Linkedin Optimisation Part 1: Get The 9 Basics Right So Recruiters Find You Fast

How to Draw Recruiters to Your Linkedin Profile

Your LinkedIn profile should be a magnet, drawing recruiters into you.

If that’s not your experience, there might be a few basic things that you could tweak in the next 10 minutes that will make a big difference to your LinkedIn success.

Imagine that! In the time it takes to drink your coffee, you could have recruiters messaging you in your inbox!

Here are 9 Tips to Optimise Your Linkedin Profile

Let’s go!

1.Use a professional headshot as your profile picture. YES! You do need a professional shot. Don’t fall for the latest trend of using a shot of a more ‘natural, vulnerable, casual you’. It’s a mistake. The photo must represent your brand and within a second, tell a recruiter that you’re professional and approachable.

2. Set your location as the location you work in currently or would like to work in. Location is one of the first terms recruiters search for and should be set as a specific city rather than a country. No-one searches for a candidate who wants to work ‘somewhere in Australia’. Instead they will search for ‘Accountant Perth with skills XYZ.’

3. Be public! Make sure in your settings, your profile is set to ‘public’ so that recruiters can find you. If it is public, your profile can show up in their search whether they are searching on the LinkedIn platform itself or in Google.

4. Use a consistent name in your LinkedIn profile, CV and email signature.

Recruiters are busy, looking through hundreds of applications at a time. Don’t give them any opportunity to ‘bin’ your application because it’s just too hard to find basic information.

Say the name on your CV is ‘Beth C. Singer’ but your LinkedIn profile says ‘Elizabeth Singer’ and then your email signature appears as ‘Liz Singer PHD’…

How is a recruiter supposed to know you are all the same person? It’s like a nightmare!!

Choose the most professional version of your name that you’re happy with and use that consistently across all platforms.

5. Use lots of keywords, without overdoing it.

During a search, the LinkedIn algorithm hones in on your headline: ‘name’ and ‘job title’.

This is a vital opportunity to be found in the recruiters’ search.

Invest some proper time to cram your title with keywords. Choose words that would appear in the job descriptions you’re applying for.

Look specifically at job titles and skills. (I talk more about keywords in my blogpost LinkedIn Optimisation 2021 Part 2).

6. Make use of the image banner behind your profile photo.

If you choose the correct imagery it can really help boost your credibility. Images are absorbed extremely quickly but will help a recruiter reach a judgment of you quickly. Make this count!

Choose a photo of you presenting at conference for example or winning an industry award.

You can import any image or design your own banner. Canva is an awesome free design platform if you want to customise your design. They even have free templates you can use to get you started.

7. Complete your profile. You wouldn’t dream of supplying a half finished CV to a recruiter so don’t do it with your LinkedIn profile either! Work methodically through each section and make sure there are keywords scattered throughout.

8. Spelling is really, really important. Not only does it show your professionalism and attention to detail, it also helps recruiters find you. If you type ‘ledership skills’ but the recruiters are rightly searching for ‘leadership skills’ their search simply will not find your profile.

9. Write in the first person. It is important that recruiters feel ‘connected’ to you as they read your profile.

Using third person, “Elizabeth has a track record of…” or a pronoun, “She has a track record of…” just feels outdated and pretentious.

LinkedIn is a recruitment platform but also a social one. Write in the first person and use the letter “I…” and you’ll connect more deeply with your reader. “I have a track record in…” is much more engaging and real.

What are your top tips to get the basics right in Linkedin?

Rebecca

You might also like to read:

LinkedIn Optimisation Part 2: How to Use Keywords So Recruiters Find You Fast

LinkedIn Optimisation Part 3: 5 Ways to Leverage Your Skills So Recruiters Find You Fast

BIO: Rebecca Allen is a Career Success Coach and has coached hundreds of female managers and early leaders over the last decade to help them own their value, get promoted and get paid their worth.