If you’re looking for a job, you can increase your chances of finding employment by updating your LinkedIn profile. Thousands of companies use LinkedIn for hiring, making the platform a great place to market yourself and:
- Present your experience, skills and recommendations
- Alert your network that you are looking for new opportunities
- Get hiring managers and recruiters find you via search and come to you with job opportunities
If you’re in the job-seeking phase, use your LinkedIn profile to stand out and attract opportunities on LinkedIn. Here are the top ways to update your LinkedIn profile when looking for a job.
#1) Update your profile headline.
Your LinkedIn profile includes a headline that appears near your name at the top of your profile and next to your name when your profile appears in the newsfeed.
When you’re job seeking, use the headline to say that you are looking for opportunities and describe the position you are seeking. Include descriptive words, the job title you are pursuing, and phrases like: actively seeking employment, seeking new opportunities, or available for employment.
For example, you may write your headline to say:
- Experienced Product Manager Seeking New Opportunities
- B2B Copywriter Available for Employment
- Hotel Manager with 10+ Years Experience Actively Seeking Employment
Headlines in this format will both catch attention and help your profile show up in searches that target related keywords.
#2) Add a professional photo.
When looking for a job, you want your LinkedIn profile to be as polished and professional as possible. To improve the professionalism of your profile, consider updating your profile photo.
While it may seem obvious, many people overlook this step in updating their LinkedIn profile when looking for a job. Never use a profile photo that isn’t a picture of you, and upgrade your photo if you’re using a cropped, blurry image.
If you don’t have a professional photo to use, take a headshot at home.
- Wear office-appropriate attire.
- Take the photo from mid-body or shoulders up.
- Use a basic backdrop.
- Face a window or stand outside in the shade to capture the best lighting.
#3) Update your profile information.
Your LinkedIn profile includes an about section where you can write a summary about your experience and interests. When you update your LinkedIn profile while looking for a job, use this section to explain what type of work you’re interested in finding and why you’re qualified to do it.
Also, revisit your job history descriptions to make sure they offer a strong representation of your past work. Follow similar best practices for improving your resume and:
- Use keywords that recruiters and hiring managers would be searching to find candidates for the positions you’re interested in.
- Add metrics that quantify your experience and accomplishments.
- Look at the job descriptions of your ideal job and adjust your work history to highlight how you’re a fit for the position you want.
#4) Let recruiters on LinkedIn know you’re open for opportunities.
LinkedIn includes features that help you promote your job search and let recruiters know you are looking for opportunities. One is the #OpenForWork feature.
To enable the #OpenForWork feature, go to your profile and select “Add profile section.” Under “Intro,” select “Looking for a new job.”
From here, you can add the type of job titles you’re interested in, where you’re interested in working, and when you’re available to start. You can also choose who sees your profile.
If you’re not currently employed, you can select to “Share with all LinkedIn members.” This adds an #OpenForWork frame around your profile picture and alerts all LinkedIn members that you’re seeking employment.
If you’re currently employed somewhere and don’t want your employers to see that you’re seeking other opportunities, you can choose to “Share with recruiters only.” LinkedIn will attempt to only show that you’re seeking employment to recruiters outside of your company, but they cannot guarantee it. So be mindful of adding these features to your LinkedIn profile if you don’t want your current employer to know you’re looking for jobs elsewhere.
As a final step, go into your settings and select “Job seeking preferences.” Slide the button to “Yes” to let recruiters know that you’re open to opportunities.
By making these updates, you’ll be more visible to recruiters who are looking to fill positions. They’ll be able to see that you’re actively seeking work, making you a more valuable potential candidate.
#5) Get more recommendations.
As a final step in updating your LinkedIn profile when looking for a job, get more recommendations. Recommendations give recruiters and hiring managers a reason to choose you over other candidates. They can see what you’ve brought to the table in past work experiences and what makes you an ideal employee.
Get more recommendations on LinkedIn by reaching out your connections. Don’t spam your network. Instead, craft personal requests, and also, give back to get. Giving recommendations to a past colleague is a great way to drive them to write a review for you.
Go Beyond Updating Your Linkedin Profile When Looking for a Job
Updating your LinkedIn profile when looking for a job is a good step in attracting the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. But, it’s just one step in a bigger process of making yourself a more desirable candidate.
If you’re currently seeking employment, use all of the resources available to you. That includes tapping into our Career Services at CareerSource Central Florida. Our office offers resume assistance, career coaching, career placement assistance, and more. To see how we can help you secure your next position, contact us today.
