Linked In Profiling
September 1, 2010 Leave a comment
Get your picture right! don't be faceless
There has been a lot of talk around what Linked In actually is. Is it a glorified job board, a directory for sourcing or something more.
The reality is, it is what you make it.
Your Linked In profile should be the first thing you get right. It is your reference base, reflects what you are and is the place where you are most likely to be found.
My tips on getting your profile right:
1: Get your picture professional and memorable. I have the pointing arms and hands, but that’s because I’m a speaker and trainer. No Beach shots, cartoons or comedy faces. I advocate using the same avatar in all of your social places for instant recognition from followers or fans.
2: Your top line leads the way in the search and comes up in the “People you might know” field. It is the first impression. If you are between jobs, (I dislike the term transition”), make it clear the type of role you are looking for by job title. Make it key-word rich. I have included the top 100 words recruiters search for from The Ladders. Use high-ranking terms where they are relevent, and separate them by full stops or commas. (As in all bio’s)
3; Change your update every 2 – 3 days. This is where Linked In starts to get social, but remember that it is not Facebook, hence not the place for funnies or non-business related stuff. For ease of use I have linked twitter with Tweetdeck. I don’t include all the tweets, only my updates. You can update direct from Tweetdeck by adding the hashtag #in.
CAUTION: If you have set the twitter update option in Linked In, take #in out of any retweets or they will appear as your update, hence the reason lots of bloggers add them to their tweets!
Your connections will get your updates and will comment on them. In particular, post positive comments about companies you have interviewed with, (don’t say the interviewer was rude and an idiot!). Many larger hiring companies use social media listening tools like Radian6 and will pick up on the positive or negative feedback. (This applies to all channels, not just Linked In.)
4: Use a popular key word in your current job title. Include all your past jobs and job titles. For websites, use all the links to connect with you at Facebook, your blog or other social places. Put your Twitter name in the twitter section.
5: For recommendations, don’t just recommend those that have recommended you. Think who can be authentic and will say more than a few words. If anyone tells you that you have done a good job, ask them to recommend you. Give your own recommendations only where they are deserved, and make your comments personal and original. Remember, your judgment could be weighed up on who you rate!
6: Keep your summary clear and to the point. Again, make it key word rich, and be clear at the top the type of post you are seeking. Get someone to review how well it reads.
Tomorrow I’m going to post on how you can be social on linked In, how to get the best out of groups (you should belong to all that you can, maximum 50), and the applications you should add to get the most from this channel. please post on areas you feel you want help or a viewpoint on, and subscibe to the blog.
Keep being social in your job search,
Bill
Links Listed:
Controlling Settings And Preferences On Your Account – Linked In
Settings For Photos On Linked In
Top 100 Keywords Recruiters Search On From The Ladders
Social Job Search 