A Guide to Maximising your LinkedIn potential
By Jeremy Leonard
LinkedIn is by the far the greatest tool available for jobseekers and professionals online. I’m a strong believer in that everyone should be applying some time and effort into the platform. A recent study conducted through LinkedIn found that over 120 million people have received an interview through the site and over 35 million people have been hired by someone they were connected to on LI.
Regardless of what type of job you’re looking for, through LinkedIn you have the capability to connect, follow, and engage with people in similar positions, as well as HR, recruiters, managers, and even the owners of your dream companies.
However, making a quick account with an old headshot photo, blank about section and a private profile won’t do you any good…
Yes, there are over 55 million companies listed on LinkedIn and over 15 million jobs. But, on average throughout the week, 40 million users are using the platform to search for a job and over 3 million users are utilizing the #OpenToWork photo frame. So, you’re going to have to stand out from the crowd!
If you’re a new user, or someone looking to get better at using LinkedIn, here’s three ways to maximize your experience.
Step one - Optimize your profile.
1. Make your LinkedIn profile public
When an employer is researching a candidate, they’ll likely end up at google. Typically, all your social media profiles come up. By becoming active on LinkedIn, even if it’s just a few times a month, you can make sure that it’ll rank higher on a google search than other platforms you might use daily.
2. Update your LinkedIn profile picture
The very first thing a recruiter will see when searching for a candidate is your profile picture. Whether or not you like it, you need a photo on your LinkedIn.
Let’s look at some real-life examples of what not to do:
A bathroom selfie trying to reenact Derek Zoolander’s famous ‘Blue Steel’.
Your wedding picture with your spouse cropped out.
An animated avatar of yourself is creative, but unless you're in a creative type of role - no.
If for some reason you think even for a second, it’s ok to have your drivers’ license as your profile picture… change it.
It’s not overly complicated. Dress appropriately for the job you want, have someone else take the picture for you with a blurred or blank background. And smile.
2. Maximize your LinkedIn headline real estate.
The Banner section behind your picture is one of the most overlooked sections. You have an opportunity to market yourself to every person that views your profile. As a jobseeker, uses this as a digital business card to showcase what you do, who you are and your contact information.
Bonus points if you have developed your own hashtag that people can follow.
Jeremy’s own LinkedIn banner is a great example of maximising the possibilities of the banner section as a digital business card - showcasing your professional brand and what you do.
3. Fill out the about section.
LinkedIn is giving you 2000 characters to tell anyone viewing your profile about yourself. This section should really read like your introductory cover letter that showcases your professional and personal brand.
Step two - Start building your network.
One of the most common things I see, is that people are only connected with their family, college friends, current or past colleagues. This is not the purpose of the platform.
LinkedIn was built to let you create new relationships and network. You have every opportunity to connect directly with the people at the companies you want to work for.
Even more than that, connect, follow and directly engage with some of the greatest minds that the world has to offer.
Tip: Remember to always send a personalized connection invitation by adding a small note.
Step three - Stick out from the crowd by creating content.
As of right now, LinkedIn has over 740 million users, roughly 300 million of which are active users.
What’s most surprising about this, is that only 1% of the total user base is creating content on the platform.
The most effective way to stand out from others, is to talk about your professional experiences through tips or advice you’ve learned, what you’re actively learning about, or industry news and research.
LinkedIn have reported that job seekers who post status updates are 10x more likely to be contacted by new connections, recruiters, and potential opportunities. It’s a fact!