As December progresses, you may be setting resolutions for what you want to accomplish in the new year. One of your goals might be to find a new job. This is a perfect opportunity to update your LinkedIn profile. You can let recruiters, hiring managers, and members of your network know you are open to new opportunities to advance your career.
Follow these guidelines to freshen up your LinkedIn profile for the new year.
Include a Professional Photo
Your profile picture impacts the impression you make on recruiters, hiring managers, and other industry professionals. Be sure your photo is recent and looks like you. You should be wearing something you would wear to the office. Remember to smile with your eyes.
Use Your Headline to Describe Yourself
The description at the top of your profile page should tell a bit about you. This includes how you see your role, why you do what you do, and what makes you tick. It also involves your strengths, work style, and what sets you apart from other professionals in your industry.
Share Your Story in Your Summary
Use your summary to bring to life the job titles you had, your skills, and the reasons why they matter. Talk about the difference your skills make for your colleagues, coworkers, and manager. Be sure to include keywords that are relevant to your industry. Use keywords from job postings for guidance.
List Your Relevant Skills
Select from the list of skills the ones that are most relevant to your industry. This helps back up the description in your Headline and Summary sections. It also provides opportunities for others to endorse you.
Complete a Skills Assessment
When you finish an online test that demonstrates the level of your skills, a Verified Skills badge is displayed on your profile. This strengthens your personal brand and increases your odds of being hired for the roles you apply for.
Increase Your Network
Synch your profile with your email address book. This lets LinkedIn suggest people you may want to connect with. You may be able to rediscover contacts that are relevant to your industry. You can decide whether to send a connection request, then follow up with the individuals through conversations.
Request Endorsements
Ensure you back up your skills and increase your credibility through endorsements. You may want to go through your network to identify your connections who genuinely deserve an endorsement from you. They are likely to return the favor. If not, you could reach out with a polite message asking for an endorsement of some of your key skills as well.
Find a New Job for the New Year
Start the new year off right with a new role through Job Store Staffing®. Visit our job board today.