Effective Networking Website Profiles
An ever-increasing number of employers prefer to find candidates on networking websites. Writing an effective profile is critical to maximizing the value of those sites. It is not just a matter of uploading your resume or cutting and pasting elements of it. Developing an effective profile requires the candidate to refine and expand on their candidacy. Employers using the site have a wide spectrum of criteria they can use to find an ideal candidate. The more refined the profile is the greater the chance of employers viewing it.
If available on the networking site, you may wish to include the following:
Photo – It is recommended to include a photo of yourself as part of your profile. Employers want to put a face to the name. Many candidates are hesitant to include a picture. However, candidates with a profile picture are 14 times more likely to be viewed by others.
Headline – It is important to customize your headline so that it identifies your occupation or job titles you have held. If you do not customize the headline, it will automatically default to your current position if you’re still employed. If you are unemployed, the default may read unemployed.
About – This section is critical to developing a social networking profile. One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is to leave this section blank. This section gives you a chance to provide the reader with the “big picture” of what you have to offer your next employer. This section is similar to the summary or profile on your résumé, except you may have many more characters to work with. When writing this section, think about what your next employer needs to know about your background, experience, and skill set.
Experience – A common mistake made in this section is only providing the names of your employers, dates of employment, and job titles. You should provide enough detail to give the reader a sense of your duties as well as your accomplishments. Whenever possible, this information should be in bulleted sentences as opposed to bulky paragraphs.
Education – If you have a bachelor’s degree, it is not necessary to include your high school diploma. If the name of your school has changed, it is recommended to use the current name of the educational institution.
Licenses and certifications – You should include any licenses or certifications you hold that are related to your occupation. Be as specific as possible regarding expiration dates and certification or license numbers. If a license or certification is not related to what you are targeting, you may want to leave it off your profile.
Skills – You can include up to 50 specific skills in this section. Employers use skills keywords to search for candidates. It is suggested to focus on hard skills rather than soft skills. Always think in terms of what skills are critical to the position you are seeking. For computer software skills, be specific.
Learn More
Professor Heather Austin: LinkedIn for Beginners – How to Use LinkedIn in 2023 (YouTube)