Personal Branding & Marketing You: How To Get Found On LinkedIn

LinkedIn is an increasingly important tool for both job seekers and  recruiters (and I use the term broadly from hiring managers to human resources staff to head hunters). Having a well done LinkedIn profile is increasingly important to finding a job and advancing your career. If you are actively looking for a new position then being active on LinkedIn should be a critical part of your strategy. If you are not actively looking for a new job, LinkedIn can still be important to you because someone with just the right position for you may find you using LinkedIn.

What do you need to do to be found on LinkedIn and make a solid impression that will get a hiring manager or recruiter to contact you?

Complete Profile: Your profile is like an online resume. Recruiters and hiring managers need to be able to tell if it is worth picking up the phone to talk with you.

• Do: Describe what you did, the value you added.
• Avoid: Listing just your employer and job title

Professional Headline: Short phrases or short lists of qualities and skills that are in alignment with the positions you looking for.

• Do: Use descriptive, value added words
• Avoid: Simple, boring job titles

Summary: This section is intended for you to get a short, executive summary of your career direction.

• Do: Interesting, value added story and description
• Avoid: Boring facts about your past jobs

Key Words: Recruiters and hiring managers search for key terms on LinkedIn in order to fin the right employer.

• Do: If you were looking for someone to fulfill the position you want, what would key words would you search for? Check other's opinions.
• Avoid: Stringing key words together. Thinking basic job titles will show up in meaningful search results.

Websites: Websites include more than just a domain name now. Use your profile on social mediate sites.

• Do: Connect to personal website, Facebook profile or page, etc.
• Avoid: Leaving it blank

Provide Answers: On the drop down menus on the top of the LinkedIn homepage, clickMore then Answers.

• Do: Write thorough, professional answers to questions. Also ask questions
• Avoid: Providing sloppy answers, off brand answers, ignoring the feature.

How well is your LinkedIn profile working for you?