Nowadays it is (or at least should be) clear that LinkedIn is one of the most useful tools for:
– strategic self-positioning
– building a consistent and professional online presence
Both of which are crucial factors in your job search! We have already written about how to create a perfect LinkedIn profile here.
However, you might still wonder: how to make my perfectly composed profile findable for recruiters? Read to find out:
Important disclaimer: even though the statistics and the background mentioned in the article come from the US, European headhunters conduct their searches similarly to their US colleagues.
What do the statistics say? That today about 95 per cent of recruiters utilize LinkedIn as a major sourcing tool to find candidates.
The important question is: how do recruiters use it? Here are the 2 pieces of information we thought candidates could use to their advantage:
– keyword searches: according to an article, this is “the most common way of finding ideal job candidates”.
To quote Shally Steckerl, one of the leading recruiters for Fortune 500 companies: “in order to figure out what keywords to use in your profile, it’s good to find a job ad for a position you seek or a similar one and look for important words”.
Then, make sure to use those keywords in your profile summary and other sections of your LinkedIn profile. It will certainly help recruiters localize you!
– network: you might have noticed that when you search for somebody, the LinkedIn algorithm shows you an entire list of other similar profiles under “People Also Viewed” section or your 2nd connections. And recruiters also use this method of finding candidates: they simply search for people with similar characteristics to those they already know!
It is a great argument in favour of having a large network on LinkedIn. You never know when you will show up as “someone else” worth viewing!
We can add that it’s best if you have:
– an updated tagline so that it is attractive to your target group/audience
– a personalized link to your profile
– a professional photo
– a well-thought-out profile summary
– consistently written responsibilities/company names/dates and locations
To learn more, read this interesting article on the topic, How Headhunters Use LinkedIn to Find Talented Candidates.
Do you have a professional and well-thought-out LinkedIn profile? Not sure? Feel free to request a complimentary LinkedIn Report, with feedback on all your sections systematically. Just email Bichl.Sandra@CareerAngels.eu (Subject: LI Report) adding the link to your profile.
