Need to grow your presence on LinkedIn – but unsure how to promote yourself without being too “obvious?”
- Maybe you created a basic Profile outlining your work history and education, then stopped because you weren’t sure what else to add.
- You’re aware that recruiters will seek you out on LinkedIn, but you might have concerns about confidentiality – especially if you don’t want your boss or Board to realize you’re looking around.
There ARE ways to build your LinkedIn profile into a best-in-class powerhouse – and gain serious ROI from it.
These steps can help you move ahead on LinkedIn, without giving away all your career details:
1 – Simply put, add more content to your LinkedIn profile.
Additional information on your career promotions and areas of authority can help pique the interest of recruiters and employers – even if you’re not intently seeking a new position.
Consider filling in more specifics, such as the scope of your role. “Held authority for strategic accounts in the company’s largest division” shows you were trusted with major revenue sources, while “Spearheaded new efficiencies in transformation effort with CEO and COO” helps convey your influence at the top levels of the company.
As a bonus, these details can make your LinkedIn profile more searchable by the phrases and keywords embedded in this new content.
Metrics-driven accomplishments will deliver even more impact. For example, instead of expecting your job titles (Operations Director, Technology Sales Executive, or VP of Product Strategy) to speak for your career, you can add keyword-rich success stories, such as these examples:
Greenfield Operations: Expanded production sites to Latin America, adding 54% increased capacity at 12% less projected expenses.
Sales Results: Met aggressive annual revenue benchmarks against flat economy by building and leveraging AI industry relationships.
2 – Strengthen your About section.
Only the first several hundred characters of your LinkedIn About section are displayed when others view your Profile (they’ll have to click “More” to see the rest). Since you only have a few lines to attract attention, make them count!
Rather than filling the About section with bland descriptors (Highly accomplished, Proven Leader, etc.), try adding specifics on job titles and areas of expertise.
Your new About introduction could look like this:
VP SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Sales Rainmaker – Next-Level Growth Throughout Americas & EMEA
Led 185% results as sole VMware sales driver; expanded wins through sales process rigor, new benchmarks, and sales process reengineering.
By incorporating job titles and keywords in these opening About lines, you’ll have a better chance of rising to the top of the candidate list in recruiter searches – and engaging them when they find you.
3 – Populate little-used areas of LinkedIn.
Did you know the Certifications section has a strong ranking in LinkedIn’s search algorithm – or that you could be filtered in search results based on Education?
If you’ve neglected to add a credential in these areas, you could be missing out on valuable contacts.
The same goes for the Job Title field. If your past role looks like IT Director, but you’ve been standing in for the CIO, you could specify “IT Director, CIO Level Authority” in this field to gain more traction on your desired job title.
If you started, but didn’t finish, a degree program, you can (and should) include this entry in your Education section. Simply add the type of degree and put “Studies” or “Coursework” behind it in the Degree field, which allows freeform data. You’ll still come up in employer searches for candidates with this educational background.
4 – Maintain visibility in your LinkedIn activity.
When you’re first logged into LinkedIn, you’ll see a News Feed that shows discussions and posts from your Connections or people you follow. Designed for interaction, this content provides an easy way to join in the discussion and raise your credibility.
In addition, LinkedIn “rewards” users who regularly post or initiate commentary in the News Feed, showing your Profile and your activity more often to other users. Since these users can include employers or recruiters, you’ll gain a higher level of visibility by joining in the discussions.
It’s best to restrict your activity to the same type of dialogue you’d expect in a professional setting, however. Your posts, Likes, and comments stay on your Profile indefinitely in the Articles & Activity section under your summary. This means avoiding topics such as negative experiences in your job search, or volatile discussions on politics.
Instead, consider posting informative data on industry-related topics, such as new concepts related to your field or insights on how to use specific skills. By maintaining some activity in the News Feed, you’re essentially helping promote your personal brand.
5 – Leverage LinkedIn’s Featured section.
One of the easiest tools for touting your achievements on LinkedIn, your Featured section is a great place to “advertise” the depth of your experience.
Consider adding digital links or documents for career-worthy items such as:
- Speaking engagements such as conference presentations
- Publications you have authored
- Media features or quotes attributed to you
- Blog posts or articles
The best part about using the Featured section? These entries are eye-catching proof of your leadership abilities, telling employers there’s more to your career trajectory and skills.
Featured Section entries on your Profile are shown prominently and can provide a strong visual for readers to navigate, as illustrated in the example below.
In summary, fleshing out your LinkedIn Profile – and engaging other users – will strengthen your online presence, whether you’re in a stealth job search or openly pursuing new opportunities.
Originally posted on Job-Hunt.org
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