Surely all of you will agree with me that LinkedIn is essential today. Whether you are working or you are looking for a job, this platform is crucial.
But why? Thousands of job offers and people seeking new talented workers are surfing LinkedIn to find the best profiles and hire them for their companies. It is a cover letter that never sleeps.
Creating a profile is very easy, but the important thing is to outstand. Companies can look through thousands of profiles, so you need yours to be more attractive than the rest. But how do you do that?
Fill in all your information
It does not matter if you have been on the most prestigious companies or were the best student at school, if you do not say it it does not count. Fill in all the fields about studies, specializing courses, etc. All this will help you deliver a more complete image of yourself.
Do you remember that organization at your University or that summer volunteering in another country? You may not include this in your standard CV, but on LinkedIn this can make you special.
One of the most important things is the extract. When somebody visits your profile, this is the first thing he or she will see. But what can we put here? Highlight your current status, your goals and personal ambitions. What you write must be attractive and express concisely the best of you.
Choose your contacts carefully
You need to differentiate your personal and professional lives. Do not add all your friends and people you know if they do not belong to your field. That is for Facebook.
On LinkedIn add people only on your professional field. If you are working in a company add all your colleagues. You should also look for people you have studied with or whom you met in a job. You never know when they can have a job for you.
The picture is crucial
Forget about the pictures on the beach or by the Eiffel Tower! Nobody cares where you go during holidays, but what you are like.
Your picture is the first impression a person gets from your profile, so find one where you remain serious that captures who you are and attracts the attention of a headhunter. You must show seriousness and try to transmit your essence.
Create your own link
Did you know that you can customize your own URL? In general the link to your profile will contain numbers and letters, which is not attractive nor easy to remember. Change it for your full or artistic name to make it much easier to get to your profile.
It is also advisable to link all your social networks to your profile. This will redirect people to your blog, Twitter or webpage and get a much more realistic and positive image of yourself. But link only those you use! If your blog has not been updated for a year, it is better not to include it.
Languages
Today languages are crucial. Creating your profile in Spanish and the language of Shakespeare, for example, will show that you speak at least two languages. This is vital if you want to work for a multinational or want to look for a job in a foreign country.
Publish information
LinkedIn is not a platform to upload your personal data and just forget about it. You have to be active, so that your contacts can see your work and skills.
Share any news related to your company, your publications or any image or text related to your field and that might interest your contacts. But do not overload it, one publication a day will be enough!
Asking for recommentdations
Recommendations from people you work with will be a plus when you look for a job and also for improving your LinkedIn profile. Ask for recommendations to people you work with. Your bosses and your colleagues are the best judges of how you worked and your personality.
Include your skills and let your contacts validate them. This makes people that see your profile know what you specialize on at a glance.
These are just a few tips, but in the end it is all up to you. Be creative and promote yourself as well as you can.
And of course remain active and keep your profile updated.
Follow these steps and you may soon drown in job offers!
