Preparing Your LinkedIn Profile: Tips 6-10

In today’s job market, your LinkedIn profile is more than just a digital resume—it's your professional brand. Whether you’re actively seeking new opportunities or simply keeping your options open, these tips will help you stand out and make the most of what LinkedIn has to offer.

Tip 6: Cut the Corporate Jargon

Your LinkedIn profile should showcase you, not just your company. Too many profiles read like a copy-paste of corporate mission statements. This might work for sales, but it’s a major turn-off for recruiters. They want to know what you do and what you have achieved.

If your profile is filled with generic company blurbs, it’s time for a rewrite. Focus on your specific role, your successes, and your impact within the company. This not only makes you more appealing to recruiters but also optimizes your profile for search engines, ensuring you appear in relevant searches. Remember, recruiters are interested in your unique contributions, not just what your company does.

Tip 7: Engage with Job Seekers

A simple yet powerful habit is to engage with posts from job seekers. Scroll through your feed, find someone announcing their job search, and like, comment, or share their post. While liking and sharing are useful, commenting is especially effective as it increases visibility for both the original poster and yourself.

This small gesture not only helps others but also shows that you’re active on the platform, making your profile more attractive to recruiters. Consistent interaction also boosts your visibility in LinkedIn’s algorithm, making you more discoverable. And, of course, if you help someone else in their time of need, they are more likely to help you in the same way when you find yourself in a similar situation.

Tip 8: Expand Your Network

A great profile won’t help if no one sees it. Even with LinkedIn Recruiter, one of the most powerful tools on the platform, visibility is limited to third-level connections. If your network is small—say, just family and a few colleagues—you’re likely invisible to many recruiters.

Take a proactive approach to grow your network. Set a goal to regularly send connection requests, especially to second-level connections in your industry. One of my former colleagues, who has over 30 years of recruitment experience, sends out 20 new connection requests a day. While you don’t need to go to that extreme, having a weekly target can help.

Also, don’t be shy about connecting with recruiters—they’re typically well-connected and open to expanding their networks. The bigger and more relevant your network, the more visible you become to those who can offer opportunities.

Tip 9: Comment on Industry Posts

Engagement goes beyond just job seekers. Regularly interact with posts from industry leaders and peers, even if they aren’t directly connected to you. Detailed comments that go beyond the usual “thanks for sharing” can significantly increase your visibility and highlight your industry knowledge.

For example, in the first 24 hours after posting, my Post 7, which received a single comment, garnered 427 views, while Post 6, with three likes, had 290 views, and Post 8, with no interactions, had only 193 impressions. None of these are stellar numbers, but they are certainly indicative of how interaction boosts posts.

By engaging thoughtfully, you also position yourself as a knowledgeable and active participant in your field. This kind of interaction can also improve your profile’s standing in LinkedIn’s algorithm, further boosting your visibility.

Tip 10: The Power of Recommendations

How many LinkedIn recommendations do you have? If the answer is none, you’re missing out on a key feature. Recommendations serve as third-party validation, adding credibility to your skills and experience. Recruiters actively look for these endorsements, as they provide a level of external validation that can confirm your strengths and achievements.

Moreover, LinkedIn’s algorithm takes recommendations into account when ranking profiles in search results. A well-rounded profile with recent and relevant recommendations not only ranks higher but also signals an active and engaged user. Make it a habit to request recommendations after completing significant projects or at the end of successful collaborations. Regularly updated recommendations also indicate that your profile is active, which is appealing to potential employers.

Incorporating these tips into your LinkedIn strategy will significantly enhance your profile’s effectiveness. From cutting out corporate jargon to actively growing your network and gathering recommendations, each of these actions contributes to a stronger, more visible LinkedIn presence.

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