Basic guide to optimise your Linkedin profile and find the job of your dreams
LinkedIn is a powerful tool, but its effectiveness depends on how you use it. When you use this network strategically and effectively, your chances of finding the job you want increase considerably. This tool allows us to show our experience, skills, and professional achievements in an ideal format and with the security that all (or almost all) of the industry is there.
It is also the ideal space to build your personal brand, establish connections with professionals in your sector, discover job opportunities, and interact with colleagues and recruiters. In this article, I will show you how to optimize your LinkedIn profile to present your skills and communicate your professional goals.. Are you interested? Let's get started!
Choose a suitable image
Let's start with the profile picture and the cover image. For a professional impression, make sure to use a close-up photo of yourself, with good lighting, a smile, and preferably in your work environment. This photo should be as up-to-date as possible and show the best version of yourself, without losing your identity at any time.
Please avoid omitting your photo. The absence of a profile photo generates distrust and gives the impression that you are not a really active member of the network, which limits your reach and visibility.
Complete and update your profile
Your LinkedIn profile is the gateway that reflects who you are as a professional. Focus on highlighting previous and current work experiences that are directly related to the type of role you are looking for.In the same way, disregard information that is not related to your work aspirations, as this can dilute the impression you want to convey.
In addition, in the description of your experiences and studies and the skills section, use relevant keywords to make your profile visible to recruiters and managers.
Write a convincing summary
The "About" section is an invaluable opportunity to tell who you are, what your specialty is, what you want to achieve, and where you want to go. Take advantage of this section to show your full potential. It is time to sell yourself as a professional, so write with clarity, persuasion, and above all, do not miss the opportunity. y sobre todo, no desaproveches la oportunidad.
Once you have written this section, try to summarize it to make it even more concise. You can ask Chat GPT to give you a hand to refine details, of course. The tools are there to be used, right?
Activate the "Open to Work" option
In your profile, below the "I'm interested in..." section, you will find the "I'm looking for a job" option. Make sure to edit it and select the "All LinkedIn members" option. By activating the "Open to Work" option, LinkedIn adds a green frame to your profile picture, which indicates to recruiters and professionals that you are available for new opportunities. This makes it easier for them to find you and contact you to present job searches. It is super important that you do this.
Stay active
As with other social networks, the LinkedIn algorithm favors accounts that interact the most.Do not hesitate to share photos, articles, and other types of relevant information in your professional field. Your opinions and comments matter a lot, so be careful about what you share and how you express yourself. Your interactions are recorded in the activity section and are visible to the entire community.
Highlight your achievements
Take advantage of the featured section to pin relevant content at the top of your profile. You can include links to your portfolio on Behance, Dribble, GitHub, MyPortfolio or in PDF format, as well as your CV. Do not stop showing your potential through concrete examples, such as case studies, reports or the material you have to show that supports your experience with data.
Organise your content
As I mentioned in my article on how to optimise your CV, it is recommended that you order your work experience and academic studies from the most recent to the oldest,including the start and end dates. In each experience, write your main responsibilities in order of importance. If you have a lot of content, you can list the responsibilities with bullet points (the symbol "•") to make it more readable.
Use keywords
Research the most searched keywords in your professional field and make sure to include them in your profile headline and in the "skills and endorsements" section. This will make it easier for your colleagues and recruiters to find you when they do a search that may fit your profile. Never underestimate the impact of keywords, as they can influence your visibility on the platform.
Job Search
Once you have your profile optimized, go to the "jobs" section on LinkedIn, search for the position you want to apply for and filter the results according to your preferences: type of workday, location, remote work, etc. In addition, you can activate job alerts to receive notifications when new opportunities with those characteristics are published.
Connect with more people and expand your network
LinkedIn is a professional social network, yes, but it is still a social network after all. An effective strategy is to connect with people you have already worked with or know in real life,even if it is only superficially. It is also valuable to connect with people who interest you and who you would like to have in your network of contacts even if you do not know them yet, as long as you send them a note introducing yourself and explaining why you think the connection can be beneficial for both.
LinkedIn is a constantly evolving platform that requires time, effort, and strategy to get results. If you are interested in learning LinkedIn in depth and with great detail, then I recommend my CV and LinkedIn Optimization Workshop.It is a live online meeting where we will see each of the sections of the tool, in addition to complementing it with a successful CV.
I wish you the best on your way to success! Thank you for letting me share my experiences with you.
