You have a LinkedIn profile that includes your name, your job title and work history. That’s all you need, right? Wrong. Hiring managers and recruiters use LinkedIn in two ways. First, they use it to find potential candidates for openings. Second, they use it to learn a little more about you before they call you in for an interview. This means your profile needs to be thorough and up-to-date always. If you’re thinking about making a move to a new engineering position, it’s worthwhile to take time to update your LinkedIn profile.
Where to Begin Updating Your LinkedIn Profile
Updating your LinkedIn profile can be overwhelming, especially if you haven’t touched it in a while. Start with these five areas:
- Turn off notifications to your network – You don’t want your current boss to be notified you are making extensive edits to your profile, especially if you aren’t quite ready to move on yet.
- Update your headshot – Your headshot should be as current and professional as possible. If you haven’t updated your headshot since LinkedIn launched in 2002, it’s time for a new one.
- Secure your personalized URL – Click on the “Me” icon on your homepage and select “View profile.” Choose “Edit your public profile” and find “Edit your profile URL. The address will prefill to something like www.linkedin.com/in/yourname. Make sure to save it.
- Update your headline – The summary should be an accurate statement of what you do and where you are in your career. Don’t get too creative here, headlines are used in search results.
- Work on your summary – Write your summary in first person, not third person. Since it tells your professional story, it’s ok to write in paragraph form. It can be long, but don’t write a book. Be thorough but concise and use industry-related keywords so hiring managers and recruiters can find you. If you don’t know what keywords to use, study job postings for positions you’re interested in and take note of common terms.
- Add new skills and projects – Once this section is updated, commit to logging in regularly to keep it current.
Finally, make sure to log in to LinkedIn on a regular basis and share industry-related content, make new connections and contribute to groups.
Let Recruiters Know You’re Open to New Challenges
LinkedIn finally decided to help users let recruiters know they are open to new challenges without “outing” them to their entire network. The platform’s “open candidate” feature privately alerts recruiters that a user is open to new positions. This feature will allow you to engage in a confidential search while employed, or just let recruiters know you’d be open to hearing what they have to offer even if you aren’t actively looking for a new job.
If you are an engineering professional seeking to grow your career, you need a great resume, an updated LinkedIn profile and an expert in your corner. Contact the engineering recruiters at Selectek today to jumpstart your search.
