Executive Jobseekers: What does a good LinkedIn profile look like?
Are you one of many Executive Jobseekers’ looking to secure your next role with the help of LinkedIn? You’re amongst 33 million other UK active users, therefore it is important to produce a glowing LinkedIn profile that will make you stand out amongst other working professionals.
Your LinkedIn profile works hand in hand with your resume/CV. This almost limitless platform provides Executive jobseekers a gateway into a vast selection of positions that you may not find advertised elsewhere.
LinkedIn is a brilliant tool for candidates and hiring managers alike, and at TechNET CxO, we use it in our daily searches, alongside many other job boards.
Start with improving the look of your profile
Attach a professional photo
Your photo should be current and a real representation of yourself as this visual will portray your identity online. Although we recommend using a professional, forward facing profile picture – it doesn’t have to feel robotic. At the end of the day, LinkedIn is a social media platform, and your profile should come across as approachable and genuine.
It’s worth noting that jobseeker’s profiles with a photo get 9X more connection requests, 21X more profile views and 36X more messages than those without. As you would expect, your photo should be inoffensive and clean.
Including a cover photo
Your cover photo takes up a sizeable proportion of the page and is usually one of the first things you see, so it is important to make it count!
We won’t tell you the exact type of cover photo to use as your message will differ from others. For example, our team like to use cover photo’s that portray a strong community presence with the help of branding, allowing our consultants to build on their own personal brands. This is also effective if you are currently employed as future employers will see that you’re still dedicated to your role until the very end, and this would apply to their business too.
About me
When writing your ‘About’ section, it will be beneficial to include a call to action, especially if you want to make others aware that you are looking for a new role. Examples such as, “Connect with me to discuss Senior Marketing positions opportunities” will help others understand that you’re open to discussions without having to use the ‘Open to work’ LinkedIn frame.
If you are currently unemployed, and to avoid questions surrounding your unemployment, there is no need to write this in your summary. Instead, you can choose to share that you are open to work with recruiters only, ensuring that the hiring process remains discrete and confidential.
Background and qualifications
Including your language knowledge is crucial if you are applying for positions, especially if you are open to international roles.
Clients often mention that an extra language is an advantage. This may give you an edge on the competition – especially if it is easy to see on your LinkedIn page. If you have got it, make sure to include it – even if you think it isn’t relevant!
Endorsing skills
Once you have received your recommendations, you shouldn’t forget about your skill endorsements. Endorsements allow managers to discover you online, so you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for them from others – especially those that have worked on a project with you and may have the same skills themselves.
Recommendations
Credibility is key on LinkedIn, and by collating recommendations from previous employers, colleagues and even friends, you are able to build on this and gain trust from potential employers too. It may seem obvious, but many people forget to add to these regularly!
Personalised URL
This is an excellent feature on LinkedIn that allows you to simplify your URL. It doesn’t take long to do and will make your profile more personalised, easier to find, and also looks much cleaner when sharing your URL with others during the hiring process.
Your activity
You shouldn’t stop at improving your profile – the content that you put out to the world has an impact on your employability too.
Know your audience
During the LinkedIn hiring process, recruiters look for keywords in their search.
It will be worthwhile to try and integrate these specific keywords into your ‘About’ section on your profile and avoid using over-generalised terms that others may use regularly. Examples of these would be “hardworking” and “innovative” which are not proactive terms to use.
Staying active
If you are going to have a LinkedIn profile, it is important to update and complete it. Whether you apply for your role on LinkedIn or on the client’s website – they will look you up online, and if your LinkedIn profile is basic with minimal effort, this may give off a bad first impression.
If you are actively searching for your next Executive role – our team of dedicated, knowledgeable consultants are here to help you. You can visit our current jobs board or submit your CV today.
Have you got an idea of what makes a great LinkedIn profile?
