Here's the deal…
Look, I get it – working on your CV or sprucing up your LinkedIn isn't exactly the most exciting thing. Unlike me, who practically lives on LinkedIn!
I'm approached daily with people asking for CV and LinkedIn advice. And truth be told, in today's market, your LinkedIn profile can carry just as much weight as your CV. I've placed countless people into roles that didn't even have a CV, their LinkedIn was more than adequate. So if you haven't already, maybe it’s time to jazz yours up and position yourself in the best light? Visibility matters in today's market.
Who knows, your next big gig might just slide into your messages, with 90% of recruiters using this platform when searching for talent. But bear in mind, LinkedIn isn't just a job-hunting ground. LinkedIn can be used for networking, generating leads in business and so much more!
Recruiting in the world of Marketing my number one tips to Marketers is… Market yourself! You know how to position brands and products, do the same with yourself. When you look at your profile, have an out of body experience and pretend you're someone else viewing your profile from the outside. Well… how does it look? Be truthful.
Before I get into it, please note that these tips are for those who want to work on their LinkedIn. It's common that some of us just don't like social media - some people don't even have it! I barely post on mines. LinkedIn is the same, it isn't for everyone - and that's fine! These tips are all subjective on my experience, and recruiting in the world of marketing.
Let's get into it and break it down…
- Your Profile Photo & Background Image
Remember, we're not on Instagram or Tinder, there needs to be a degree of professionalism. You want a nice headshot(or photo of your upper half) that is professional with a plain background. And don't be afraid to inject personality, smile like crazy if you wish(within reason). Be authentic and warm.
Also add a profile background, it looks nice and adds a little oomph. It may be your branded company one, your city, industry related or something slick and professional. Just avoid a generic pixelated Google search result.
- Your Profile Headline & Location
If you haven't put much thought into your profile, chances are it's your default job title, not very creative huh? Replace what's there's with a short elevator pitch of what you do. Make it short and catchy, people should know what you do. EG, - PPC Manager | Google Ad Specialist with 6 years + |
Make sure your location is up to date. Scotland won't do, people want to know what city you're in.
- About Me Section
This should be a bio, much like your CV - you want a good hook. A bit of a birds eye view, a bit about yourself and most importantly list your technical skills/expertise. If you're a digital marketer, we want to know if you do PPC or Content. More often than not, listing technical skills and platforms is where people let themselves down on their LinkedIn AND CVs.
But as above, make sure you're authentic and show what you're passionate about. This could a combo of career, things like DE&I etc.
- Work Experience
Break down what your role entails, people want to know what you do. But be concise. The sweet spot on your LinkedIn(and your CV) is a little paragraph summary of your role remit and scope(3-4 lines), and then pop responsibilities in succinct bullet points. Don't go wild though, don't waffle. Also only fill in the ones that are relevant to your current career path.
Tip, if you want to be really extra, throw in some achievements or stats.
- Education & Certifications
Straight forward - pop in your education. But MOST importantly, pop in all those courses and certifications you've done. Prioritize those up to date courses and certifications as they'll be more relevant to your career today. This is also what prospective employers and recruiters love to see too. Shout about your accomplishments. I know us Brits hate to boast!
- Recommendations
Get some old colleagues or peers to do these if you can, it can really show off your credibility. Great if you use LinkedIn for the sales and BD side.
- Skills
Fill these in as they can really showcase the granular stuff that you do. But make sure you delete the ones from your part time job from when you were 17. Make sure they're relevant. This tweak elevates your ranking, akin to SEO ranking. Plus, you can trade endorsements with others. If you remember the good ol' days of Bebo, think of it like when we used to trade love's ❤
EXTRA TIPS: (don't say I'm not good to you!)
- Profile URL:
Did you know you can personalise this? It's a great wee touch.
- Add your gender pronouns & add your name pronunciation
All nice touches!
Last but not least…. TEN!
- BE ACTIVE!
POST, COMMENT, INTERACT, CONNECT. Be present on the platform. Build your network. You could meet others in your industry, get great news relevant to your job role, or join communities. LinkedIn has so much to offer. Once you build up content, you can also use the feature function on your profile.
TIP - Did you know you can download your LinkedIn into a PDF? If your LinkedIn is top notch with the tips above, when you next apply to a job, just download it to a PDF and you have a pretty good CV to boot.
And lastly… throw buzzwords IN THE BIN. Team player, works independently… I'll say no further. If you follow the above tips, I assure you that your LinkedIn (and your CV too) will showcase more credibility than a bucketload of cringeworthy buzzwords.