By Ira Koretsky
LinkedIn is an integral part of your job search. LinkedIn complements and extends your credibility and therefore enhances your attractiveness as a job candidate. Imagine you were an executive comparing two candidates—both with stellar credentials. One has only a resume, while the other presents a resume and a full LinkedIn profile, complete with glowing recommendations from former bosses, colleagues, staff, and clients. Whom would you prefer to interview?
The power of LinkedIn is the access it provides to information about you, information that you define and control, and information not be available anywhere else.
Some food for thought:
- There are 80,000 million members of LinkedIn
- Most of the Fortune 500 has at least some of their executive team on LinkedIn
- For some companies, LinkedIn is used as a crucial filter to determine whether to bring someone in for an interview
- In a typical Internet search of a person’s name, LinkedIn appears on the first page of search results, and usually in the first five links
This article focuses on optimizing your LinkedIn content and messaging (Note: I’d be happy to write articles on how to use LI in your job search. Please leave a comment with your suggestions or email me).
Here are some tips to create a must-read profile:
1. Create a Memorable Professional Headline
Use the Professional Headline field to make a first impression that screams, “Read me now.” By default, LinkedIn populates your Professional Headline with your current title and company (see Exhibit 1 below). Many members do not change it. Click [Edit] beside your title and customize it to a powerful headline that grabs the reader’s attention. A compelling headline is the foundation of business storytelling. Think of it as your personal brand statement and your unique selling proposition. As in Example 2, it should summarize your potential value.
Some examples include “Building Great Brands for 25 Years,” “Growing Departments into Divisions,” and “Positioning Fortune 2000 Companies for Explosive Growth.” Your headline should represent your personal AND your professional self.
2. Make Your Summary Engaging and Compelling
Follow up your memorable and customized Professional Headline with an informative and compelling Summary. Make it easy to read and engaging. Use bullet statements, short sentences and paragraphs, search-engine friendly words and phrases, and industry buzzwords.
For content in your Summary, read “How to Write a Resume Summary That Gets Interviews.” There, you will find several specific suggestions with examples. Ensure your LinkedIn summary contains the exact same information from your resume, fleshed out with relevant details. Choose details to pique your reader’s interest and help you stand out. As in business, know your audience. What would your readers find interesting about you? Examples include brief success stories, high-impact accomplishments, guest lectureships, volunteer activities, experiences with hot trends, etc.
3. Improve Your Credibility
Ask for recommendations to demonstrate your credibility and capability. Recommendations from professionals who know your work first hand differentiate you. They serve as “mini” business stories to tout the benefits of working with you and your organization. Ask current and former bosses, staff, co-workers, colleagues, partners, clients and vendors.
In fact, offer to help write it to ensure your key words and messages are included in the testimonial. Each recommendation should tell a different and complementary story about your personal and professional life and successes. I suggest you create a spreadsheet and group your skills logically per recommendation (see below).
4. Spend the Time
Use the LinkedIn search function. Type in your desired position title. See how people already in these positions present themselves. By spending just a few hours, you can create a LinkedIn profile to be proud of. And, over time, ask for recommendations, tweak the search-engine-friendly terms as well as industry buzzwords, and continually add to and update your content. Ask friends and colleagues for feedback. And then accept the feedback with a smile and say thank you. LinkedIn should be an important tool in your job search.
Please share your thoughts and insights in the comments – we’d love to hear from you!
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Photo of LinkedIn button is by Igi’s TV Network.
November 11, 2010 - 13:47
Excellent post, Ira. Thank you!
Also add that as you add connections, LinkedIn becomes a potent search engine to find suitable names and information. It’s my “people search” engine.
November 11, 2010 - 16:19
Thanks for your note Dick. Absolutely, LinkedIn is too often a misunderstood and under used tool.
November 12, 2010 - 09:02
Ira-I agree that LinkedIn is often under utilized as a social network. I love point 3 where you suggest using a spreadsheet to ensure that you include all of the points that you want to display.
For point 1, I would add that your headline should be forward looking. When crafting your headline, write it for the next job you want to have and don’t be restrained by the corporate-speak title that you had previously. For example, use Social Media Manager rather than Manager of Left-Handed Promotions (yes this is a made up example!).
Lastly, I strongly recommend that you pay it forward. Go through and write recommendations for people that you’ve worked with. Not just “nice guy to work for” but give positive examples.
Happy marketing,
Heidi Cohen
November 17, 2010 - 14:59
Two great suggestions Heidi. And people should also remember to make deliberate choices about words they use. For the more adventurous, consider testing different headlines. Think more than just A|B testing, think A|B|C|D|? testing until it generates the results you want.