Attract a Recruiter's Attention with Your LinkedIn Profile

Whether you've decided to enter the job market or are just open to opportunities if they come up, LinkedIn is the single best place to get started on your next career move. 87% of recruiters regularly use LinkedIn, which is used to connect hundreds of millions of people with their next interview. Other than setting yourself as "open to work" or turning on your green ring, there are some relatively simple ways to make your profile catch a recruiter's eye and position yourself as a top candidate.

Starting with the basics, your profile should meet certain standards to avoid being overlooked by recruiters searching among a sea of professionals.

Profile Photo
Having a photo present helps, but having a strong and professional one helps position you as a thought leader in the minds of the viewers. People with profile photos are 7X more likely to be found in searches for candidates. If a picture says 1,000 words, then you want some of those to be: confident, approachable, and authoritative.

Headline
Your headline is arguably the most valuable piece of real estate associated with your LinkedIn presence. Often, the headline for your LinkedIn account is your job title and place of employment, but this is not a hard and fast law. Especially for people who volunteer, serve on boards, have many interests, or are involved with multiple companies, you can customize it to be a true reflection of who you are as a professional. This is a great way to make a first impression and highlight the kind of role you are seeking.

Background
Once you've captured their attention with your photo and headline, the first thing they'll notice when they review your profile is your background photo. Leaving the space blank is a missed opportunity to tell the viewer more about who you are as a person and a professional. Whether it's a stock photo or a customized image with your own touch, you can communicate more about yourself in one spot than in an entire conversation.

Customized URL
Did you know that you can adjust the link to your profile to your own liking? It's a great way to climb in search ratings, add value to your other social platforms or your blog, elevate your email signature, as well as your resume. Just go to your Public Profile Settings, where you can adjust all sorts of things about what the public sees in their initial impression.

About You
This is the second most valuable piece of real estate on your LinkedIn profile, and it needs to be implemented to its maximum potential. More than a quick copy and paste of your resume's objective statement, but less than a five paragraph essay, this is where you convince someone who is already drawn in to find out more about you. Share your personal story for a more human touch, making yourself more genuine and relatable to the viewer. The last thing you want to do is waste this opportunity on a cookie-cutter description of your company.

Featured Content
What material do you want associated most with your profile and presence on LinkedIn? Showcase online resume or portfolio, media, links, articles, or posts at the top of your profile for viewers to easily see examples of what interests you. Share work or mentions that are most relevant to your goals and your abilities.

History and Experience
Make sure that the information on your resume and on your LinkedIn are in sync and accurate. Though the intended audience is different for each and will be written as such, your past positions, companies, degrees, licenses, and certifications should match up nicely.

If it's true that you're only as good as the company you keep, then keep yourself in the company of connections that support your position as a sought-after professional in your field.

Connection Requests
Make it your standard practice to connect on LinkedIn with everyone with whom you do business. Colleagues, vendors, trusted friends, schoolmates, and other professionals with whom you make acquaintance. If you see posts in your newsfeed that resonate with you, don't be shy, send a connection request to influencers or ask mutual contacts to introduce you. Send a message saying hello alongside a request for added impact.

Groups
Such a powerful resource, LinkedIn groups are places where you'll find others with your interests and a more targeted pool of networking opportunities. Search for topics you're interested in or members of your industry's community. Contribute to the page and engage with other members to grow your circle organically.

Fresh Content
Have you ever looked at someone's recent activity to find out more about what interests them as a professional? Don't let your LinkedIn account go stale. Keep it up-to-date by regularly sharing content, whether articles you find interesting or anecdotes about your experiences. Use polls, imagery, or other media to make your posts more engaging. Comment on posts made by other people in your network, give accolades, and react to posts you like. The more present you are, the more benefits you will reap from LinkedIn.

Recommendations
Providing a recommendation to a current or former colleague based on your experience with them is a great way to ignite or rekindle a connection. Don't be afraid to reach out and offer recommendations to your contacts, nor to ask them to provide you with one. It's a common practice that helps both parties with their careers.

The job market in 2022 is different than any other. Employers are willing to pay top rates and offer excellent benefits for top talent. Take advantage of the many opportunities that LinkedIn has to offer to help you stand out and get connected with a top recruiter in your industry. If you are ready to take that next step and connect directly, Computer Futures' recruiters are ready to help connect skilled professionals with our clients seeking top talent.

Get started by checking out our open roles, or contact us today!