Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile

There is doubt about the value of having and maintaining a strong and current LinkedIn profile and network. Finding ways to increase your network and cultivate great business contacts is one of the best ways to make yourself attractive to recruiters. Recruiters used LinkedIn aggressively, in fact, a recent Jobvite 2010 social media report, found that LinkedIn is one of the most popular social media sites for recruiters with 75% of respondents saying that they use LinkedIn regularly to look for new talent.

In an earlier post here on PhillyJobs, I talked a bit about using LinkedIn groups to find your next position. But once you have your profile set up, there are ways to make sure that you are using it to your best advantage and ways to maximize your presence on the network.

Here are some tips for optimizing your LinkedIn profile.

• Make your profile as important as your resume- Don't think of your Linkedin profile as an informal resume, but rather be sure to keep it current and updated whenever you update your resume. Be sure to use action verbs and keywords as well. By keeping it current and using keywords you will be more accessible to recruiters that are searching profiles to find matching candidates.

• Getting Recommendations and References- One of the key things you can do to make your profile more appealing to a recruiter is to have great recommendations and references. You want to have both character references and professional references. Make sure that you have several of each, but don't overdo it. Don't be afraid to ask for recommendations from people that you have worked with in the past and past professors etc.. Remember to thank them for the reference and offer to reciprocate if you think it would be useful to them.

• Make connections- Don't be afraid to ask people for a connection and don't refuse a connection unless you have good reason. Sometimes it helps to look at a friend's connections and find people on their lists that may be good contacts for you. Never underestimate the power of “a friend of a friend”.

• Use you LinkedIn account for research- Before your next interview, take the time to look up the company or the hiring manager that you have an appointment with on LinkedIn. Read over their profile and get a feel for who they are and what they are looking for. It can set you apart from other candidates if you are able to come to the interview armed with information about the company, the position and/or the interviewer. This isn't invading their space, because you can be sure that the interviewer will have looked over your profile before the interview as well.

Think about LinkedIn networking the same way as you would think about your personal network. Many of us have found jobs when we were just starting out by someone's mom knowing someone that knew someone that was hiring. This is exactly the same thing. Putting yourself out there can be difficult, but the rewards are worth it. By optimizing your LinkedIn profile it raises the odds of finding a new job that fits your skills and talents. And isn't that what we are all looking for?

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a freelance writer and regular contributor to several websites and other publications, a volunteer, a full time mom and an active job seeker.