Seven ways to optimize your LinkedIn Profile

As of 2018, LinkedIn had an average of 250 million monthly users, and that number is growing: every second, two new users create profiles. What’s more is that we already know that 87% of recruiters use LinkedIn, according to Jobscan.

These two statistics tell us something. Recruiters certainly use LinkedIn to find candidates, but you must compete with lots of other users to make your profile stand out. Don’t worry; it is possible.

Here, we’ll give you seven tips for making sure your LinkedIn profile demonstrates that you are the best-fit candidate for the kinds of positions you want.

Create an eye-catching headline.

LinkedIn defaults to your current job title as your profile heading, but you don’t have to leave it this way. Instead, change your headline to one that highlights your skills and experience. Take this example: “Senior Manager with 20 Years in Internal Audit.”

Use a professional profile picture.

It’s time to replace that off-center photo that someone took of you at a party. Use a headshot taken by a professional as your profile picture.

Eliminate gaps in your job history.

Your LinkedIn profile should be as complete as your resume, which means that you don’t want to leave off months or years from your experience summary. Even if whatever you were doing wasn’t relevant to the position at hand, you still want to account for your entire work history.

Replace vague statements with numbers and percentages.

Just like in a resume, you want to describe your successes in your previous positions using numbers and statistics, rather than qualitative observations.

Acquire a list of recommendations and endorsements.

Brief descriptions of your expertise can hold considerable weight in the hiring process. Recommendations link to the profiles of their providers, while endorsements let others recognize you for specific skills. Getting a mixture of both recommendations and endorsements adds to your profile’s credibility.

Spend time on your summary statement.

Your summary statement is the first thing that recruiters are going to read. Make sure it focuses on differentiating you from others like you by emphasizing your skills, your wins, and the actions you took to be successful.

SEO your profile.

Search engine optimize (SEO) your LinkedIn profile so you’re more searchable by recruiters. To do this, find relevant keywords used by Google to find people in your field. Next, add these to your LinkedIn profile. Note, though, these keywords should flow seamlessly with your other text.

A LinkedIn profile is an important part of your application package, but it’s not the only part. To acquire the job of your dreams, you must create a profile of yourself that’s not only compelling but also consistent across online platforms and on paper. That’s where Career Moves can help. We have nearly 20 years’ experience ensuring accounting and finance professionals create the application packages that will get them hired.