Discover These Time-Tested Secrets To Maximize Your LinkedIn Profile Potential
By: Amos Akhoyanta
Tags: Job Hunting, LinkedIn, Personal Development, Networking, Career Advice

LinkedIn is the most work focus platform there is on the planet and opportunities abound. In our digitalized world, talent recruiters increasingly depend on this platform to headhunt talents for the workforce. According to a statistic published by Jobvite in 2014, 94% of recruiters are on LinkedIn, but only 36% of job seekers are there.

How do you stand out amongst over the 250 million active users on LinkedIn? It is ensuring your profile at first viewing projects your skills and experience -in plain terms your profile should cause a recruiter to want to arrange an interview with you.

LinkedIn Optimization is the next step of maximizing your profile, there is no objective in having a LinkedIn account if you are not visible to recruiters in searches and lack of updates etc.

Fortunately, optimization solves this problem. Think of your profile as a special website whose exclusive purpose is to endorse YOU. Personal branding is a strategic approach to success in your career or business affairs because people are attracted by the perception of value.

Optimization can be done in the following steps:

1. Profile Completeness:

Ensure you correctly fill all sections of your profile, upload a professional portrait photograph (this increases search appearance by 14%), include facts here and there.

You already went through the trouble of signing up why not make the best use of it? It is commendable that while building your profile, LinkedIn helps you know the level of completeness. Don’t stop until you reach 100%.

Features of a complete profile:

· Your industry and location

· Current position, along with a description of your role

· Two previous positions, along with descriptions of your roles

· Your educational background

· A list of your skills, I advise a minimum of 3

· At least 50 connections: Send invites to people within your industry, from your school, etc.

Tip: Users with a complete profile will appear higher in search results. I.e. you are more likely to be found by recruiters with a completed profile.

2. URL Editing:

LinkedIn gives all users a default URL, this has a combination of letters and numbers and it doesn’t make for good viewing, especially if you intend to put a link on your resume.

You can quickly edit this by:

· Going to your profile

· Click on the Edit Profile

· Then Edit URL - Remove all letters and numbers and retain only your name

3. Professional Summary:

This presents another avenue to rave about your capabilities, your summary is your written elevator pitch, take it seriously. The important thing is to communicate what you can do, try not to make it too salesy. Use applicable keywords.

4. Outstanding Headline:

Whilst getting opportunities is the end goal, a headline that immediately grabs attention is the lure.

Get creative with your headline, use keywords applicable to your industry. You have 120 characters to attract people, use it.

5. Be Active:

Having a great LinkedIn profile isn’t magical, it requires work.

You can publish posts related to your career and professional interests or something you are good at. Interact with other people’s posts through sharing or commenting.

If you produce good content that people enjoy, in no time your following will grow and this offers more job and networking opportunities. You can also endorse and recommend colleagues and ask them to reciprocate.

Other factors to consider include joining Groups, adding Volunteer Experiences and listing Causes you support.

Make the right impression on LinkedIn by using these tips, remember your profile says a lot about you, ensure it is saying the right things.

Follow Deversity Consults (@ConsultsOz) on twitter for all your LinkedIn Optimization, Resume and Cover Letter needs.