Want to use LinkedIn for your job search, but afraid that your employer will find out?

Worried that your boss or colleagues will react to changes in your Profile?

You probably know there’s no way to make your LinkedIn Profile 100% private; however, these tips will help you update LinkedIn during your job search – without giving yourself away:

1 – Apply your Profile changes – but slowly.

You already know that a well-written, keyword-optimized Profile will reap many benefits for your job search. However, just because you’ve carefully constructed your Profile content doesn’t mean you must update it all at once!

Consider adding a paragraph to your LinkedIn Profile on a regular basis, filling in the details of each job or adding information to the Projects section. You could also populate the Skills & Expertise section with one competency at a time.

This slow-update strategy can help make your updates less obvious to others (who would need to monitor your Profile constantly to figure out your intentions).

2 – Update your Profile from the bottom up.

A great keyword strategy includes using common terms and skills for your field and expertise, with plenty of repetition on important phrases.

Because LinkedIn search algorithms rely on these keywords to “rank” your Profile,  you can add them in nearly every section. This means the terms you select will help boost your findability, no matter where you’ve placed them (although they count more in heavily indexed fields, such as your Job Title).

Start getting found for your important skills by updating your Profile from the oldest job first, then slowly working your way to your current role. Since most users check your Profile from the top down, similar to how they’ll read your resume, you can start benefiting from the increased keyword content without giving yourself away.

3 – Tout your employer’s achievements in your Profile.

Many people use LinkedIn to promote their employer’s products or reputation, since prospective customers will be can comb the site to find out more about the company offerings.

Here’s where updating your Profile can make you look good to your boss:  by including details on new services or the company’s competitive edge, you can surreptitiously add keyword terms or skills that make you look good at the same time.

For example, an operations executive might mention “new production and process improvements that place XYZ Company among the fastest industry-wide for delivery,” or an IT project leader can specify “initiatives that incorporate cloud-based strategies and allow us to offer increased data security to customers.”

In short, there are ways to inject more content into LinkedIn – and benefit from it – without exposing your job search to others. Start with deliberate, well-planned updates to your Profile for a better reception from employers.

Also published on www.Job-Hunt.org