What recruiters look for in a LinkedIn Profile

In 2020, LinkedIn is undeniably the most important social networking tool for candidates to get noticed by recruiters, especially for those working in the tech and digital sectors. Having a top of the range LinkedIn profile is vital to attract new customers, clients and employers. Having all the correct elements of a perfect LinkedIn profile is essential for selling yourself and what unique values you can bring to a business.

90% of recruiters now use LinkedIn regularly to research their candidates. What is it that recruiters are specifically looking for when they are scanning through the site? Here are the top 6 things Progressive Recruitment Belgium looks for when viewing candidates pages.

 

1. A Picture

A picture paints a thousand words and the same can be said for having an updated, professional-looking LinkedIn photo. Having a profile picture leads to nine times more connection requests and about 21 times more profile views. Once other users can put a face to the name, they’re far more likely to engage. If you’re not sure what makes an appropriate LinkedIn profile picture, have a look at pictures of employees from the kind of companies you’d like to work for. Photos not to be used: selfies, heavily filtered pictures, low pixilated images and cropped group photos.

 

2. Summary

Having a complete profile will not only help you gain credibility from recruiters when they check out your fantastic LinkedIn profile, but it will also enable you to be found by recruiters for job opportunities you might otherwise miss out on. What is it that makes a profile complete? Add an impressive summary and any visual examples you may have that are relevant to the line of work you are looking to get into. Think of your LinkedIn summary as your digital elevator pitch to tell people the most important things they need to know about your career in under 30 seconds. People will skim your summary, so help by breaking up the text. Steer clear of long paragraphs and load your summary full of keywords as this allows hiring managers to find you more easily and opens yourself up to more job opportunities. LinkedIn will let you know where your profile could be more complete, so simply go along with their suggestions.

 

3. Stats

The small talent pool within digital and tech has led to recruiters spending more time headhunting for high performers. To stand out in those searches, you want to have as many achievements on your profile as possible. Add tangible numbers and statistics of your accomplishments, include any awards you may have won, and of course, having endorsements and recommendations from colleagues/clients will help boost your profile and look impressive to recruiters.

 

4. Recommendations

In an age of customer satisfaction results and feedback, LinkedIn recommendations are just as important to recruiters and potential employers. Have your employers/ colleagues previously been impressed with your work? If yes, why not ask a few key people if they could write you a recommendation on LinkedIn. There’s no need to be shy and you can even specify which skills you’d love to be showcased as this will also make it easier for the person writing the recommendation.

 

5. Personality

LinkedIn is a place to not only be social but to be yourself too. Don’t be afraid to show your enthusiasm for your field, your industry, and your job. This doesn’t need to be reduced to your LinkedIn summary, get active with publishing advice/opinion posts, join relevant groups and get involved in conversations, share articles and news as status updates, follow industry leaders and companies you’re interested in. The more you get involved, the more you’ll start being seen as an expert and industry leader that shows passion for what they do.

 

6. Connected

LinkedIn is a social network and it’s difficult to be social by yourself. The more connections you have on LinkedIn, the more you’ll be able to build up a reputation as someone knowledgeable with a good network. It is not necessary to connect with thousands of people, however, you should aim to have a minimum of 50-150 connections. This will show that you’re a social person, both on and offline, and you understand new technology. Connect with relevant people such as colleagues and clients, current and present. Don’t be afraid to connect with recruiters and reach out to them if you spot a job they post online. This will show initiative and confidence and is also a great way of seeing daily job postings from recruiters.

 

Whether you are actively using LinkedIn to find a new job or you just want to use LinkedIn to get ahead in your career, following the above advice is a sure way of getting noticed by recruiters and standing out in the social network crowd! For more information on positions we currently have, please visit our job search page and connect with us on LinkedIn for the latest updates.