Before LinkedIn existed, it was almost impossible for to get acquainted or connected with potential recruiters and colleagues with similar skills and expertise. Today, LinkedIn is known to be the largest professional social network and is growing at an impressive rate of 2 new sign-ups per second. Owing to its impressive visibility, a LinkedIn profile is a must-have for every professional. With over 560 million users worldwide, 9 out of 10 recruiters would rely heavily on this professional network to look for suitable candidates – take a read of some of our top tips:

Complete all sections:

The more complete your profile is, the higher are your odds of recruiters finding your profile. LinkedIn makes this even easier by showing you the percentage of completeness of your profile as you input details and also offer suggestions on how to make it stand out more.

Choose a professional photo:

Don’t hesitate to invest in a professional photograph as first impressions always count. Choose a cropped headshot of yourself that is not blurry and is free of other people and background distractions. A self-portrayed image conveys energy, charisma, passion and other soft skills that maybe hard to put in words.

Put together an impressive headline and summary:

The headline on your LinkedIn profile is most often the first thing a recruiter or a LinkedIn viewer would read. It needs to be specific and about you and should reflect to viewers about what sets you apart from the competition. Use the space wisely and make it stand out. Make an impression with your summary and don’t be afraid start with something punchy.

Make it personal:

Your LinkedIn profile should resonate who you are as an individual as well as a professional. Let people know your values and passions outside of work and having flowing content, as if you are having a conversation with the person reading your profile. Let your personality shine through.

Manage Your Endorsements:

Having endorsements on your profile is a great way to show off your skills and knowledge, but it’s important to ensure that it’s updated continuously as you move from career to career and build up on new, advanced skills. When someone views your LinkedIn profile, they should only be able to see skills that are relevant and useful in today’s business environment.

Stay Active on LinkedIn:

By liking, sharing, and commenting on posts, you’ll get your name out there even more. Other LinkedIn users will see that you commented on their post, which can spark a new conversation and a connection. You can also improve your visibility by frequently making posts. These posts obviously have to remain related to your profession—posts about promotions, recent publications, and sharing relevant articles are most appropriate

Here at Communicate-RS, all of our Consultants can be found on LinkedIn, so if you feel like testing it out, contact us!