Building your LinkedIn Profile – Master your Job Search

Building your LinkedIn Profile 

Building your LinkedIn profile is crucial for professional networking and job searching. With the rise in executive search agencies the opportunistic headhunter will be looking to find you in as many ways as possible, so make sure that LinkedIn profile is up to date and a best reflection of you.

Here is a step-by-step guide to set up your LinkedIn profile:

Create Your Account

• Sign Up: Go to LinkedIn and sign up using your email address.

Add a Professional Profile Photo

• Choose a High-Quality Image: Use a clear, high-resolution photo where you are the focus.
• Dress Professionally: Wear attire appropriate for your industry.
• Smile and Be Approachable: A friendly expression can make a positive impression.

Write a Compelling Headline

• Summarise Your Role: Your headline should succinctly describe what you do
• Use Keywords: Include relevant keywords that recruiters might use to find someone with your skills.
  Example: “Marketing Manager | Digital Marketing Expert | SEO & Content Strategist”

Craft a Strong Summary (About Section)

• Tell Your Story: Describe your professional journey, key achievements, and what you’re passionate about.
• Use First Person: Write in the first person to make it personal and engaging.
• Include Key Skills: Highlight your primary skills and expertise.
• Call to Action: End with a call to action, such as inviting connections or inquiries about opportunities.

Detail Your Work Experience

• List Your Positions: Include your job titles, companies, and employment dates.
• Describe Responsibilities and Achievements: Use bullet points to detail your key responsibilities and accomplishments for each role.
• Use Action Words: Start descriptions with action verbs (e.g., managed, developed, led).

Highlight Your Education

• Schools and Degrees: List your educational institutions, degrees obtained, and dates attended.
• Include Relevant Courses and Activities: Mention courses, projects, or extracurricular activities relevant to your career.

Add Skills and Endorsements

• Select Relevant Skills: Choose skills that match your experience and the jobs you are targeting.
• Get Endorsements: Connect with colleagues and ask for endorsements to validate your skills.

Obtain Recommendations

• Request Recommendations: Ask colleagues, managers, or clients for recommendations.
• Give Recommendations: Write recommendations for others; often, they will reciprocate.

Customise Your LinkedIn URL

• Create a Custom URL: Change your profile URL to a simpler, more professional format (e.g., linkedin.com/in/yourname).

Add Accomplishments

• Certifications and Licenses: Include any certifications or licenses relevant to your field.
• Projects: Highlight key projects, especially those that showcase your skills.
• Publications, Patents, and Awards: List any publications, patents, or awards you have received.

Engage with Content

• Share Articles and Updates: Regularly share relevant industry articles and updates to show your engagement.
• Write Posts and Articles: Publish your own content to demonstrate your expertise.
• Comment and Participate: Engage with posts from your network to build relationships.

Join Groups and Follow Companies

• Join Industry Groups: Participate in LinkedIn groups relevant to your industry.
• Follow Companies and Influencers: Stay updated with companies you are interested in and follow industry leaders.

Keep Your Profile Updated

• Regular Updates: Keep your profile current with new skills, experiences, and achievements.
• Review Periodically: Regularly review your profile to ensure all information is accurate and up to date.

Network Actively

• Connect with People: Send connection requests to colleagues, industry professionals, and potential employers.
• Personalise Requests: Add a personal note to your connection requests to make them more meaningful.
• Engage with Your Network: Comment, like, and share content to stay active in your network.

Profile Checklist

• Professional profile photo
• Compelling headline
• Strong summary (About section)
• Detailed work experience
• Complete education section
• Relevant skills and endorsements
• Recommendations
• Customised LinkedIn URL
• Accomplishments section
• Active content engagement
• Membership in relevant groups

If you need any help with your profile our team can advise you on some best practice to make sure you’re getting the most out of it!