If you are on any social media space today, and research suggests that the average person spends 2.5 hours per day on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok etc.…), your activity, posts, comments, shares, likes… are all shaping your personal brand and how others perceive you.
If you are one of the many people currently looking for a new job, how you use (or don’t use) your LinkedIn profile can either help or hurt your chances of getting noticed.
In this article, we will share the importance of social media in your job search, and how to strategically use your LinkedIn profile to help get you noticed (and avoid some pitfalls that may keep a recruiter or potential employer from reaching out to you).
90% of employers research candidates online before contacting them. For many professionals, it is their LinkedIn profile. As the top professional social network in the world, LinkedIn is your face to the business world. If you’re an active job candidate, NOT having a LinkedIn profile may be perceived as a red flag to many employers looking for a professional candidate. This is especially true if you’re in a position of influence (Sales, Marketing, Talent, Leadership).
Best Practices for LinkedIn:
Headshot: This is your first impression to the business world. While your photo doesn’t have to be a professional headshot, it should be professional and represent the image of who you are in your career.
Background Photo: You can use one of LinkedIn’s templates or create one yourself.
Headline: This is where you begin to build your profile and brand. Use your headline to say more than your job title or industry. We are more than the work we do. Talk about how you see your role, your area of expertise, and for a more personal touch, who you are or what you are passionate about, outside of work. This headline will evolve as you do and should be updated regularly to reflect that.
About: This is a 500-character paragraph that will be shown above your experience on your profile. You can expand it to 2600 characters to turn your summary into your story. Think of your About section, like being in a networking event and you've been asked to tell someone more about yourself. What do you want the audience to know? This section is about YOU, but it's for your audience!
Start connecting: Connect intentionally to grow your network by sending invites to connect with family, friends, colleagues, past and present co-workers, customers, vendors, alumni, past and present colleagues.
List your relevant skills and ask for endorsements: this adds validity to your headline and summary and provides a platform for others to endorse you. It doesn’t have to be a long list, just relevant.
Endorsements: Endorsing your connections' skills will frequently trigger connections to return the favor. Relevance matters – be intentional.
Work with the algorithm: The more active you are on LinkedIn, the higher on the search list your profile will be when a recruiter is searching for their next superstar.
Like & comment: Interact with your connections! Comment on their achievement, promotion, or social impact (When recruiters are looking at your profile, comments to and from you are visible).
Share and share alike: Share posts from thought leaders you follow whose topics align with your career field. (Or better yet – create your own to be shared by your network)!
Think before you post: Before posting anything online, consider the optics, and how it might be perceived professionally. A single inappropriate post or comment can tarnish your professional reputation and lead to missed opportunities or even job loss.
Separate Personal and Professional Profiles: Consider having separate social media profiles—one for personal use and another for professional networking. This can help you maintain a clear distinction between the two.
Speaking of social media: Connect with us on social media!
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