GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. -- The social networking site LinkedIn has become one of the most popular online sites for hiring managers and recruiters to connect with job candidates to fill open positions. The use of this tool has evolved very quickly over the past 2 years for both employers and candidates. Facebook and Twitter are also becoming more popular as recruiting tools, but right now LinkedIn is the hottest spot on the web for employers and candidates to meet.
Like putting together a successful resume', there are essential elements you need to be aware of when putting together your profile on LinkedIn, to get the attention of recruiters that are looking to find you.
1. What is "LinkedIn"?
First of all, LinkedIn is an online social networking site designed primarily for professionals as a place to exchange information, ideas and opportunities (http://learn.linkedin.com/what-is-linkedin/). Launched in 2002, it has grown to over 120 million members and continues to grow. Because the nature of this site is to network with other professionals, recruiters have found this a good place to source job candidates that have the specific skills they're looking for. In the old days, it took a seasoned recruiter several years to establish a network of qualified candidates to choose from. With LinkedIn, it takes very little time and investment to connect with candidates that have specific skills and to make them a part of the recruiter's network. But, for the recruiter to find you, you need to put together a strong profile on LinkedIn.
2. The basic elements for a successful LinkedIn profile (http://careerservices.linkedin.com/profile/)
Think of the LinkedIn profile as your online resume', only with several enhancements that a hard copy or electronic resume' can't offer. The best part is that to establish a profile on LinkedIn doesn't cost you anything, its free. The basic elements of your profile consist of:
-Your name
-Your picture (professional)
-Your headline
-Your current position or title
-Summary
-Experience
-Education
-Professional groups, recognition, awards, articles etc.
-Links to your content examples of work, your website, blog, Twitter stream etc.
3. Your name and your picture.
One of the biggest mistakes users of LinkedIn make is not including their picture on their profile. The picture demonstrates that you are an actual person and the profile is valid. The picture should be professional and illustrate how you would look in a face-to-face interview. Avoid posting "cute" or "humorous" pictures of yourself, as you will lose credibility right away.
4. Your headline is key.
Like a headline in a newspaper that is written to draw your attention to the story, the headline on your profile should contain certain keywords that describe your skills and experience. This will make it easier for recruiters to find you when they do a search, because they will be inputting these keywords into a search engine that will ultimately bring them to your LinkedIn profile. An example of a headline would be "CNC Swiss Operator with 10 years experience in Medical Device Manufacturing". Or, "Customer Service specialist with 5 years experience, English / Spanish bi-lingual skills". There are certain keywords in these headlines that recruiters will be entering into the search engine that will likely have your profile come up on their list of candidates.
4. Writing a good Summary.
The Summary section is the next area where you can expand on who you are, your experience and areas of specialization. You'll notice that the structure of the entire profile is designed to draw the viewer in closer by starting with the simpler elements of name, picture, headline. Now we start to get into the meat of who you are and what you can do. Again, using several keywords related to your skills and experience and expanding upon these in this section will help the recruiter's search engine efforts zero-in on you and your profile. A good Summary will consist of a small paragraph of two to three sentences filled with keywords about your skills and experience, and a second paragraph about your areas of specialization.
5. Your Experience - the heart of the story.
The Experience section is where you can get really detailed about your background and will resemble the structure of a formal resume'. You will list companies where you have been employed, your title at each position, dates of employment and accomplishments. Again, the strategic use of keywords relating to your skills and experience will enhance the chances of the recruiter identifying your profile while using a search engine. If you have done the first elements of the profile well, this is where the recruiter will finally arrive at and make their decision to contact you.
6. Education, Awards, Recognition, Articles etc.
Finally, this section allows you to promote your background and experience concerning degrees earned, awards or recognition received, articles you've written or that have been written about you and so on. You can insert video, links or connect other media that allow a recruiter to see a deeper dimension of who you are and give more information about why you should be considered for the position they're looking to fill.
Right now, LinkedIn is probably one of the best tools to help you get in front of a potential employer, since most top employers and recruiters are using LinkedIn as one of their main recruiting tools. As a job candidate, if you take the simple steps to learn how to use this tool and utilize its multiple facets, you may be pleasantly surprised how quickly it will connect you to your next job. Good job hunting!
Job of the month:
Financial Document Processor
Requirements include:
* High attention to detail
* Ability to handle a high volume of paper processing
* Positive attitude is a must!
* Ability to work well in a team environment
* Willingness to learn additional tasks or be cross-trained into other departments
* Stable work history and excellent attendance record
For more information about this and many other positions, please visit www.therightstaff.com.
(Copyright 2012 by KARE. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)