LinkedIn – an essential tool

Social media and specifically LinkedIn is an essential tool in landing your dream job.

What kind of message does your current LinkedIn profile make to potential recruiters?
Is the first impression others see what you want them to know about you?
Did you know your LinkedIn profile is almost as important as your application?
Do you know which sections of your profile are the most important?

LinkedIn is one of the top social media sources for professionals to connect with others. According to LinkedIn, they are the "largest professional network with more than 610 million users in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide." With that many users, it can be challenging to get eyes on you. That's why your profile must be optimized for maximum exposure.

When people do a search for you, they often go to Google. Your LinkedIn profile will most likely show up in the first three positions of the search results. It's often where those searching will click first to learn more about you.

If your profile is slim or hasn't been updated since you first created it years ago, it may not be making the right first impression for prospective recruiters. It's imperative to have an updated, optimized profile that quickly grabs attention and makes an impression.

The first step is setting up your basic profile and optimizing in a way that grabs the attention of your target companies/jobs searchers. Specific settings will allow you to optimize your profile for maximum exposure.

Let me reiterate why you need to optimize your LinkedIn Profile: Your profile represents who you are and what you do.

With a generic profile, people are less likely to find you. In fact, users with a completely optimized profile are 40 times more likely to receive opportunities from other LinkedIn users.

Having an optimized LinkedIn profile simply means your profile is updated to get you the most visibility from your targeted companies and dream jobs. It involves several things including compelling, focused descriptions while establishing your personal brand.

When you optimize your profile, it leaves an impression. The first seven seconds is all you get to wow when a potential recruiter lands on your page. It's the difference between decision-makers wanting to connect with you or them clicking away.

These are my tips:

Ensure you get found.
Make sure you are building your LinkedIn network with your ideal companies and groups. Ensure you can be easily found on LinkedIn and the people you want to attract, like what they see. Your network needs to be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd-degree connections or share a LinkedIn Group; otherwise, you won't show in their search results. Use the right keywords and search terms throughout your profile to be found by those searching for what you offer and what you are looking for. Finally, make sure your profile is optimized and resonates with your ideal employer.

Tell your why, your motivation.
Give your target audience a reason to look at you and listen to you. Your story is what separates you from others. Tell them what your purpose is, what drives you, and why you do what you do. Let them know how you can help them, what problem you solve with insights on how you solve specific problems. This is regardless of your level or function. You need to tell others what is in for them when they hire you.

Start and continue to create credibility.
Your profile needs to make you appear credible in the eyes of your potential employers. To do this, share recommendations from people who know you and have worked with you. Having skills that are frequently endorsed by others is a great way to build trust. Your experience and achievements can also help. Toot your own horn, show off honors, awards, and recognition you've earned. I need to admit that this is not the most essential part and should not be your focus.

Think about your ideal employers and your dream job, your dream career.
Make sure your summary highlights implicit the attributes of your ideal employer and what you can do for them. Make sure your summary highlights implicitly what your dream job is.

Not only do you want your LinkedIn profile to be strategically optimized, but you also want it to be free of grammar and spelling errors. Ensure all the details are correct and factual. And if you link companies to your experience, pick the right one – sounds obvious. Sure, but sometimes you wonder.

It doesn't matter whether you want to attract potential business partners, recruiters, employees, or employers, or looking for new clients. A truly complete LinkedIn profile only enhances your professionalism and your personal brand. It gives them reasons to connect and trust you.

An optimized LinkedIn profile is key to visibility. The first step is tackling the essential information and making sure it is correct. You need to let people know who you are first.

Create a LinkedIn headline that gets noticed.

Headlines are the 1 to 3 lines under your name. It's possibly the most crucial area of your LinkedIn profile. Use this formula to make your headline stand out.

Job title/company plus
Relevant Keywords plus
Eye-catching statement about you or
Something about you that makes others want to get to know you/personality

To sum it up:
Your LinkedIn profile is the first thing people see when you show up in searches. Therefore, your profile must be optimized fully, so they get a good first impression.

Please be aware that your LinkedIn profile needs to be in sync with your applications going forward. Your resume and your cover letter should mirror your LinkedIn profile. And that's even more important right now, as virtually all of our networking has moved online.

The "About" section at the top of your profile, sometimes called your summary, should match your cover letter. LinkedIn experiences should be relevant to the type of jobs you'll be applying for and aiming at. So you really need to invest some time in a keyword exercise – remember: your LinkedIn profile is a web page, it's easier for recruiters and hiring managers to look for those keywords, and they might even help you pop up in search results. Don't overdo it by stuffing as many keywords in as you can — you want your profile to read like you're a human, not a robot — but consistently mention the most relevant ones throughout your profile so that they help to position you the way you want.

There are other sections you can include in your profile, too. You can use the "Featured" section to showcase your best work, including files (think topics that would go in a portfolio), your website, and even well-performing LinkedIn posts. You can list any relevant certifications and volunteer experience you have, too.

Finally, to reiterate again:
this may be social media, but it's also a very professional space. Proofread your profile several times. Again, have a professional photo — it doesn't have to be stiff or super formal, but it shouldn't be informal or low quality.
Once your profile is ready to go, update your "headline" (the one that goes just under your name) to indicate that you're seeking roles in your industry. And if you haven't yet, post an update to let your network know you're looking.
LinkedIn is an essential piece of finding and landing your dream job cour dream career to make it clear. However: You are going to get you that career. Trust yourself and your qualifications, and let them shine out in your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile.

Remember:
The basis to ensure that all of these efforts are successful is: that you know who you are and what you want. Remember: if you do not know where you are going, any road may take you there.

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