Keen to get noticed by the right people at the right time? Jon Jenks, Head of Performance Improvement at Oliver James Associates, talks to us about the five key steps to creating that eye-catching LinkedIn profile.

Did you know that employers spend an average of 15 seconds reading your LinkedIn profile and deciding on whether you’re right for the role or not? It’s fact that LinkedIn is the best way to get noticed by the right people at the right time so it’s a great idea to invest time now making the best profile possible. Whether you’re actively looking for that next step or not, having a killer LinkedIn profile will undoubtedly boost your online credibility and search-ability…

1. First Impressions

Professional Photo

First impressions count. That means choosing a professional headshot that’s in keeping with your industry. Remember that hiring managers forget names and job titles but they never forget a face, so select a warm and welcoming picture (and not a selfie from that bar on Friday).

Job Title

This part’s quite simple; know what you do and the level that you operate at. It’s important to forget internal job titles and think about industry standardised job titles as many employers will not even click into your profile. You need to be succinct, factual and to the point.

2. Contact

Summary

Make sure you complete the summary field with 4-5 of your greatest achievements. Think about what traits you’re keen to communicate to clients, employers and connections; why are you on LinkedIn? Who do you want to connect with and what roles are you interested in? What’s the benefit of having you in their network?

Duties

You need to include accurate dates for each company you’ve been employed by and jobs you’ve had. It’s also key to list correct information for the duties you’ve carried out and the skills you’ve acquired. It’s best to include quantifiable achievements to show key measurables for your success. Here’s a tip - adopt the ‘so what?’ approach; you managed a marketing team for 4 years. So what? What did you achieve? How did your management contribute to an overall uplift in sales?

3. Credibility

Recommendations

Recommendations on LinkedIn mean everything. Contact colleagues, previous managers, members of your team and ask them to write you a recommendation. This will not only get you recognised but shows that you’re taking your professional profile seriously.

4. Searchability

List your skills

LinkedIn has recently been upgraded to include an advanced skill search. What does this mean for you? That your profile will rank highly if you list all skill sets! Repeat key skills throughout your profile and make this a standardised part of the process so that you’re visible.

5. Attachments

Share the knowledge! Utilise the slideshow and document upload function; this will help start discussions and build your credibility. Were you presenting at a recent company conference? Then upload the video! It’s time to showcase your skills. Content that ‘sells’ will help you in your search to that dream role.

The fact is, great LinkedIn profiles will invite approaches and ultimately, connections. It’s an ideal platform to network and keep connected, regardless of whether you’re looking to move from your current position. Your connections are key to opportunities and it’s important to manipulate that to your best ability. Go forth and conquer (but be sure to update your LinkedIn profile whilst you’re at it…).

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