It can no longer be denied that social media is a huge influence that has now reached the world of recruitment and business. If you don’t know how to use LinkedIn effectively, you are decreasing your chance of making the right impression on your employer. Your attractive, up-to-date LinkedIn profile is often recruiters’ first port of call when considering your application and it could also be used by headhunters.
The good news is that a LinkedIn profile is really easy to set up and maintain. Follow our easy steps for using LinkedIn to develop your online brand and impress potential employers during the application process.
Build your profile
LinkedIn is very user-friendly. Once you have created an account, you will be guided through the available features and areas to update. Key features include a professional photo, up-to-date information on employment and your key skills.
Keep job descriptions succinct but with enough detail to demonstrate your knowledge and experience. You will also have the option of writing a short personal statement, much like the one included on your CV. This area can be a place to show your personality and career goals. However, keep it professional and modest.
As time goes on and you start making connections, consider asking colleagues to leave an ‘endorsement’. These endorsements will then feature on your profile and can be used as evidence of your skills to employers.
Make connections
LinkedIn is by no means a replacement for face-to-face communication. But a large part of how to use LinkedIn effectively is seeing it as tool to expand upon the connections you already make at work or through networking. LinkedIn is your digital business card – once you have made an impression on a potential contact in person, this relationship can be nurtured further online through connecting with them on LinkedIn.
Think of LinkedIn as an ‘online CV’
Consider the convenience of having an online space that contains all your experience, skills and employment history on one page. It is more and more common for LinkedIn to be incorporated within an online application form, which means that when applying for jobs, LinkedIn sometimes replaces the paper or digital CV.
As well as making the application form much more efficient, it also means that you don’t need to continually update your CV file – as long as you keep your LinkedIn details up to date.
Be a ‘thought-leader‘
LinkedIn also has the functionality for you to post articles, helping you to establish yourself as an expert in a particular field. If you are looking to gain more autonomy in your current role, utilising LinkedIn can help you become prolific and have influence within your sector. The key with sharing posts is to make sure you are genuine and offer unique insights when you post.
Now that you’ve polished your LinkedIn profile, it’s time to take a look at how you can use Twitter to build your online brand.
Last updated on 31 May 2024
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