What Recruiters Search for on LinkedIn

A professional headline

First things first, you need a professional headline. This should be a professionally taken (or at least a professional-looking) photo of you that gives recruiters and anyone looking to hire for a job role a sense of who you are.??

“A professional headline indicates that the person is serious about their career and presents themselves well online,” says Perminus Wainaina , the CEO of Corporate Staffing Services Kenya .??

Be sure that your headshot fits your industry, however. If you’re someone who works in a creative field, wearing a very business-formal outfit for your LinkedIn headline might send the wrong message. And vice versa. If your job requires you to dress formally, and you wear something informal in your photo, it might not give recruiters the sense that you’re serious about your work.

Your photo should be of you and only you. It should be up-to-date and clear, as well.

A to-the-point summary

Your summary should be one of the first things a recruiter reads on your LinkedIn, as it pops up at the top of your profile.

“As a recruiter, I mainly search for a combination of job titles, skills, and other keywords to find the right candidate for the job—so a LinkedIn summary that is keyword-rich is bound to stand out and score an interview,” says Mimi Paul, a systems operator for the recruiting firm,?Omil Staffing Services.

Because LinkedIn shows the first three lines of your profile summary before recruiters can click to see more, she says that it’s imperative that the first 300 characters of your summary need to be strong enough to grab her attention and make her want to learn even more about you.?

“In the profile summary, the candidate should add context to their career trajectory, show off accomplishments, and add what makes them great at their job,” she explains.

However, it’s easy to get carried away—or even feel a little lost—when it comes to writing your summary.

“This is where the majority of people go astray,” Moses says. “The summary is where you explain what you do, what you hope to accomplish, and what you bring to the table in your professional life. Keeping in mind that?LinkedIn is a professional networking site?is essential. Nothing that isn’t directly related to your job hunt should be included.” Leah Awiti Omil

Endorsed skills and recommendations

“Endorsements and recommendations from others vouch for the person’s skills and qualifications,” explains Lameck W. during the College Of Human Resource Management career coaching and mentorship session.

Plus, when people take the time to endorse skills on your profile or leave recommendations for you, it shows that you’re appreciated by your peers. And Thomas adds that recruiters “want to see if candidates are well-liked and respected by their peers.”

Of course, recruiters can only take others’ word for a candidate so far. But this is an important step in deciding whether or not they want to carry on with an interview to see for themselves.

“It’s difficult to gauge someone’s entire personality through a single LinkedIn profile—so, I try not to base my judgment on it until I interview the candidate… Still, what stands out to me the most is the person’s experience,” says Patrick Wilson, the Hiring Director of?SkillCourses , noting that he also reads the recommendations that others have given candidates based on those experiences. If they’re positive, he’ll move forward with scheduling an interview to really see how passionate they are.

Relevant experiences

Your experiences are the big one.

“When looking at a job candidate’s profile on LinkedIn, the first thing recruiters will look at is their skills and experiences,” says Christopher Sakwa Wangara (SPHRi, CHRP-K, CPM, MIHRM) . “They want to see if the candidate has the right skill set for the job they are applying for.”

?But filling out your experiences isn’t just about quickly filling out the fields. You want to make sure that you carefully color your whole profile.?

“A complete profile shows that the person is willing to put in the extra effort to present themselves well on LinkedIn,” sakwa says. “A complete profile also allows you to get a better sense of the person’s professional background and qualifications.”

A completed profile should paint the whole picture for recruiters. They should be able to get a sense of who you are, not only as a professional but also as a person.?

“When I’m looking for good candidates for a position on LinkedIn, I’m looking not only for relevant experience and job skills but also for a sense of who this person is and what motivates them,” says Julius Kipngetich , CEO of?@ Jubilee Insurance . “It’s important to find someone who will fit not only the job but also the company culture.”

What stands out to him the most is a LinkedIn profile that goes beyond listing skills and experience, he says. He also wants to be able to read from it the values you hold “in the workplace and beyond.”?

“The first and most important thing to do is to build an outwardly ‘professional’ looking profile and to keep it updated,” he says. “Your profile should also feature a clear, but most importantly concise, title so that I can quickly evaluate what you do and the industry you work in to work out if you might be a good fit. I will not be reading through paragraph after paragraph to try and work out if I want to reach out to you or not.”

Industry involvement?

Industry involvement can mean engaging on the platform by posting, being active in groups, participating in discussions, and more.

“LinkedIn recruiters also want to see how engaged the candidate is with their network—they want to see if the candidate is active in groups and discussions and if they are regularly sharing relevant content,” Thomas adds.?

After all, activity suggests openness to opportunities.?

“Active users are more likely to be engaged with their professional networks and are generally more open to new opportunities,” Nancy Mweche explains. And that’s precisely the kind of image you want to create for yourself.

Strong connections

“Another important factor that LinkedIn recruiters will look at is the connections the candidate has,” Nancy Mweche . “They want to see if the candidate is connected to any influential people in their industry.”

Nancy Mweche ?agrees, suggesting that “a strong network indicates that the person is well-connected and has a good reputation within their industry.”

One surefire way to establish strong connections and networks on LinkedIn is by branding yourself well and surrounding yourself with professionals in your space.?

“I can’t emphasize enough how critical it is to understand the art of networking with others—it is one of the best strategies for capturing the attention of hiring managers as it implies that you are an authoritative expert in your field,” he says. “Increase your network and get to know more people by researching industry organizations, connecting with people on LinkedIn, or joining a community.”

Up-to-date information

Make sure all of the information on your LinkedIn is up to date—still relevant and accurate.

Give yourself the best chance of catching the eye of a recruiter/hiring manager in your field, make sure to complete all the sections of your profile and keep it up to date.

Because LinkedIn is frequently launching new features, Nancy Mweche also advises you to make use of them so you can stand out from the crowd. For example, he suggests you try adding the name pronunciation tool, personal pronouns, or a cover story.

Longevity

Longevity refers to staying with one company or within one industry for an extended period of time. Even if you don’t have longevity to prove with a company, there are ways that you can show your commitment to your field through volunteer work, group activity, and more.

“We are looking for longevity,” says Nate Nead, CEO of?Recruiters. co . “[Being] with a company for multiple years is a great signal as to whether they will turn out quality work for one of our clients. It also shows at least some level of employer loyalty. Apart from a resume or a great LinkedIn profile, longevity is one of the things I pay attention to the most.”?

After all, demonstrating longevity offers some indication that you can stick around with your new employer, too.

“The first most important thing that you are looking for while hiring new candidates through LinkedIn is their long-term potential,” says Leslie Radka, the founder and hiring manager of?GreatPeopleSearch .