In this digital era of professional networking, there is a platform that is super useful for boosting your career opportunities- LinkedIn. Think of it as a virtual gateway to showcase your skills and connect with potential employers. If you’re looking to create or rehaul your LinkedIn profile, read on for some quick tips!
Boosting your online presence and employability starts with creating a magnetic profile. Here are some easy ways you can put your best foot forward:
Create a captivating and professional profile
To make the most of your LinkedIn profile, you can:
- Use a high-quality clear headshot as your profile picture along with adding a concise yet alluring summary that highlights your key skills, experiences and career aspirations.
- In the section of work experience, rather than just listing the job titles and company names, you can write specific skills you gained in each role along with transferable skills that have shaped you during your career journey so far. Try adding skills that depict your versatility and adaptability. You can also attach captivating videos, documents or presentations showcasing your projects or even try visual storytelling. For example, you could stand in front of the camera and record a small video where you showcase yourself professionally. It can add depth to your profile and will help you stand out from the crowd.
- Add your hobbies as well. Listing your hobbies and interests can help you connect with other people who share a similar passion.
- Adding recommendations from professors or supervisors is a touch of magic, so make sure to reach out to them and see if they will endorse some of your skills or write a paragraph on your profile.
Embrace LinkedIn posts
When it comes to writing LinkedIn posts, try focusing all your achievements, no matter how big or small they may seem. LinkedIn is a grand stage where you can announce your triumphs like successful projects or academic achievements. It will help you expand your professional circle and share your accomplishments.
You can also use the ‘Posts’ function to attract your audience with eye catching images or even engaging videos. Try adding these magical elements to make your profile look more creative and appealing.
Finding jobs on LinkedIn
Now that we’ve made an enticing profile and created our posts, it’s time for finding and applying for jobs. But how? You can customise searches by adding filters suited to your field of interest based on industry, location, experience level and more.
LinkedIn has an option of ‘Easy Apply’, from where with just few clicks you can express your interest in a position and present your profile. With this feature there is no need to create a new profile each time for every job you apply for, as it will automatically pull your information stored in Linkedln. Simple as that!
LinkedIn has amazing features and some of them are incredibly useful but are overlooked. The ‘Open to Work’ feature allows you indirectly signal to employers that you are actively seeking a job, making you visible to recruiters. Another one is ‘Saving Jobs’, which allows you to save some of the job listings that you have found interest in, so that it’s easier for you to compare and decide. Not only this but it also sends you alerts with similar job postings. Another great feature is upskilling via LinkedIn Learning. This e-learning platform offers curated learning pathways on specific topics as well as skills. It allows you to acquire expertise in a particular area such as technical skills, leadership development or even soft skills such as communication. When you’ve completed a course, you can showcase your newly acquired skills by adding that certificate to your LinkedIn profile.
Need some help?
If you want some guidance on how to make a profile or apply for jobs, you can always make a one-on-one appointment with an Employability Consultant through the Careers Service at the uni. They can not only help you with your professional online presence but also anything else related to careers or employment.
So embrace the opportunities that LinkedIn offers and open the door to a world of exciting career possibilities and if you need help along your journey don’t forget that the Career Services team have got your back! All the best!
Feature Image: Dan Gennari, Visual Communication student