There are about 10 million job vacancy posts on LinkedIn. This number increases every day even as the vacant positions get filled up. The opportunities on the professional social network have made it a platform trusted by many recruiters and job seekers over time. So, it’s important that your LinkedIn profile is up to date.
Opportunities on LinkedIn increase every day. The daily increase in the number of its users doesn’t only prove this but also indicates the platform’s importance. According to its own newsletter, LinkedIn hit 500 million users from over 200 countries in 2017. This means that it has established itself as an important tool for the users that visit it for different reasons.
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This statistic should make you have a rethink if you have a LinkedIn Profile you pay no mind to or are yet to sign on. It should also make you get more vigilant if you are an active user. You should see the platform as an important item in your toolkit when in need of a job. These days, employees and recruiters see the LinkedIn community as a perfect place to get the types of employees they think can get their jobs done. Nonetheless, they look beyond the names and academic qualifications.
According to Apptopia, a US-based company that tracks web usage properties, LinkedIn had about 227 million monthly active users. Also, there are more than 10 million active job posts and data on the platform from over 9 million companies, according to an article by Aatif Awan, Vice President of Growth and International Products of the Sunnyvale-headquartered company. This is to say that opportunities abound on the platform.
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In Nigeria, more professionals join LinkedIn every day. An Iris online training and recruitment/HR platform, SocialTalent recently ranked Nigeria as number 28 of the top 50 countries that use LinkedIn. Active users from Nigeria stood at above 2 million people late last year. This means that there is an opportunity to connect and interact with over 2 million professionals. Well, not just connect, but secure your desired job.
Anyway, having a LinkedIn profile and being active on it requires doing things the right way, if results are to be seen. You must be conscious that it is a platform for professional activities and not just to share thoughts and comics like other platforms. One thing is sure: There are new jobs and opportunities appearing on LinkedIn every day.
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As posted by LinkedIn early, an average CEO has about 980 connections. This is definitely due to people’s dire need for placements. In the same post, it’s reported that 71% of professionals believe LinkedIn is a very credible place for professional content and finding suitable employees. You should see this as a motivation and a real drive to get noticed and recognised. To get the attention of a CEO or a recruiter, you have to be outstanding.
14 Ways to use LinkedIn to network and get your dream job will help you understand how to leverage LinkedIn more.
Ways To Maximise Your LinkedIn Profile
Maximising your LinkedIn profile for job opportunities requires being proactive. Here are a few tips that will help you maximise your LinkedIn profile.
Use A Good Picture
Stats have shown that you have 21 times more chances to be noticed if you have a LinkedIn profile picture, increasing to 36 if it is a good and nice picture. No one wants to associate with a rather sad and unwelcoming face. On the other hand, a picture of you partying could make you look unserious and indecorous.
We all like smiling faces and want to relate with good-looking ones. The kind of opportunities you seek should also determine what the dressing would be like. But generally, it’s advisable to look simple, smart, and attractive.
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Let Your Headline Make You A Professional
A bad introduction ruins impressions and opportunities. Your introductory words can make you look creepy or sellable. With just about 120 characters, you will achieve this. Write out your value, specialisation, and the keywords that best fit you. But don’t just write these in a hurry; be professional as much as you can. For instance, if you are a recruiter looking at these two headshots –
“A Social Media Expert always willing to influence my society” and
“Social Media Expert // Over 3 years of experience as a Digital Marketer // An Innovative Explorer”
Which would you prefer? Obviously the second. It elaborates on the account owner and shows he’s been about and garnered useful experiences. Profiles with such headshots have 14 times, a better chance of getting noticed quickly.
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Let The Keywords Represent Your Job Preference
Imagine trying to visit a friend for the first time without a map or proper description of his location. You know you would get lost, don’t you? That is the same instance here. The keywords are the roadmap to your job preference.
Use words that are frequently searched for, that match what you do. This puts you ahead. These cue words are not just meant for your headline. They are for every other thing you need to write on the platform. As a professional, you should have accurate words that define what you do. If you are an economist, for instance, words like; economy, capital, entrepreneurship, financial, stock market, etc. sell you more.
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Write An Accurate And Succinct Summary
Hardly would you see someone show interest in long profiles, except he’s on a treasure hunt in-between the lines and letters. Use succinct sentences to convey what you are all about. Let readers get acquainted with your work, passions, skills, unique qualifications, and a brief of the various organisations you have worked with over the years. It’s usually ideal to keep it simple, say 2 about 3 paragraphs with few bullet points.
Your Experiences So Far
A potential employer needs to know that you have some experience. Your LinkedIn profile should not fail in this regard. Your experience is one of the factors that will determine if you deserve the job. So, this section is where you give a short appraisal of what your experience has been and the impact you have made with your skills.
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What Skills Do You Have
It may interest you that many recruiters make their selections based on the number of endorsements they see on people’s profiles. And just so you know, there are about 10 billion LinkedIn endorsements. This is an enormous number, and it only means you have chances to point out how exceptional you are. Notwithstanding, you don’t have to lie about the skills you have. Make a good list of the skills, and update the list as you acquire new ones to remain on top of your game and get closer to opportunities.
Meanwhile, be mindful of your recommendations. Recommendations on LinkedIn are a good way to know that you did well with your previous employers. They show readers of your profile the things you may not have said about yourself. Don’t be too shy to review your recommendations. If you get some that are badly written or could make people raise an eyebrow, request that the author gets them adjusted. If not, take them off from public view.
Build Your Connection Well
The number of connections you have matters. It places you on good footing when you appear in searches and gives you access to so many people’s profiles.
Enough said about quantity. Let’s talk about quality. There’s this thing I observe at events – gregarious fellas who make the rounds, introducing themselves to everyone, and making small talk with each person but come away connecting with none.
Yeah? You know someone like that too? Exactly! The same thing applies here. Quality and type of interactions and connections are also very important. Not just how many; it’s also how well. Exude quality through your engagements, thought flows, and online conversations and quality will be attracted. Cliché: we attract who we are. That’s not a lie, folks.
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Join Groups
There is nothing as golden as sitting among minds that share your passion and ideas. There is no obstacle to having direct interactions with them; CEOs are within your reach. The employers are there, not just to share job opportunities alone, but to watch interactions and check on worthwhile profiles. One other beautiful thing is that with LinkedIn groups, you have access to those you were not connected to before. Connect with them and engage their thoughts as much as possible.
Market Yourself With Your Updates
You should not keep your smartness and intelligence to yourself. There are millions of people on LinkedIn that are looking for information every day. Update your status, publish credible and engaging articles, share thought-provoking and thoughtful words – basically make the most of your skills as much as the community permits.
Give Your Account Enough Attention
Be kind to yourself, and don’t forget to take things easy. Use the right words to structure your profile. It doesn’t really matter if it takes a lot of your time. What’s important is the target. It is very important that you are constantly on the platform; a reason for which the LinkedIn mobile app is so essential. It is easy to access, and you even get updates and notifications on the go.
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Get A Customised Address
I was quick to notice that I could make a customised address for my account. Yes, you too can. Usually, it’s something like linkedin.com/yourname. It is always an option by the right side of your profile. Give it a try and see how unique your account would look. It gives a straightforward link to your profile rather than the jam-packed one LinkedIn automatically gives you.
Just like the platform is a professional social networking site, make your presence there as professional and packaged as much as possible.
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