With 95% of recruiters using LinkedIn as their go-to resource for finding applicants, you need a way to show up on their radar. Don’t despair if you’re not appearing in the search results just yet. I bet we can turn that around – and it’s easier than you might think. Let’s talk about five steps you can take to boost your visibility and encourage clicks.
Create an All-Star LinkedIn Profile
First things first. Before you try to attract recruiters to your LinkedIn profile, you want it to be as complete and impressive as possible. Fortunately, LinkedIn has a helpful profile strength meter
that recommends specific actions you should take to increase your visibility in search results.
Once you’ve completed them, you receive the All-Star designation. If that isn’t motivating enough, consider the fact that LinkedIn All-Stars are 40 times more likely to receive job opportunities.
Although the profile strength meter will provide suggestions, generally you want to complete
the following:
- Your industry and location
- An updated current position (with a description)
- Two past positions (if you have them)
- Education
- Skills (at least three)
- Profile photo
- 50+ connections
Change Your Career Interest Settings
What if you wanted to let recruiters know you’re open to opportunities, without tipping off your current employer? LinkedIn has a way to do just that. Here’s how:
- Go to your profile and scroll down to the “Your Dashboard” section.
- Click on “Career Interests” to access your settings.
- Change the toggle button to “Yes” where it says “Let Recruiters Know You’re Open”
- Fill out as much as possible on this page.
- Short introduction about yourself and anything you’d like recruiters to know
- Job titles you're considering
- Locations you'd like to work in
- Types of jobs you're open to
- Industries you are considering
- The size of company you'd like to work for
Recruiters search for candidates who have enabled this setting, so you’ve just increased your chances of being found.
Update Your Profile with the Right Keywords
Let’s talk a little more about how recruiters use LinkedIn to find potential candidates. Just like you do when you’re searching for a job, recruiters begin with a search box and use filters to narrow down the possibilities. That’s why you need to have the keywords they’re searching for on your profile.
But how do you know what those are?
The best approach is to look at a few job postings you plan to apply for, see what keywords come up frequently, and add those throughout your profile (in your headline, summary, experience, skills, etc.). Just use them naturally – or replace similar terms
you’ve been using with the keywords.
Improve Your First Impression in Search Results
You have one last hurdle to being contacted. Once the recruiter has narrowed down his/her list, they’ll see your name, headline, and profile photo. You need to make sure all three create a great impression, so they’ll take the next step and click on your profile.
Now’s the time to make sure your LinkedIn photo is professional – not obviously cropped from a group photo or with a busy background. You don’t need to invest in a headshot if you don’t have the funds. With a quality phone camera and free online photo editing software, you can create a perfectly respectable profile photo.
Your headline is the other critical piece of information in the LinkedIn search results. There are lots of ways to use this headline, so don’t feel as though you must use the default that lists your job title. If you’ve recently graduated, think about adding “Aspiring” plus your dream job title. This will add a valuable keyword too.
Consider LinkedIn Premium
If you want an extra boost to your visibility, you might want to try a LinkedIn Premium membership. It’s $29.99 per month, but they offer a one-month free trial.
You’ll get more insights into who looked at your profile, information about how well you stack up against the competition when you apply for jobs, and InMail credits to message non-connections.
--
To make sure your profile stands out from the rest, remember these five tips:
- Create an All-Star Profile
- Change Your Career Interest Settings
- Update Your Profile with the Right Keywords
- Improve Your First Impression in Search Results
- Consider LinkedIn Premium