Do you regularly get recruiters dropping you InMail messages, connection requests, emails & phone calls? No….well there’s probably 5 things that you should be interested in to heighten your online presence that will result in job searches being a thing of the past as recruiters will be able to present the best opportunities to you before they are even on the market.
Boolean Searches
The mass of content that is now available on the internet means that a lot of top quality content never gets the exposure that it probably deserves due to poor SEO or use of the wrong platform and this is no different to the 400+ millions of users on LinkedIn.
Ever wondered how recruiters manage to find the best candidates for the job? Well the answer is a Boolean search, which recruiters use every day and look like the below:
If you worked with “HR Shared Services” with specific skills such in software such as “Workday” or “SAP”, then these should be prominent in your LinkedIn profile so recruiters can find your profile and offer you opportunities that you might be unaware of.
You should put your key skills in your headline, summary, job descriptions and skills section which will mean your unique selling points are picked up by LinkedIn and will show up in suitable Boolean searches undertaken by recruiters.
Summary Section
Very similar to your cover letter that you send with a CV, the summary section of LinkedIn is your place to really shine and sell yourself to any viewers of your profile. After ensuring your profile picture is professional and portrays you in a good business stead, this section is where you should be spending your time.
Include things such as qualifications, expertise and where you’ve gained it, software used with levels of business proficiency and some key facts about any successful projects you have managed or have been involved in.
Numbers Speak Volumes
As mentioned above, some key facts about successful projects you’ve been part of will really help you stand out from the crowd. Instead of going along the route of just explaining a project, try to quantify your results at every given opportunity. If you saved a company money over a period of time then put the exact sum of money that was saved to showcase how successful you are.
Examples of your Work
LinkedIn provides you with the ability to upload documents to your profile to showcase your skills alongside the explanations. This is perfect to show some of your work such as a published article, video case study or a documented summary of a successful project. These will only improve your chances of a recruiter wanting to discuss a role with you and will be great pieces of collateral that can accompany your profile when they are putting you in front of the hiring manager.
Engage in Groups
LinkedIn’s tagline is the ‘Worlds Largest Professional Network. If you aren’t using LinkedIn to network then you really aren’t taking full advantage of the site and the users/content that are at your disposal.
Groups are most definitely the best place to start with your networking on LinkedIn, with there being thousands of groups to join from large generic groups such as ‘HR Transformation Network’ for all things HR (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1794343) to bespoke groups on more niche subjects such as ‘HRIS Communities’ (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7456166).
Find groups that appeal to you and start to post articles and comments in there, showcasing your market expertise. There is no doubt that there will be recruiters in these groups which will see your profile and will want to connect with people who are knowledgeable about their market.
All of the tips above are not just there to improve your profile so recruiters can find you but also when you go for a job interview, it is highly likely that your hiring manager will analyse your online CV and to see a profile that is scattered with the skills they require for a job will give you a boost to your application.
Follow the 5 steps above and you’ll have an Annapurna consultant trying to find you a new role in no time.
