How to Get Recruiters to Notice Your LinkedIn Profile
Throughout your Assessor career, you have probably been racking up your skills and working on adding to your CPD record. From attending seminars to learn new skills and volunteering to achieve Assessor qualifications. Traditionally, all of these hard-earned experiences would be stored in a paper filing system but having these all printed out is no longer useful. We live in a digital era, and with most recruiters using websites to advertise their vacancies, it is time to create your own digital portfolio.
All About LinkedIn
LinkedIn is more than just a job search site. It’s a networking site where people build up their professional acquaintances and share their expertise. Finding the right candidate for a job has never been easier. Human resource officers no longer have to trawl through mountains of paperwork. In just a few clicks they can access hundreds of people who fit the exact criteria they require.
Not only has LinkedIn made it easier for recruiters, but it has also made it easier for people to find their dream career that is aligned with their life goals. How do you use technology to your advantage and use LinkedIn to the best of your ability? Let’s have a quick look through some of the key ways.
1. Make sure your profile photo is up to date
When you walk into an interview you want them to know who you are immediately. So, don’t keep your profile photo on LinkedIn blank! Look for one of the most recent, professional-looking photos you have (not something you would share on Facebook). Ensure the photo is well-lit, high resolution and only includes you (no group photos). It is also best if your photo takes up most of the space on the frame otherwise it will be hard for people to see.
2. Fill out your LinkedIn headline
Your headline is the one chance you really have to capture the attention of potential recruiters before they go into the depths of your LinkedIn profile. Think of it as click-bait, you need to leave them wanting to know more. There is a 120-character limit for the headline so use this space wisely and unleash your creativity effectively!
3. Add in your education & work experience
This is fairly obvious, but your LinkedIn profile needs to be completed as much as possible. Start with the last level of education that you achieved; for example a degree, and include the university you graduated from as well as the grade you earned. Graduating from a prestigious university could be the thing that separates you from other candidates. If you didn’t manage to finish your academics then just add your last relevant academic activity.
The work experience section is where you can really go to town on previous job roles and the knowledge, skills and behaviours you accomplished whilst there. Include your job position, the company name and how long you worked there. This will give recruiters a good idea as to whether you are a ‘job-hopper’ or are committed to staying in one role for a number of years.
4. Include your location and skills
Some people shy away from adding their location as they feel it will make them vulnerable. Contrary to popular belief, it can actually work to your advantage including this information as most employers consider location to be an important factor when they are looking for candidates. You could easily be left out of search results just by failing to add your location, so make sure you include it.
Skills are also important to feature within your LinkedIn profile as employers need to see if you match their job description. As these are listed further down your profile they aren’t as important as something like the headline, for example, but it is still worth filling this section out.
5. Connect with others
LinkedIn is all about networking on a digital platform. Not only can you connect with your previous classmates or colleagues, you can also search for people who work within the same industry as you. Recruiters may well check your connections so make sure you only follow people you actually know.
You probably already know this but make sure you keep your LinkedIn profile updated and active. If you haven’t posted in 6 months and then start applying for jobs, recruiters are less likely to see you within their news feeds due to the nature of the LinkedIn algorithm.
So there you have it, some top tips on how to get your LinkedIn profile noticed by recruiters. Remember there are lots of Assessor groups on LinkedIn too so join those and start mingling with like-minded people! If you have any other tips we would love to hear them – drop us an email at training@brooksandkirk.co.uk.