Why is a Linkedin profile so important when looking for a job?

With a profile on Linkedin becoming an increasingly popular search channel among recruiters, optimizing your profile is becoming more important than ever. Many headhunters know how to format their resumes. However, an account on LinkedIn is often overlooked by potential candidates. If you don't already have a profile then it will be worthwhile to create a profile that will catch the attention of recruiters.

As such, I have detailed 3 tips on how to quickly optimise your LinkedIn profile to ensure maximum exposure to recruiters!

Use the right LinkedIn SEO keywords to appear in relevant searches.

In order for recruiters to contact you about new job openings, assume that your Linkedin profile is the basis for listing all your keywords. Indeed, these will be searched for by potential employers or recruiters. Meanwhile, overlooked keywords (in my experience) include technology (e.g. Excel/ Google Analytics/ Javascript/ SQL, etc.) and synonyms for your job title. But don't forget that keywords should be presented in context - for example, in a summary of your work experience or skills. So if someone is fluent in Swedish, for example, they should include that in the summary, skills or description. Also be sure to include the correct url, which can help with searches. Modern recruiting tools such as ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) are able to download a candidate's profile from Linkedin to their database, and process it there using artificial intelligence to recommend the most suitable profiles. One of the criteria for this matching is precisely the relevant objective keywords.

Below is an example of a not very successful description, without keywords:

example showing a wrong description on linkedin

And now another description with keywords:

description of linkedin profile in a correct way

 

Which one tells you more?

How to strengthen your personal branding?

Linkedin's algorithm favors profiles with a large network of contacts with lots of activity, and ranks them higher in recruitment search results. It also undoubtedly favors users with recommendations and endorsements. Although some users prefer to have a more compact LinkedIn network with connections they have interviewed, it definitely helps to have a large network of contacts who post regularly on the portal.
Nevertheless, make sure your Linkedin account makes a good first impression

On average, a recruiter spends 7 seconds looking at your profile items on LinkedIn before deciding whether or not to contact you. Studies that track the eye movement of recruiters when viewing profiles on Linkedin show that most of those 7 seconds are spent looking at your profile picture. The background photo is followed shortly by your titles/work experience and then your summary. Remember that the background photo is no less important than the profile photo. Photos should have a proper description (title) and ALT text (alternative description).

Recruiters usually skip profiles where the name is hidden or we have written e.g. Beata J or Oskar K.

Given the above, keep your Linkedin account professional, concise and clear so that a recruiter can read it easily.
Incidentally, research has also shown that a clear and simple profile on Linkedin is preferred 60% more than a complex profile with little white space.
Highlight your accomplishments in your professional summary and show potential employers the value you can bring to their business.

 

Fast Forward Solutions - your source for top professionals

Fast Forward Solutions specializes in recruitment services in the areas of IT, e-commerce, sales and marketing. Our rigorous methodology combines role profiling, executive search and candidate assessment, supported by consulting services. As a result, we guarantee efficiency and rapid acquisition of the best talent on the market. With our support, any company can increase sales, reduce operating costs, improve the efficiency of human resources management and strengthen investor confidence.

 

About the author: Tomasz Bożyczko

Tomasz Bożyczko is an experienced sales leader, CEO and founder of Fast Forward Solutions. His passion for recruiting and developing teams has contributed to the success of many organizations. Tomasz is an expert in hiring top talent and improving recruitment processes.

We hope these tips will help you create compelling job opportunities and optimize your recruitment process to attract the most valuable employees for your company.