Would you like to learn about 5 ways to improve your LinkedIn profile to land your next job? Employers regularly turn to LinkedIn to learn more about potential employees. Recruiters also rely on LinkedIn to find qualified job seekers to fill the positions available at the companies they serve.

Along with providing tutoring and training for business owners on how to use LinkedIn effectively, I also do the same for job seekers. I’ve found that when job seekers update their profile sections in the ways I list below, they are more likely to land the job they want. In the picture with this blog I’m doing a LinkedIn training for a group of job seekers.

Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile as a Job Seeker

  • Profile Photo. Be sure it’s an up-to-date headshot in which you are dressed as you would be for an interview. Have a solid color background that contrasts with your hair and your outfit.
  • Headline. Avoid using the words “seeking new opportunities.” Instead, use search terms from the position descriptions of the jobs you are looking to land. You can also include the types of industries where you want to work. You have up to 220 characters available in the headline. Make the most of them!
  • About Section. Paint a picture of what you bring to your potential employer. Use short sentences, short paragraphs, and bulleted lists to create plenty of white space, which makes this section more readable. Describe yourself in the context of your career(s). Keep in mind that many people will be using the LinkedIn mobile app. White space is even more important on a small screen.
  • Career Highlights and Testimonials in About Section. For jobs that you held more than 15 years ago, consider referencing them under a heading entitled “Career Highlights.” Put these positions in a bulleted list toward the end of your About Section. Consider adding one or two testimonials at the very end of the section. You have up to 2,600 characters for this section.
  • Experience Section. In general, this section should mirror your resume. Include both your actual job title and a few search terms to more fully describe your position. You have up to 100 characters available in the title field. In the position description you have just under 2,000 characters available.
    • Consider adding volunteer leadership positions to the Experience Section. Doing so can be especially important when you’ve been out of work for a while. Adding these volunteer roles shows your generosity of spirit as well as your abilities. Plus, it draws attention to the entity you served or are serving. And you can only get recommendations based on these positions if you include them here.

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 55 and up, to become more effective using social media, especially LinkedIn and Facebook. She works with business owners, business development professionals, business consultants, job seekers, and more – ranging from entrepreneurs to people in large corporations. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.