If you are a job seeker, you should know that your LinkedIn profile really matters. You might be the perfect candidate for a job opportunity, but if you’re not using LinkedIn or your LinkedIn profile isn’t optimized, recruiters won’t find you. Here’s a list of the 5 biggest LinkedIn profile mistakes that job seekers make.
Mistake #1
You aren’t connected to recruiters. Let’s forget about connecting with recruiters, you are barely connected to anyone else. This is a big mistake. The larger your network, the higher probability that a recruiter or employer will find you. You can view how many people you are potentially connected with on LinkedIn via first degree, second degree, and third degree connections.
Mistake # 2
You don’t have a profile photo, or it’s a blurry shot of you from ten years ago. You NEED a profile picture. Your profile is seven times more likely to be viewed if you add a photograph. I like to use the analogy that if you’re looking for a house and the listing is fantastic and you’re like, ‘This is perfect for me,’ and then there’s no picture. The question becomes ‘Is this legitimate?’
Mistake #3
Your headline contains typos. You need to make sure that your headline is spelled correctly, or else you won’t show up when a recruiter searches for your job title.
Mistake #4
Your profile lacks the right keywords, meaning you won’t show up in search results. You want to optimize your profile to let recruiters find you in their searches. Make sure your profile is littered with industry and job specific keywords. Think to yourself, “how would I find my profile if I was a recruiter?”
Mistake #5
Your profile isn’t public, meaning you basically might as well not be on the professional social network. If you want to be found, make sure you aren’t private. The purpose of LinkedIn is to network with other professionals and hopefully land the job of your dreams. Making your profile public allows you to network with people you normally wouldn’t have the chance to network with.
Source: AvidCareerist