I’ve been on LinkedIn for a while now and for those who are new to the network it feels a bit like trying a new clothing brand that you’ve never tried before. You don’t know your sizing or the quality of the clothes until you place that order. Well I’m here to explain why you need to be on LinkedIn.
I have been told time and time again that LinkedIn is like your online CV for jobseekers and students. It is a place to share and boast about your qualifications, experience, skills and achievements. It is probably one of the first chances to make a good impression with a future colleague so it is important to keep it up to date with clear, informative information about you. Academic tutors and previous/current employers are able to recommend you and endorse your skills which strengthens your profile. For example, I am wanting to work in social media so every time I’ve done some experience with someone I have asked them to endorse me on that particular skill.
Use keywords for you to get recognised. We use search engine optimisation (SEO) to get our blogs noticed and listed high in Google’s rankings similarly LinkedIn works in the same kind of way. Have a look at job descriptions of positions that you are interested in and use those keywords in your profile. I have had a document since University with all the phrases and unusual words that I have come across so I can use them when writing cover letters, CVs and updating my profile. Just like with any other social media platform, the more people who interact with your posts the more likely it will show up on other people’s timelines who are related to your connections so get posting, commenting and engaging with people on LinkedIn.
So you’ve found the HR Manager of the advertised job that you really want, what do you do? Send a connection request and add a note. Make it personal, explain why you want to connect with them. If they accept remember to say thank you and that’s when you can start talking to them. At first it might feel a bit unprofessional then sending a well worded email but trust me it works. If a particular job interview doesn’t work out, that is okay. Stay connected, they can recognise your talents and keep up to date with your achievements; you never know where it might lead in the future.
Until recently I have always seen LinkedIn as a professional networking space and that I have to think about how I want to present myself on that little space of the internet. Unlike my other profiles I do try and pay more attention to using the correct language and tone, check my spelling and grammatically errors a bit more but it has become more personal than when I first started out. My connections are sharing more of their interests each and every day. I spotted someone sharing a sunrise and sunset pic of my local area explaining why he loves working here and it got people talking. That’s what you want to an extent. In addition to that, make sure you include a fun, inviting profile picture. People with no profile picture are put at the bottom of the search results and will be a huge disadvantage for you. LinkedIn have recently introduced a feature where you can record yourself saying your name which is super helpful for those of you will unusual names like myself.
Personally I believe LinkedIn can be super helpful. What are your tips or advice for creating a LinkedIn profile? Have you got any advice on how to use the social networking site? I would love to know your opinions.
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