According to U.S. News and World Report, 95% of recruiters use LinkedIn as a tool to source qualified candidates.  It is important to take a moment at the beginning of your job search to make sure your digital presence is strong, up to date, and accurate.  Here are four improvements you can make to your LinkedIn profile today that will get you noticed by recruiters tomorrow.

Photo

Did you know that adding a photo to your LinkedIn profile has an impact?  Viewers are 14 times more likely to visit your page!  So by simply adding a picture, your chances of being noticed within your network will increase.  Since you are adding a photo, it’s important to consider the details.  Make sure you are the only one in the photo, the background is not distracting, your image is inviting (aka smile), and you are wearing professional attire.

 Headline

Your headline is a key component of your profile. It is the only thing a recruiter can view in its entirety without having to click to see more.  It is beneficial to use keywords and descriptive language to explain your value. By default, LinkedIn will include your current title and the name of the company you work for as your headline.  However, this valuable piece of profile real estate can be enhanced. Here are a few suggestions to help you compose an attention-grabbing headline. Remember, you only have 120 characters so it is crucial to use them wisely.

Aspects of your background you could include in your headline (you do not have to include everything that is listed): Current title | Qualifications | Description of how you work | Biggest strength in your field or the field you are hoping to enter | Description of what people can expect when working with you | Goal for your job search

Example 1: Mutual relationship builder | Outside the box logistics coordinator | Aspiring event planner

Example 2: Career Coach | MBTI, CCSP, GCDF | Collaborate with clients to design careers through reflection, exploration, & planning

Example 3: Supports community of learners in higher ed | Aspiring academic advisor | Organizer & planner of camping trips

Visibility

There are two steps you need to take to make sure your profile is visible to recruiters. 

Step 1: Go to your profile and select “Settings & Privacy.”  From the left-hand tool bar select “How others see your profile and network information.”  Next, select “Edit your public profile.”  From there, look on the right-hand toolbar and make sure the slide button next to “Your profile’s public visibility” is turned on.  Now you can select which portions of your profile you would like to make visible to the public. 

Step 2: Select “Job seeking preferences” from the left-hand tool bar and move the slide button to “Yes” under the “Let recruiters know you are open to opportunities” tab.

Pro Tip: Now that you profile is visible to potential employers and recruiters, you can customize your URL and further promote your brand.  Want to learn how?  Check out Career Coach and LinkedIn expert Paula Brand’s blog to learn how to create a vanity link.

Activity

LinkedIn is a networking platform.  Use it to your advantage by staying active.  Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you have to start uploading your own articles.  Being active on LinkedIn is much easier than that.  I coach my clients to spend 15-20 minutes per day perusing articles or posts on LinkedIn that they deem interesting.  Furthermore, I ask each client to compose a thoughtful comment about one post per week. This tip is beneficial for two reasons.  First, this will increase your knowledge and awareness of trends within your industry which is helping you prepare for the interview you will certainly land.  Second, this practice will expand your network and increase traffic to your profile.  At a minimum, the person who wrote the post will notice you as well as other commenters who read your insightful words in an effort to avoid sounding redundant.   

Good luck with your upcoming job search.  Making these slight adjustments to your profile will help to ensure that you are noticed by the right type of recruiter. LinkedIn is a wonderful tool that can help you navigate the job search process in a way that is smarter and not harder. 

If you are thinking about updating your LinkedIn profile, my free Resume Workbook can help you gather your thoughts and identify which skills, strengths, and achievements will be best to highlight when promoting your brand.