Listen, I totally understand why job seekers tell me that they try not to include a lot of information on LinkedIn, have opted out completely or don’t want to include it in their online career brand. I’ve had some candidates tell me that they set their profile settings to only display their photo to their network because of blatant discrimination. Since the internet has moved to fun and experimental to a worldwide forum for public shaming, it’s not a surprise that people are having negative experiences on job search and career related websites like LinkedIn.
LinkedIn allows people to view your work history, professional connections and the skills for which you have been endorsed based on your account settings. Remember, you determine what displays to the public and to your connections. If you do not understand how to configure your account settings, it’s time to learn.
– LinkedIn makes it super easy for Recruiters to reach out to potential candidates.
– LinkedIn’s mobile functionality makes it even easier for job seekers to quick apply to posted jobs and communicate with the job poster.
LinkedIn Is Where Social Media and the Business World Meet
Still not convinced that you will benefit from having an optimized, updated, keyword-rich and robust LinkedIn profile?
LinkedIn offers job seekers a great way to reconnect with former colleagues who can provide leads on job opportunities.
• When you have a robust LinkedIn profile, if someone searches the internet for your name, your LinkedIn profile will display positive and professional results. It’s like your very own professional website for your career.
• An optimized LinkedIn profile really does provide a far more comprehensive view of you as a potential candidate that goes far beyond your resume.
• A dynamic LinkedIn profile helps to highlight your professionalism and your consistent efforts to grow, develop and add new skills, training, and experience.
If LinkedIn is the foundation of our Online Career Brand, statistics show that profiles with photos receive significantly more responses than those without photos.
•LinkedIn photos should be professional and appropriate
•Be careful about stuffy corporate headshots which can make you look unapproachable
•Do not post a profile photo that includes other people, kids, critters, costumes, booze or weapons
•Your attire should be industry appropriate.
You want to look like a real person. With good judgment.
If you need assistance with building a robust LinkedIn profile and Online Career Brand,
CareerRx training is for you!
CareerRx™
Retool your job search, optimize your resume, and build an Online Career Brand with CareerRx™. Learn how to develop a keyword rich detailed resume, bio and social media profile that comes up in Recruiter searches, launch your Online Career Brand on LinkedIn, social media, job boards and successfully submit online job applications on company Careers sites.
ResumeGenie™
ResumeGenie™ is a resume content management system for job seekers, consultants, contractors and executives – anyone who needs to develop and maintain an Online Career Brand.
About The Career Launcher
After spending years managing Talent Acquisition for Fortune 500 companies, The Career Launcher created the CareerRx™ program along with ResumeGenie™ for resume optimization.
In CareerRx™, The Career Launcher reveals how recruiting and job search has been transformed by recruiting technology including applicant tracking systems, social media, LinkedIn Recruiter, Indeed.com and how we must change our definition of “job search” to launch and continuously promote an Online Career Brand.
With over 20 years of hands on direct recruitment experience, The Career Launcher demystifies the online job application process and offers job seekers a comprehensive program to jump start their job searches. She provides an insider’s perspective to what companies are seeking from candidates in the interview process.
It’s time for you to go beyond the resume. When it comes to your career, you can’t sit on the sidelines in social media revolution. Use our comprehensive methodology for developing a resume, bio and social media profiles required in a robust Online Career Brand. Use ResumeGenie™ to make the leap to LinkedIn.
