How to standout on LinkedIn ?

The purpose of writing this article is to help everyone improve quality of their profile on LinkedIn. Many of us start using LinkedIn without any proper guidance and end up feeding unnecessary information and skipping important one hence reducing our chances of selection by recruiters. LinkedIn combines both your social and professional profile, so it's important that recruiter see you as someone who is serious and active in their professional life.

This post will explain 6 bullet points to improve your LinkedIn profile.

1.      Profile Picture

Just like your appearance is important for an interview, because interviewer see you before they ask you anything. Same as photo is important for your profile as recruiters see it before they read anything. And not just any photo, it has to fulfill certain standards.

Don'ts

• Don't upload old, blur, dark, funny or even casual photo.
• Don't upload passport pictures with blue background, wedding or family function photos.

Do's

• Upload a formally dressed, High Definition, clear and positively looking photo.
• Take little time out to dress up, and be photographed for your linkedin profile in a formal dressing.

2.      Profile Headline

Profile headline is something that defines your role or profession. That is how a recruiter addresses your profile as. So it should be easier to remember and recall.

Don'ts

• Do not pull headline to mention all your degrees and certifications, it will confuse recruiter. Headline should be only 2-3 words.

Do's

• Your profile headline should be short and direct like, I am a Chartered Accountant, so that’s my head line.
• You can use your Job title as your headline.
• Headline should be clear, short and attractive.For example, "Digital Content Writer", "System Analyst", "Oracle Developer".

3.      Profile Summary

After your headline, your profile summary is an important tool where recruiter will see what you actually do, what your capabilities are and what functions you perform. SO make it about what you can offer, instead of listing down your qualities and experience.

Don'ts

• Don't writer summary about what you are. i.e. An ambitious, a passionate, looking for....
• Most of us, when writing summary or objective, write unnecessary thing which recruiter find very annoying, instead write it crafting to create interest for reader.
• Don't overload summary with adjectives and skills. i.e. sincere, honest, hardworking, intelligent.

Do's

• Writer about what you can or what you can bring with you to an organization
• For Example, a cost accountant will write, “I analyze product costing of companies to identify opportunities to reduce fixed cost and manage variable expense”.
• Write 3-4 sentences maximum.

4.      Work Experience.

Every recruiter scrolls down your profile to see where have you been working and as what. Meaning your designation is what they are looking for and the name of employer. With a little bit of information about your responsibilities. If you write every single big of your job responsibilities, it will look a little odd. Instead keep it sweet and short. If you give all the details out on your profile, there won't be anything left for recruiter to seek your resume for.

Don'ts

• You don’t have to give every single detail of your job in your LinkedIn profile, that’s your resume is for.
• Don't write long paragraphs.

Do's

• Give your clear job title, that will define your role as in itself. i.e. "Database Administrator", "Payroll Officer".
• Give a few bullets of your major duties instead of writing long paragraphs.

5.      Recommendations

Recommendations are in fact your references. They are like reviews on facebook or any other platform. As a consumer we always check the reviews of an item or a company before buying the product or services, similarly some recruiters check if you have recommendations from other people.

Don'ts

• Don't hesitate to ask for recommendations
• Don't ask strangers to write you recommendation to fill that segment up
• Don't always ask peers and friends, step up and ask your boss

Do's

• Ask your seniors and boss to write recommendation
• Ask them to write a more specific recommendation
• Ask them to mention if you have done any project together
• Similarly give other recommendation

6.      Contact Details

The purpose of setting up a LinkedIn profile is to be noticed by recruiters and being selected for interview. For that you have to be a little less private and more public by sharing your contact details so that you could be accessed by 2nd and 3rd degree connections who have not yet added you. Usually your 1st degree connections can see your contact details if you have give those.

Don'ts

• Don't tight up your privacy settings so much that 2nd and 3rd degree connections can't see your profile picture or details
• Don't leave both Email and Contact number empty. Because then there won't be any way of contacting you except for LinkedIn direct message which a 2nd or 3rd degree connection can't do.

Do's

• If you feel alright, mention you email and contact details on your profile
• In your privacy settings, set the privacy to "let recruiter know you are available" to "Yes".

There is no perfect candidate and there is no perfect profile. But it's always better to have a second set of eyes. Once you are done with these updates, ask a friend or colleague to review your profile and take his suggestions constructively.

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Thank you and best of luck