How to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile: Job Search Tactic #1

Brad and I have talked endlessly about how much easier your job search is to found than to find a job. I recently wrote a post on this exact subject.

We did a radio broadcast on how to improve your LinkedIn Profile. We posted our LinkedIn Self-Assessment Scorecard on our site a few months ago –  a download that has become one our all-time most popular downloads. You can get the download and quickly understand how to improve your LinkedIn Profile for Job Search.

Not only is building an outstanding LinkedIn Profile a job search best practice, but it is also an integral part of personal branding (another key element of an effective job search).

More importantly, every recruiter, HR pro, and hiring manager will google your name and look up on LinkedIn BEFORE they decide to grant you an interview.

Google Profiles will be the focus of our next blog article, Job Search Tactic Number 2.

• Does your LinkedIn Profile capture a viewer’s attention?
• What elements of your Profile are they drawn to?
• Would I as recruiter feel that I just had to call you after viewing your profile?
• Does your profile scream “you’re not going to find a better person” at me?
• What are the steps in creating an effective job search LinkedIn Profile?

Below we’ll list the key elements of creating an effective profile. We could probably spend an entire blog post series on each element of your LinkedIn Profile.

Here are the LinkedIn Profile Best Practices (in no particular order)”:

1. Use a compelling headline
2. Complete all the details of your entire career
3. List all your accomplishments in detail with as much quantification as possible
4. Get a lot of recommendations
5. Recommend others
6. Include Slideshare Powerpoint presentations of your accomplishments
7. List the books you’re ready/comment on other book lists
8. Incorporate Your Twitter Feed and Link
9. Include a link to your blog
10. Include a link to your on-line resume
11. Pull your blog’s feed onto your profile using WordPress
12. Include links for audio/video files of you talking about your accomplishments and achievements.
13. Join Groups that are professionally/geographically appropriate
14. Update your status frequently – as in daily
15. Dramatically build your network with appropriate contacts
16. Make it easy to connect with you – phone #s and email

These are the elements of your LinkedIn Profile that will differentiate you from your peers. Read a couple of our other blog posts on this subject of leveraging your LinkedIn Profile for Job Search, including an article titled “Become a Beacon in Your Job Search” and “Are You Difficult to Connect With on LinkedIn in Your Job Search?“

Barry Deutsch

Don’t forget to join our LinkedIn Job Search Discussion Group to learn more about leveraging your LinkedIn Profile for Job Search.

8 Comments

• 

  By Tom Geiger, March 8, 2010 @ 6:37 pm

  I am proof that maximizing your LinkedIn exposure works! When I got laid off, I spent a lot of time building my network and finding folks I hadn’t even thought of in a long time. Within a month, a former colleague I hadn’t seen in 10 years alerted me to a job in his company, from reading my profile when I sent him an invite. Three weeks later I had an offer and I started there last week!

  So build and work your network. Spend a serious amount of time on LinkedIn, making sure your profile is as good as your resume, then join groups and contact everyone you ever knew. Don’t tell me you don’t know anyone, and don’t be bashful about sending a network invite to people you worked with in the past. In my experience, most everyone I contacted was happy to hear from me and I was very surprised at who was the most helpful. It will be those you least expect who will rise to the occasion! Most everyone I invited accepted, and people I thought were ignoring me accepted weeks later. Apparently not everyone checks their account daily. Your oldest contacts, those who have moved on to different companies, can be your best assets.

  The odd part to me is that I met a lot of people at network events. I met people who were out of work 6 months to more than a year. They were out there networking, had business cards printed, but when I went to their LinkedIn profile, it was slightly better than nothing at all. They missed the major opportunity of their job search, which may be why they’re still looking!

  Good luck! No matter how bad a job market it is, you only need to find one job!
• 

  By bradremillard, March 8, 2010 @ 7:39 pm

  Tom;
  This is a great story. I hope you will allow me to share with others. The power of the LinkedIn profile cannot be overstated.
  Thanks and best to you in your new position.
• 

  By Chuck, March 11, 2010 @ 9:42 pm

  Yes, this really works. As soon as I was laid off last Jan 2009, I worked immensely on Linked in. I had just a few members on me and now it has crossed dramatically. A Great Work by Linkedin.
• 

  By Mark S. Fitzgerald, AIA, LEED AP, CDT, March 27, 2010 @ 8:20 pm

  Once again Mr. Deutsch, you have added an amazing WOW Factor to your blog in simply explaining to us the POWER of LINKEDIN!

  About two months prior to being laid off in August of 2009, I had a LinkedIn public profile while I was employed at a majoy A/E firm here in Louisville, Kentucky. But my profile lacked any pizazz or extensive contacts – beyond my inner core of people that pertained to my job industry. It could not generate any valuable job leads for my employer or myself for that matter.

  Fast forward 6 months later, i.e., by November of 2009. I had been laid off from my job for almost 4 months by then. I began to reestablish my LinkedIn profile by creating it with a new email address; contacting about 15 known associates (past and present); and within one month, I became the envy of so many others in my networking circles. All because I recognized the POWER of LINKEDIN.

  I now have over 115 quality contacts with people from all different walks of business life that are major players within my industry and other industries or business markets. Some of my contacts have over 500+ contacts themselves. Because of the POWER of LINKEDIN, I have access to potentially 1,000,000+ new clients through my contacts’ contacts. When I get the chance to review some of these contacts, I’ll bet one of them will be Kevin Bacon!

  If you want to find out more about the POWER of LINKEDIN, then go to YouTube.com and type in the search window, “LinkedIn Marketing”, and you will find numerous little videos that will help you see the ROI in having a LinkedIn Profile.

  And I recommend Mr. Deutsch’s blog to!
• 

  By Barry Deutsch, March 27, 2010 @ 10:16 pm

  Mark,

  Great job improving your LinkedIn Profile. I hear success stories every day of job seekers who’ve invested a little bit of time in areas like enhancing their profile, adding blogs, updating their status more often, establishing their credibility through Questions and Answers, and becoming active in groups.

  First, I’m stunned at the wide range of tools LinkedIn provides to job seekers to improve their job search. Secondly, I’m stunned that so few take advantage of these tools. I can just imagine how you’ve become the envy of your networking circles.

  Thanks for the kind words regarding the blog post. I’m glad you’re finding our information and content useful to your job search.

  Barry
• 

  By Russ Knight, October 11, 2010 @ 11:56 am

  THANK YOU! Another great blog from impacthiringsolutions.com!

  I am drafting a new Powerpoint presentation for job seekers introducing them to LinkedIn. The one thing I would ADD here is Answers. Learn about new things and project your expertise on topics where you are knowledgeable. You just might connect with someone who could use someone with your skillset / knowledge or at least you will build your reputation as being knowledgeable about a certain subject.

  Thanks again for this post!
• 

  By Adriana Noton, November 23, 2010 @ 8:44 am

  My opinion is that the most important thing when you looking for a job is good cover letter and resume. It is your chief agent. God resume is a very important part in the overall impression and the decision of managers to assign you the job. Learn what your resume needs and does not need., if you master the technique well, the chances of getting a job are much greater
• 

  By Debby, August 29, 2011 @ 3:30 pm

  I agree with what Barry said about the excellent choice of tool Linkedin gives you.
  Problem is that not many seem to use very many of them and even fewer use them to their full potential.
  The developers have gone to great lengths to give us these needed tools that most don’t use.
  The old saying still holds water : you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.

Other Links to this Post

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI

Leave a comment

*Name

*Email (not published)

Website

Spam Protection by WP-SpamFree

Comment moderation is enabled. Your comment may take some time to appear.