Job hunting on LinkedIn can happen in more ways than one. While you might use the site to actively look for jobs and make new valuable connections, opportunities might also come to you through recruiters approaching you directly for a role.
That is, if they can find you. Just because you have a profile on LinkedIn doesn’t necessarily mean that you are coming up in recruiters’ searches. Without knowing it, you might therefore be missing out on opportunities that aren’t advertised or you simply missed in your search.
Luckily, there are two things you can do to ensure you are being found:
Include key words on your profile
When recruiters look for candidates on LinkedIn they use certain key words to conduct their search. These may include job titles and industries but also relevant skills and personal attributes.
Incorporating these key words in your profile will increase your chances of standing out in a recruiter’s search. Here are some tips for doing this:
- Check job descriptions to learn more about what employers are after and the type of language they are using.
- Incorporate the same words and phrases where you can – most likely the recruiter will be using them in their search.
- Focus on your summary as this is where you highlight your core skills and personal strengths but also identify your ambitions and goals and the industry and types of roles you are looking for.
- Make sure that all the other sections on your profile have been filled in and are carefully worded.
- Add relevant work experience and highlight the various tasks, projects, achievements and skills related to the different roles.
- Do the same for any volunteering experience and always make sure your Skills & Endorsements section is up-to-date.
- Recruiters may also be looking for certain language skills or certifications so make sure you don’t skip the Accomplishments section.
Let recruiters know you’re ‘open’
Another thing to be aware of is that LinkedIn allows you to increase your visibility by indicating whether or not you are open to being approached about opportunities. When you go on your profile you should see a box in the top section that says ‘Show recruiters you’re open’ (only you can see this). By clicking ‘get started’ you can add your job preferences – including preferred job titles, location and job types – and who can see them. Just fill it in and click ‘add to profile’ and your profile will be flagged to recruiters as ‘open to new opportunities’.
Whether you are actively looking for a new role or tentatively keeping an eye open for that one dream job, optimising your LinkedIn profile will significantly help elevate the chances of exciting opportunities reaching you. So make sure you keep revisiting your page, reviewing the existing content and adding new skills and experience for optimal results.