How to write a killer linkedin profile

As recruiters, we understand that LinkedIn is a hugely powerful but often underutilised platform for jobseekers. Simply having a profile on LinkedIn will not necessarily gain you the recognition that you expect. Spending a little time thinking creatively can make your LinkedIn profile easily searchable to precisely the right recruiters and employers.

Using a platform such as LinkedIn, along with the right recruitment agency, will help you to land the perfect job in no time. Following these tips will go a long way to really making sure you have a killer LinkedIn profile.

1.    PUT IN THE EFFORT AT THE BEGINNING

To ensure that you are visible to the right people, complete every section of your profile so that recruiters you are aiming to attract get the full picture of you, your skillset and experience. LinkedIn helpfully tells you how much of your profile you have completed so you can be guided by that.

2.    CUSTOMISE YOUR URL

You may not realise it but you can edit your URL via the ‘edit profile’ link. Choose something easy to remember and relevant to you. You are a name and not a long list of numbers!

3.    CHOOSE A GREAT PROFILE PICTURE

Ideally your photograph should be clear and friendly, yet professional. If you have a photograph of yourself in a work environment, then that is preferable. Colour and smiles are good!

4.    BE SEARCHABLE

A great trick to make sure you appear in your recruiter's search is to spend time looking at job descriptions of the kind of jobs you would like to apply for. Pick out the keywords that appear regularly and then include these words in your summary and experience section.

5.    DON'T SKIMP ON YOUR SUMMARY

Your summary is the place to include as many details as you can in a short space. You can write up to 5 paragraphs but ensure that you include all the reasons that you are highly employable including your skills, qualifications, experience and interests.

6.    DON'T BE AFRAID OF STATISTICS

Use figures to back up your statements. Make clear how many people you managed and how large your budget was. Statistics are very powerful in backing up your statements and adding credibility. If you can prove your results in percentage, e.g., as a result of my project we saw a 12% uplift in XXX.

7.    BE NATURAL

Try to let your personality and style shine through. Aim to be professional without being too formal. Remember this isn't a CV and your style can be conversational, this enables recruiters to see the real you. Also, write in the first person and never the third.

8.    GET TO THE NITTY GRITTY

As well as writing about what you have done in your career, make sure you flesh out these lists with descriptions of the detail. How well did you do on the project? How did you measure this success? Who benefited from your work?

9.    CURRENT JOB SECTION

Avoid leaving the current job section unpopulated, as recruiter searches may miss you. Try typing the title of the job you are seeking in the current job title section, and then write ‘seeking a new opportunity’ underneath. This may feel a little bit cheeky but can be very effective.

10.    DIGITALISE YOUR PROFILE

Adding in videos, PowerPoint presentations, SlideShares and photographs makes your profile vastly more eye-catching and interesting. The old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words is very true when it comes to multimedia profiles.

11.    ADDITIONAL SKILLS

It isn't all about work experience. Be sure to detail any special skills that you have including languages, volunteer work and unusual qualifications. Remember that you are selling yourself.

12.    RECOMMENDATIONS

Don't be afraid to ask colleagues to make a recommendation. The more specific the better. When you are asking people to make recommendations try and strategically showcase a range of skills and successes from people in different positions and organisations. If you get any recommendations that you don't feel do you any favours, then it is possible to hide them.

13.    UPDATE YOUR STATUS

Each time you update your status, the changes will appear in the newsfeed of your networks. Make yourself visible. Remember - out of sight, out of mind!

14.    SHOWCASE YOUR WORK

It is possible to share your work or your blog on your profile. If the work you have done is good, make it public!

15.    JOIN IN

Joining relevant groups and conversations shows that you are engaged and maximises your connections. Have at least 50 to 100 connections to show that you are using LinkedIn to its full potential and are not afraid of social media networking.

16.    PUBLISH A PULSE ARTICLE

Writing articles in your field highlights your expertise and positions you as a though leader. They don’t have to resemble something out of a broadsheet, around 400-600 words is fine. Each time you publish a Pulse article, pushing out across your status update will increase your visibility. Publish regularly (good content of course) and you’ll soon get more followers will hopefully share your content thus increasing your reach even further.

17.    ADD YOUR CONTACT DETAILS

We are amazed how many people fail to add contact details to their LinkedIn profile. There isn't much point in going to all of this trouble if the recruiter is unable to contact you. It seems obvious, but it is truly vital to your cause.

With all this searchable and engaging content in your LinkedIn profile, it won’t be long before your inbox is full of new connections, one of which might just lead to your dream job…

 

PSR’s award-winning construction recruitment specialists are committed to helping each of our candidates find their dream job. Contact us in confidence, or send us your CV and let’s get started.

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