87% of Recruiters Use LinkedIn to Find Candidates. How does your LinkedIn Profile Stack Up?

Jobvite’s recent report Jobvite Seeker Nation 2016 reveals that LinkedIn is the leading tool of choice for recruiters with 87% using the site to identify candidates. With that in mind, if you are job seeking make sure your LinkedIn profile is optimized and up to date.

Here’s the top 5 things that will make your LinkedIn profile more attractive to recruiters.

1. Optimize your profile with keywords associated with the type of job you are seeking.

The best way to identify the keywords to put in your LinkedIn profile is to pull them from posted job descriptions. For example, if you are looking for an Administrative Assistant position, enter Administrative Assistant in the Jobs tab and review the postings for keywords. In this search the company is looking for someone who manages calendars, arranges complex travel, prepares presentations and obtains research.

Place these keywords in your Summary and add them into your job experiences.

2. Customize your URL

LinkedIn let’s you create a custom URL for recruiters to view your profile. If you haven’t customized yours it will be your name and some numbers and look like this

Linkedin.com/pub/marksmith/29/890/2b9

A custom URL will appear as

Linkedin.com/in/marksmith

The custom URL box is located on the right side of your profile.

If your name is already taken, use a middle intial - markjsmith - or your job expertise marksmithaccountant.

With a customize URL you will appear more savvy to recruiters and per Jobacle
“LinkedIn tends to rank very high in Google when compared to other social profiles with your name, and it’s better for a potential employer to find your LinkedIn profile than a more relaxed Facebook profile.”

3. Make a Great Headline

According to Forbes “Your LinkedIn headline (just below your name) is your online brand, because your name and your headline are the only things a LinkedIn user will see when s/he conducts a search on the LinkedIn database and your profile comes up as one of the search returns. Your headline, your name and your profile photo are the only cues that user will get before deciding whether or not to click through your headline to your full profile. Make your headline count!

“Marketer seeking next opportunity” is weak, but “Consumer Products Marketer Looking for Small Brand to Make Big” tells your next boss what you plan to deliver.”

4. Recommendations

Don’t be shy about asking for recommendations from your past employers. If you’ve done a good job they will be happy to write one for you. The only thing that can stand in your way is that people are busy and sometimes it goes to the bottom of their to-do list.

Therefore it is very helpful if you write the review for them. Be specific about what you did for them, cite specific projects, growth metrics and also include something personal. If you can prepare the data for them and kindly ask them to rewrite it in their own words you’ll see your recommendations posted much faster.

5. Projects

Posting projects you have worked on and launched can be very helpful especially for consultants and freelancers. To add a project click on the “v View More v “under your profile header.

That will open the menu and you will see Projects.

You can then enter a project name, URL and tag any of your LinkedIn collaborators. This link will appear as a hyperlink to their LinkedIn profile.

6. Match Your LinkedIn Profile Dates with Your Resumes
Recruiters will cross reference your resume with your LinkedIn profile so take the time to ensure the positions and dates match.  Recently we had a great candidate who had discrepancies between his LinkedIn profile and his resume. He was able to fix the dates and the story had a happy ending - he was hired - but it serves as a real-life example of how important accurate information is on your profiles and resumes.

We hope these tips help you develop your LinkedIn profile and give you a boost in your job search. If you’d like us to review your profile our Placement Counselors offer free LinkedIn and resume assessments. At First Call Staffing Services we are invested in your success.

By Marcia Allen

First Call Staffing has been servicing the South Bay of California for over 25 years. We pride ourselves in matching great people with great companies. We offer unparalleled customer service. If you are looking for a Temporary or Direct Hire, please contact us at either our Santa Monica (310) 264-9914 or Torrance office (310) 539-2884.

Marcia Allen