LinkedIn Profile Optimisation – a Path to your dream job.
LinkedIn has become one of the most valuable tools to a recruiter, it is therefore vital you maximise your LinkedIn Profile regardless of whether you’re are searching for a new role or not… you never know when someone will contact you regarding your dream job.
Below are DPSM’s (www.dpsmconsultants.com) suggestions to ensure your LinkedIn Profile pops up on the recruiter’s screen when conducting a search for your dream job.
1.Photos – there are two main photos on your LinkedIn Profile, your Profile Picture, and your Cover Photo.
- Along with your current job title, the Profile Picture, is one of the first things a recruiter notices when they conducting a search. Try it, type in “Golf Manager” to the search tool, you have a list of Profiles with a name, picture and title. Recruiters will troll through hundreds of profiles a day only seeing this layout. You must have a picture! Secondly, it should be professional and good quality. I’m not saying you have to be in a suit, keep it casual but smart. Make the recruiter think “I want them representing my brand”.
- The second picture on your profile is the Cover Picture, not as important however a good way to differentiating your profile from the next Profile down. Use it to show and interest of yours, or a specialist area of your expertise.
2. Your Job Title/Current Workplace – Make sure this is up to date, when you change role on LinkedIn, you also have to change your Job Title manually underneath your name at the top of your Profile. If you haven’t updated this, it’s easy for a recruiter to make the mistake of thinking you are still currently working in your previous position.
3. Publishing Posts – Have you ever published a post on your specialist area of expertise (like this one)? If you have, you’ll see the post sits below your Profile Picture and Current Title. Whether you are searching for a role or just want to share a helpful post, it is a great way to show your understanding of your industry. If you are searching for a new job it will expose you and your Profile to a wider market.
4. Your Experience – The most important part of your LinkedIn Profile. Most of the time, recruiters will conduct searches for candidates on LinkedIn using ‘bullean searches” or keyword searches. If you want to continuously plant your LinkedIn Profile in front of a recruiter conducting a search in your industry ensure you have keywords in your Profile. For example, if I was searching for a General Manager for a Golf Club in Surrey, and the club are about to go through renovations, and are needing a few new members, the keywords I am going to use in my bullean search are:
“General Manager” AND (“Golf Club” OR Golf Resort) AND “membership sales” AND “Project Management”
If you have those words in the experience section of your Profile, it is likely you are going to be near the top of my LinkedIn search. Add any words that associate you with specialist experience an employer might be looking for. If you work in agronomy, add the grasses you are working with or have worked with in the past, the types of machinery you use etc.
5. Languages – Do you speak any other languages? Even if you are 60% there with a language, add it to your profile. More and more employers are searching for specialist skills like additional languages. Languages are also used in Keyword Searches.
6. Interests – if you have a hobby or a passion for sport, add them in! Be specific about the sport you’re interested in. Experience in sales (for example) is hugely transferrable across multiple industries, if you have golf under your interests and you currently work in insurance, the chances of being approached for a Golf Sales position are improved ten-fold.
I hope this post is of help to people and their LinkedIn Profiles. Whether you are searching for a new role or not, having a good LinkedIn Profile will benefit you in the long run, it only takes 15-30 minutes one evening to improve it.
DPSM Consultants are a search firm specialising within the Golf Industry across the EMEA region. If you would like to find out more please contact us via info@dpsmconsutlants.com
