If you are an active job seeker and do not have a Linkedin profile, drop everything, head to www.linkedin.com and get started. Linkedin provides an excellent channel to network with professionals, investigate names and titles of potential interviewers, research the profiles of individuals in your current position or field, and actively search for jobs posted in user groups.
Corporate recruiters use Linkedin for a variety of reasons, most notably, to search for candidates. When creating your Linkedin profile, make sure to:
1 – Portray your experience wide-ranging and broadly focused. If you handled it, were involved in, or reviewed it, put it in there.
2 – Write it in bio format. Linkedin is not a resume, it’s a professional networking site. Explain your experience on Linkedin as you would explain it to a fellow colleague or client.
3 – Use the first person. Your Linkedin bio is written by you, “I” and “me” are encouraged here.
4 - Match your resume and reinforce its content. A smart corporate recruiter has looked at your Linkedin profile, your Facebook page, and your Twitter account before you walk in the door for an interview. If your Linkedin profile has a job that’s not listed on your resume, or dates that do not match the dates on your resume, it raises a red flag. The recruiter may drop your candidacy without even inquiring about the differences, so don’t plan on explaining it away later.
The best place to start when creating a Linkedin profile is your own network. Review the profiles of individuals in your field and note what you like and what you don’t like. You can start small and build it over time. Each change you make sends a notification to your connections, so making changes once every three months keeps your profile on the front page of your network.
