Transforming your LinkedIn into a compelling CV

It is universally accepted and expected that would-be employers and recruiters are likely to screen potential candidates. At the very least, this is likely to involve taking a look at their LinkedIn profile. After all, LinkedIn is still the business networking and job opportunity platform of choice for most. It's accepted, it's recognised and it's so widely used that it's fast becoming almost the 'traditional' way of doing things.

But, a LinkedIn profile should be much more than an easily accessible online CV. Yes, it is a way for individuals to showcase their skills, talent and experience, and it is a great way to search for new opportunities, but it can be much more than this. A LinkedIn profile is an opportunity to build a 'professional brand'. Therefore, it shouldn't just read like a typical CV.

The temptation to essentially just copy and paste the Word document version of an existing CV into a LinkedIn profile should be resisted. LinkedIn profiles should not just be 'more of the same' but in a different format - a LinkedIn profile is about your online reputation and your professional brand.

LinkedIn profiles will nearly always come up at the top of any Google search. We all know that first impressions count. So, for any recruiter who is researching or screening a potential candidate, their LinkedIn profile could well be the first impression (or, at the very least, one of the first) they gain about an individual. So, a LinkedIn profile should offer more than all the usual information that would be included in a CV. It should exude professionalism and knowledge, but confidence and personality too.

To transform a Linked profile into a compelling CV and much more, the profile picture is important. Quite simply, a profile will get far more views if it has a photo. After all, nobody would book a hotel room or rent viewing without first seeing an image. The profile picture certainly doesn't need to be professionally taken, but it does need to look professional. A straightforward headshot with a neutral background is the best way to achieve this.

A LinkedIn profile 'headline' is the next most important thing. In the same way that news headlines work, it needs to catch the eye and grab the attention of readers. A tagline of up to 120 characters that encapsulates what you can offer, as well as current company and job role details is an excellent idea.

The summary should be written with the audience in mind. A conversational style written in the first person reads better than a set of bullet points. Keywords applicable to specific sectors are worth including, if you can achieve this seamlessly and naturally, for SEO. Whilst it shouldn't be too informal, if you can inject a touch of passion and your personality into the summary, this is much preferable than a list of past job titles and dates.

Of course, one of the clear advantages that a LinkedIn profile has over a paper-based CV is that various attachments, including rich media can be included. This means that a profile can be a CV, portfolio and marketing platform all in one. Video, when shot well, (again it doesn't need to be professionally shot) can be a fantastic way of getting 'the story of you' across. Video is engaging for audiences and it makes you seem approachable, and it is far less impersonal than a list of skills and achievements, however impressive they might be.

A LinkedIn profile that reads like a conventional CV is a massive missed opportunity. But with some relatively easy adjustments it can be transformed into something that is altogether more compelling.