Successful LinkedIn Outreach: 5 Ways to Build Your Profile

For anyone looking for a job in this day and age, LinkedIn will pop into their minds. LinkedIn is the best used online platform in the world of professionals. This is where both the recruiter and potential employee meet. Read on to learn how your profile helps with successful LinkedIn outreach.

The site has 460 million users worldwide and its reputation continues to grow each day. Having your trademark makes you stand from the rest. It is therefore vital to have that compelling profile to help you showcase your skills and expertise. How you write your profile in that remarkable manner is the key to your success in finding new opportunities and personal growth in your career path.

5 Tips for Successful LinkedIn Outreach:

1. Choose the Right Profile Picture

There is a famous saying that goes “picture is worth a thousand words.” This applies to LinkedIn also as it is the first impression the recruiter has of you. We are visual people. LinkedIn profiles with photos get 21 times more views. Your profile picture should be professional, not stiff; selfies don’t count. The photo should be the real you as it is your profile you are creating. It should be recent too. Wear an outfit that is formal or the one that you would wear for an interview. Have eye contact with the camera and make sure to smile with your eyes as it shows a soft side of you. You should also consider using a background photo revealing your interest.

2. The Headline

LinkedIn has a limit of 120 characters, use them wisely. Don’t repeat the technical title of your current role. It's written in the experience section. It should, therefore, get filled with keywords that reveal your skills and professional background. You should have a catchy headline that attracts the recruiter the first time. You can use the headline to tell the person reading where you are and the place you want to be. You could also creatively use the headline to say a bit more about your role, and what makes you tick within the bounds of professionalism.

3. Work Experience

You have 2000 characters to describe your work experience, make it count. Your profile is seriously reliant on the work experience that you put in. It is, therefore, crucial to add all the relevant skills as this is proof of your professional expertise. Make sure to list all the positions held, the companies that you’ve worked for, the different responsibilities you held and the achievements made to better your growth.

You can practice writing your experiences and skills by trying out personal narrative essay topics and learning how to make an APA style cover page. For real purposes, organize and customize your information. The use of bullets can come in handy to itemize your information. It is also recommendable to add web addresses and related presentations. Include appropriate keywords, such as programs and applications used and specific skills which were instrumental in your success.

4. Make Your Profile Public

This is a significant point to consider when you are a potential candidate. Statistics show that 93% of recruiters depend on the site for their day to day activities. The recruiters do their searches on LinkedIn by looking at your skill sets and also job titles, both the past and current ones. When your profile is public, you make it increasingly easy for the potential employer to find you. It also helps to post an update each day as it makes you look active. Try to participate in an industry group that you have a strong background in.

5. Recommendations

In LinkedIn, recommendations are a gold mine. This is a powerful tool as it works better than your work experience and connections. The more recommendations that you have, the more the viewer is impressed. The viewer gets a sense of your value. These are personal testimonials to increase your trustworthiness and credibility on this network. They also raise visibility to increase your profile views. However, they are not easy to come by as you cannot find just random people to write for you. The best people to recommend you are your current and ex-bosses, workmates and clients that you have worked for. Recommending others is also another way to get recommendations.

From the above tips, it is clear to see that LinkedIn, when used in the right way, can be of great benefit. It is therefore essential for an individual trying to find work to take full advantage of the site. Using the site can dictate success or failure within the network. All you need is a constant effort to boost your profile. You will be amazed by the considerations that you will get. The scores of potential connections registered on LinkedIn are immense. Take advantage of this amazing platform today!

Kevin is a professional educator and a private tutor with over 8 years of experience. He is also a content writer for sigmaessays.com and various blogs about higher education, entertainment, social media & blogging. During his off time, Kevin enjoys traveling and cooking. Feel free to connect with him on Twitter, Linkedin & Google+.