job offers!
Make Your Profile Hulk-Level Strong
Alright, done with the basics.
It’s time for some advanced LinkedIn optimization techniques.
Head over to your profile. See the big circle titled Profile Strength?
When you provide as much information, that circle will read ‘All Star’ and that’s where you want to be.
Why?
Users that fully complete profiles are 40x more likely to get job offers.
How to reach the All-Star level?
Fill out all the sections with your info:
Pen a summary, provide volunteer experience, add certifications, etc. Leave the skills section for now—we’ll cover it later.
Pro tip: Use keywords in the headline to up your chances of popping up in search. E.g., instead of Max Woolf, write Max Woolf, Career Advice Writer.
Make Your Skills Drip with Expertise
So far, so good.
Now, it’s time to take care of the skills section.
LinkedIn allows to add up to 50 skills, but you can only prominently feature ten. The rest will hide under the ‘Show more’ button.
Make sure those ten skills are (1) keyword skills and (2) are your core strengths.
Pro tip: When adding skills, pick the ones suggested rather than typing skills manually. The suggested skills are what recruiters search for.
If you did your homework and made a list of skills with the highest impact for your resume, copy-paste them to your LinkedIn profile.
If you need help, here are five most demanded hard skills (according to a 2019 LinkedIn study.)
- Cloud Computing
- Artificial Intelligence
- Analytical Reasoning
- People Management
- UX Design
What fun is it to have a boatload of skills if you can’t prove you have them?
That is when endorsements kick in. They come from people you worked with and can prove your expertise.
The good news?
Getting your skills endorsed is as easy as ABC.
All it takes is to scratch someone’s back and wait for them to scratch yours.
So, what do you think? What are your tips to make a LinkedIn profile pop?
Drop your insights in the comments below.
See Also: Using The New LinkedIn For Personal Branding And Career Success
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Author: Max Woolf
Max Woolf is a writer at Zety. He’s passionate about helping people land their dream jobs through the expert career industry coverage. In his spare time, Max enjoys biking and traveling to European countries. You can hit him up on LinkedIn.
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