I encourage all candidates to treat their LinkedIn like a digital business card and focus on conveying a positive first impression. Getting discovered by a recruiter or hiring manager is worthless if they walk away before contacting you. Today, we will look at why a hiring team may PASS on your profile and other reasons that will encourage them to CONNECT with you. Remember, first impressions count, and on a professional platform like LinkedIn, they matter even more. So, let’s dive in:
- Unprofessional Profile Photo: I’m not referring to the quality of the photo, but rather, your profile photo should convey professionalism. You can never go wrong with a headshot on a neutral background, and these days, you can capture a great picture using your phone. The most important thing is that you want to convey that you take your professional image seriously. The higher the job title, the more important this will become.
- Emoji Overload: Less is more, so don’t go overboard on your profile. A few well-placed emojis are acceptable, but extensively using smiley faces might not reflect the professional image and the vote of confidence you’re aiming for.?
- Negative Tone: Keep your written tone either neutral or positive. A negative tone or overly casual language can deter potential employers. Maintain a professional yet approachable tone.
- Unprofessional Content: LinkedIn makes it incredibly easy to see everyone’s online activity, so be mindful of how you engage on the platform. It’s okay to have professional disagreements, but you want to be aware of HOW you engage to ensure you don’t harm your professional image and deter hiring managers from contacting you.
- Excessive Typos: Excessive typos and grammatical errors in your LinkedIn profile may be interpreted as a lack of attention to detail. Some hiring managers view your ability to command language as a basic trait that conveys competency, so proofread your content carefully.
- Clear Headline: Your headline is prime real estate, so make it count. Include your current role and a snapshot of your expertise and focus. It’s the first thing people see, and when you convey clearly that your expertise is aligned with their needs, it can pique their interest.
- Strong Summary: Your “About” section summary is your elevator pitch. Be informative by highlighting your skills, experience, key accomplishments, new technology you specialize in, etc. This information will set you apart from other candidates.
- Disruptive Insights: This is one of the most challenging items to do correctly but is also one of the most impactful. Candidates who develop and share disruptive insights that drive value for their role & industry will immediately separate themselves from their peers. Positioning yourself as a thought leader in your field will fill your inbox with new opportunities.
- Curated Recommendations: Thoughtful recommendations help to add credibility to your profile and provide insights into your skills & successes. It always helps to curate your recommendation requests, and when each touches on a specific project or problem you have overcome, a hiring team can immediately see the full scope of your capabilities.
- Openness to Opportunities: If a hiring team sees that you have communicated your current value, outlined your long-term goals, have provided contact information, and are open to discussing opportunities, this will increase the likelihood that they will reach out to you. Remember, they review thousands of applicants, and those who offer accessibility will stand out.
Remember, your LinkedIn profile is your digital business card. Often, this is the sole interaction that hiring teams have when evaluating your candidacy, so let's make sure we create a positive first impression.
Next week, we will discuss the importance of keywords and how they affect your ability to be discovered by hiring teams.
