Recruiters are using LinkedIn – fact.

If you want a headhunter to find you, you most definitely need to be there and your profile needs to be tip-top.

Make a good first impression

A great LinkedIn profile starts with a good profile photo. Head and shoulders with eyes smiling towards the camera. When you’re active on LinkedIn it’s your profile picture that appears everywhere – so it’s important to get it right and looking professional.

Keywords

That’s the first impression sorted; the rest comes down to words – and most importantly, keywords. This is what headhunters are using to find candidates so make sure you consider what words will get your profile found.

Check out the keywords used in job descriptions you’re interested in – and use them within your profile. Don’t go crazy – but use them as much as you can within your profile.

Some really effective places for keywords are within the headline, in the summary, job descriptions (experience) and under interests.

Get specific with words and include technical terms for your industry (use both the full name and abbreviation). Also include names of software or products that you’re familiar with.

Also check out the profiles of people who already hold the type of position you’re after – do a search and pay attention to how those at the top of the search results present themselves. Implement what you discover is working well for them.

Skills

Take control of the skills on your profile. Think carefully what skills you want to be recognised for and manage the settings on your profile. You can list up to 50 skills and arrange in order of relevance – make sure you include those keywords here.

Projects

Projects are a useful feature, particularly if you undertake interim roles. They allow for a greater explanation of something specific, than would be relevant for the experience section. Include details of the project and add other team members. It’s an excellent way to demonstrate a case study and specific skills such as leadership and team-working.

Organisations

If you belong to any industry organisations, make sure you include them on your profile; the keywords will often be a strong match against a headhunter’s specification. LinkedIn also gives you the option to add honours and awards, test scores, certifications and any volunteering & causes you work on.

Be visible and be contactable

Finally, check out your settings – ensure that your profile photo is visible and your activity broadcasts will be seen by everyone.

Most importantly, don’t forget to include your contact details on your profile – email and telephone number.

For a step by step guide to perfecting your LinkedIn profile to secure your next role or assignment, take a look at our latest webinar within our new blog – How to promote Brand You on LinkedIn.