Linkedin is a really important tool in the professional world nowadays. Find out why in this article as well as some useful tips on how to have an attractive profile for recruiters.
Linkedin is now the largest professional social network with over 740 million members and a total of over 55 million registered companies! It’s no wonder that it has become an indispensable professional tool for screening people and expanding your network. Who hasn’t already checked the profile of their boss, colleagues, or even relatives? It’s also the perfect way to keep up to date with the professional background of people or friends you’ve lost touch with or to find out about the profile of important future business partners and much more. In short, you will have to understand that all this makes it the ideal tool for recruiters to get more information on the background of the candidates they potentially want to recruit.
An indispensable professional tool
A Linkedin profile is like a virtual CV but more complete. You share your professional experiences, your diplomas, and your skills. That’s why for a recruiter, a Linkedin profile is essential to make the choice of a candidate rather than another.
Moreover, when you are not looking for a job, it can be easy to ignore updating your profile. But it’s good to remember that Linkedin is always working. Recruiters like to contact candidates who are not necessarily looking for a job because they have very professional profiles. Also, other people may have an interest in viewing your profile. Even if you are closed to job offers, a potential client could be looking at who you are, a supplier, a contact who would like to network, a more junior candidate looking for a mentor, an investor, or others. So it’s really a springboard for employment and professional support!
A personality Revealer
Most of the profile indicators on the network give a solid idea of a candidate’s personality and interests. For example, the number of languages a candidate speaks is associated with openness to experience, the number of connections with extraversion, and the quality of the profile summary with conscientiousness. Even the profile picture says a lot, if you are smiling you have a better tendency to be pleasant in the workplace but also a better ability to work in a group or do volunteer activities. Finally, recruiters generally find that a single indicator does not necessarily showcase an individual personality trait. For example, having served as a class representative indicates both high conscientiousness and high extraversion.
Some tips for an attractive profile
Headhunters, in addition to thinking about all the profiles they have already reviewed, spend time analyzing different Linkedin accounts. They aim to find rare gems that meet the needs of clients and employers. With the sheer number of profiles being reviewed, most can’t dwell too much on the details. So here are some handy tips to a least have an adequate foundation in your Linkedin profile. In other words, here’s what recruiters look at first.
1- Experience
Make sure to list your current experience with dates of employment. Don’t forget to list the end date of a job when you have completed it, as it can be confusing for a recruiter to see three current jobs. Pay attention to the stability of your work history, as a candidate who changes jobs every year may be less appreciated. If this is the case, consider adding “tenure” or “replacement” in brackets next to the job name.
2- Tasks
Recruiters love to see your main tasks and accomplishments summarized under your job title. This is particularly helpful in analyzing whether or not you will be the right candidate with the experience and skills required for the position. It is a way to make the employer’s job easier when they are looking for important information on your profile.
3- Diploma
A diploma listed with the date of graduation allows the recruiter to see if you have studied in the field for which they are looking for an employee. It also allows them to know where you are in your professional career: if you have a graduate degree or any specializations. They will often pay attention to the year of graduation to get an idea of how many years of experience you have in the job market
4- Photo
This step should not be taken lightly! Profiles that do not have one or one of poor quality and unprofessional are immediately less attractive. Make sure you choose a good-quality photo where you appear alone. If you are in need of inspiration, look at the photos of other contacts in your arena this will give you a good idea of what is acceptable. Especially avoid photos on vacation with sunglasses or in a bathing suit!
5- Connections
Although it’s not what recruiters look at first, try to have at least 50 contacts. This shows you have a circle of contacts in your field and that you use your Linkedin even if you have no publications.
6- Open to the new challenges
If you are open to a new challenge, make sure you mention it. Indeed, you can use the “Open candidate” option on your profile. This will display a message on the side of your profile picture and you will let recruiters know that you are looking for a job. This message is private so if you don’t want your current employer to see it, for example, they won’t see it!
7– For the expert
More seasoned Linkedin profiles will also start writing a summary, asking for recommendations, listing skills, joining groups, and listing causes that interest them. You can always feed your Linkedin profile, the more relevant information it is fed, the more recruiters will be interested in it because they will see your engagement!
I hope this article helped you to get an idea of the importance of having a great Linkedin profile. However, if you feel that you might need more help, then Placement International will be more than happy to assist you and help you fulfill your dream career! Take your career to the next level now and contact us at info@placement-int.com.
