HAVING AN EFFECTIVE LINKEDIN PROFILE

Social media for pleasure may not be a top priority for you but embracing LinkedIn and what it has to offer a small business owner can be extremely powerful.

LinkedIn has a highly effective search engine, the perfect tool for recruiters and contractors alike, to discover and reach more people than ever before and showcasing job skills or job opportunities.

Why LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is the professional social network where like-minded individuals can come to network, socialise, gain advice or provide expertise. And the more you use the platform, the more opportunities can come your way.

Think of your CV; career history, qualifications, skills, references, experience – LinkedIn is where all this can be put into one place online for others to see.

Many companies will search for applicants or clients on LinkedIn prior any job opportunity or offer and therefore can make you stand out from the crowd if your profile is glowing with everything that person is looking for.

How to make the most of LinkedIn?

The secret to getting ahead with LinkedIn is to be visible and to have a complete profile. This may sound a little simple, but it’s true. Many people fail to complete their profile which leaves gaps in work history or omits skills that a particular recruiter could be looking for. They also fail to make their profiles public which again, does not do well if you’re looking for clients or work!

In order to gain a 100% profile, complete these sections:

• Current Position – and title
• At least two past positions
• Education
• Summary
• Specialities
• Profile Picture
• At least three to four recommendations

You can use the summary and specialities sections to describe your industry expertise along with skills or relevant experience that you’ve gained to get to where you are now.

When writing, try to use keywords that people will be searching for when looking to hire people like yourself. Include things that you’re passionate about (business related) and areas that you’ve focused your career on.