Is your LinkedIn profile hurting your job search?

An active LinkedIn profile is an excellent asset to your job search, no matter where you are in your career. From recent graduates to seasoned professionals, everyone can increase their exposure to potential employers and recruiters with a well-optimized LinkedIn profile.

Today, LinkedIn has become an essential tool for the hiring process for many businesses. A lot of employers and hiring managers use LinkedIn to search for new talent. Some businesses hire exclusively through the LinkedIn platform.

If LinkedIn is such an important job search tool, why aren’t you using it properly?

Certain mistakes you make when creating or maintaining your LinkedIn profile can drive interested employers away. Today, we will discuss how your LinkedIn profile may hurt your job search.

Mistake #1: Your profile photo doesn’t send the right message

If you haven’t updated a profile picture for your LinkedIn profile, or if you have used an unprofessional image as your profile picture, employers won’t be too keen on hiring you. The next time you start a job search, make sure that your LinkedIn profile picture doesn’t show you holding a glass at a frat party.

Mistake #2: Your profile isn’t publicly visible

We understand that there are many reasons why some professionals keep their social media profiles away from the public. However, if your goal is to score the next big opportunity in your career, you will need to ensure that your profile is visible to professionals who aren’t your connections yet. If you have kept your profiles private due to safety concerns, think twice about changing the privacy settings.

Mistake #3: Your profile mentions a bit of everything

Just like your resume, your LinkedIn profile too must be tailored to fit your target job title. If your plan is to snag a healthcare role, mentioning too many admin skills and experiences on your profile may hurt your chances. You should optimize your LinkedIn profile with the right keywords for your target job title to improve your visibility to potential employers.

Mistake #4: You don’t have enough connections

It’s essential to have at least 50 connections on your LinkedIn profile when you enter a job hunt. The number of connections on your profile is not a vanity number. The more connections you have on the platform, the more visible you will be to employers. Your first-degree connections will lead you to second-degree connections who work at your target companies.

Mistake #5: You haven’t posted anything on the platform

Simply creating a LinkedIn profile isn’t enough to attract employers. If you want to set yourself apart from the other competitors, you should share content relevant to your industry and profession through your profile. Share your thoughts on a new technology that has come to play in your industry, challenges felt by businesses in the field, or your expert opinion on an industry topic.

Mistake #6: You are not actively engaging with your connections

The whole point of this platform is to give professionals the chance to interact with each other. If you want to be an active member on LinkedIn, you should start engaging with your connections. Send a simple congratulatory message on career milestones and achievements, or occasionally touch base with your connections through a personalized message. Don’t forget to give and receive recommendations as well.