Tips for Recent College Grads For recent college grads who’ve just entered the working world,…
Being a small fish in a deep sea of talented marine life can be overwhelming. Having a LinkedIn profile that stands out from the school will make you the starfish that employers and recruiters want to connect with. Ok, we realize that analogy is a bit over the top, but as recruiters in the biotech industry, Surf Search knows you need to stand out to get people’s attention. So, go overboard and stand out from the rest of the clownfish in the sea!
A complete and optimized LinkedIn profile significantly increases your chances of being discovered and receiving opportunities. At a minimum, ensure you have a profile picture, location, current position with a description, two past positions, your education, at least three skills, and at least 50 connections. Additionally, use relevant keywords throughout your profile to improve your ranking when recruiters search for candidates. Keywords can be the secret sauce to finding a perfect job!
Your profile picture is your first impression. Even if you don’t hire a professional photographer, use your phone to take a high-quality, professional-looking photo. The picture should be authentic, friendly, and confident. Avoid unclear photos, group pictures, or photos where you are not looking at the camera. A professional profile picture makes you 14 times more likely to be found and receive opportunities. Make it colorful as an added bonus, be the tropical fish amongst the boring crabs.
Your headline is the first thing people see in search results, so make it attention-grabbing. Include the job title you’re targeting, relevant keywords, and a value proposition or impact statement. This will help you stand out and convey your unique strengths.
The About section is prime real estate for capturing attention. Write a paragraph about who you are, your passions, and what you care about. Highlight your top three unique selling points or core competencies, and provide examples or stories to illustrate them. Use bullet points for key areas of expertise and relevant keywords to boost search rankings. Invite people to connect and share your contact information.
Job titles can vary across industries and companies. If your title is uncommon, add an equivalent title in brackets. For example, if your title is “Client Success Coach,” you might add “Client Success Manager” or “Account Manager” in brackets to improve visibility and search rankings.
Use the Experience section to elaborate on your roles. Include a paragraph with three lines summarizing your job responsibilities and duties. Highlight key accomplishments with three to five bullet points, focusing on tangible results and the value you added to your company.
You can list up to 50 skills on your profile… you have more skills to boast than an octopus has legs! Pin the top three skills you want to highlight and ensure they include relevant keywords. Focus on functional or hard skills that recruiters search for, such as Product Management, User Experience, or Data Analysis for a Product Manager.
Endorsements and recommendations increase your credibility. Aim to get three to five recommendations from colleagues, bosses, clients, or others you’ve worked with. This might require you to be the shark in the sea, but don’t be shy about asking for endorsements as your colleagues are most likely dying to share how much they enjoy working with you. These testimonials highlight your high performance and potential.
Sharing articles on LinkedIn demonstrates your knowledge and expertise. Write articles on key trends, challenges, or opportunities in your field. This showcases your communication, writing, and critical thinking skills, making you a more attractive candidate. It also demonstrates your active voice within your industry’s community.
The Featured section, located below the Summary, offers a chance to stand out. Use it to link to videos, past posts, articles, awards, certifications, or your portfolio. This makes your online resume more dynamic and unique.
Staying active on LinkedIn increases your visibility. Engage by liking, commenting, and sharing content. This activity appears in your network’s feed, keeping you top-of-mind and creating more opportunities. The most successful fish in the sea are swimmers, acvitely riding the tide! Don’t be a seaslug, be a dolphin.
By following these tips, you can create a LinkedIn profile that not only stands out from the rest of the fish in the sea, but also attracts valuable opportunities and connections.
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