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.

4 LinkedIn Mistakes – Have You Made One?

Aside from the basic rules of engagement LinkedIn has established, here are a few other courtesies to remember while making the most of your LinkedIn experience. Follow these points and you’ll be sure to get the most out of LinkedIn—and you’ll avoid aggravating other users in the process. Here are four mistakes to avoid while using LinkedIn:

BLINDLY REQUESTING CONNECTIONS WITH NO MUTUAL BENEFIT

On Facebook you can request new friendships with anybody at all. It’s a social network of friends, and if you want to be friends you simply make a request. With LinkedIn you’re making a ‘connection’ that will hopefully create a mutually beneficial networking opportunity later on down the line. Be strategic when deciding with whom you will connect, and explain to the person why you want to connect; what’s in it for them—and what’s it in for you? Don’t request to connect with just anyone at all; understandably, people will want to know why you are requesting the opportunity to connect. So provide a brief sentence or two explaining what you think a mutual connection can bring to both parties.

NOT BEING TRUTHFUL ABOUT WHY YOU WANT TO CONNECT

If it’s being brought up, it’s because people have done it. Others have complained about it. It’s hard sometimes to establish a connection with someone when LinkedIn only allows you certain ways to request connections. That being said, you should still be truthful in why you want to connect. If the purpose of networking is to create mutual connections that may help either party in the future, do you really want to start that connection with mistrust or deceit? The most frequent use of this is presenting yourself as a ‘friend’ of someone or ‘colleague at XYZ organization’ when you really are not. It’s not going to get you the connection, and in the end you’re going to be perceived as being dishonest—and who wants to connect or potentially help someone who isn’t honest?

PROFILE CONTENT IS NOT A REPRODUCTION OF YOUR RESUME

This mistake is so well ingrained in users that you’re now probably experiencing some disbelief. Don’t just copy and paste your resume into your LinkedIn profile. Here’s why: When you network with someone in person do you give them a word-for-word rundown from your resume of what you’ve done? No, you personalize the conversation and speak in the first person. It is a more casual conversation—not as formal as your resume. Your profile should be keyword-rich so that recruiters can find you if they’re performing a search, but it should also be authentic and sincere, as though you’re talking to the person about what you’ve accomplished.

KEYWORDS ARE NOT JUST FOR RESUMES

Recruiters and hiring managers are performing searches on LinkedIn for qualified candidates, and you want to be found. Why else would you be there? Seriously, make sure your LinkedIn profile is peppered with industry-specific keywords relevant to the target position you want. It should be called LISO (LinkedIn Search Optimization)—like SEO—but for LinkedIn. Keywords = Being Discovered = Interview = New Job. Get keywords now.

To recap: Be sure you are honest, strategic, and explanatory in your LinkedIn connection requests; your profile isn’t just a copy of your resume; and that your profile is keyword-rich so people can find you! These four key tips will make the most of your LinkedIn experience and keep you ahead of the game.

- Jessica Holbrook

Jessica is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, and presenter.  She has written more than 100 articles that are featured on some of the best career advice Web sites today.  In addition, her writing has been included in Launch pad, a career search strategy guide featuring exclusive information by the top career experts in the industry. Launch pad is the respected guide used by career development centers and MBA programs throughout the country. As CEO of Great Resumes Fast Jessica enjoys collaborating with forward-thinking professionals and executives, identifying their personal brand and value proposition and leveraging their unique talent, passion, and vision to position them as a leader in their industry.  Her passion is helping professionals and executives uncover what makes them stand out in the crowd.For a free resume analysis, e-mail your resume to info@greatresumesfast.com or visit our Web site: http://www.greatresumesfast.com  or for a free phone consultation call 1.877.875.7706