- Fill up your profile
- Build a network
- Recommend others
- Join groups
- Incorporate keywords
1. Complete your profile
Fill out your profile, from summary to career history and education, and update it once a month.
The more complete your profile, the higher you rank in LinkedIn’s search results, making it easier for contacts to find you.
Adding a photo makes you 36 times more likely to receive a LinkedIn message on and profiles with professional headshots get 14 times more views.
2. Build a large network
You might think you should only stay connected to those you already know, but this rule better applies to personal networks.
With LinkedIn, each person you connect with has the potential to introduce you to 400+ people, 100+ companies and 500+ jobs.
The more direct connections you have, the larger your overall network will be, creating more opportunities in the long run and increasing the chances that your profile will be seen.
Make sure to follow up with people you’ve met in person, by sending them a LinkedIn connection request shortly after.
Do not forget to add a personal note that refers back to the occasion on which you met, and the reason you’d like to keep in touch.
3. Recommend others
Impressive employment history will always help draw recruiters in, but it is the recommendations from others that will really convince them to meet with you.
Recommend others as much as you can, and they are likely to reciprocate.
If you do this over time, your job hunt will be much easier when you do start looking.
4. Join groups
Whatever your industry, joining and actively participating in LinkedIn groups will put you in touch with other experts in the field.
Posting intelligently and often in group discussions will establish you as a thought leader in the market, widen the reach of your message, and help you connect with key people you might not otherwise have interacted with.
Read Also: Want a Job? Clean Up Your Social Media Profiles
5. Optimise your search rankings
Recruiters search for keywords, so optimise your ranking by incorporating industry terms into your heading, summary, and work history.
Having 40 words or more on your summary ensures you show up in search results — people with at least five skills listed receive up to 17 times more views.
Keep it light on the overused buzzwords, such as visionary or guru, and make sure your language is clear and concise, avoiding industry jargon that might be hard for those outside your business to understand.
This article is contributed by Robert Walters Singapore.
