Is Your Professional Profile a First Glance or a Lasting Impression?
We work a lot with LinkedIn profiles and do you know what? Many are almost exactly the same – coequal, indistinguishable and boilerplate.
Why is this important? Seventy percent of employers and 95 percent of recruiters research potential candidates using LinkedIn (LI). However, very few people take the step to further demonstrate their personality. When we look to fill a senior-level position, we seek out passive candidates–those qualified, happily-employed executives who are not actively searching for new positions. But when their profiles distinguish them as distinctive and unique, we take notice.
Here are two tips to develop and enhance you.
1. It starts at the top.
Your LinkedIn headline is the most visible and viewed part of your profile. Identify keywords that best describe you and the benefit you bring. Once you’ve identified your keywords, craft a headline and profile that tell what makes you intriguing. (Keywords also help executive recruiters like Torch Group find you.) For a really effective profile, use a creative tone in what you’re writing. Tell a compelling story. You aren’t as limited with space as you are in a resume, so write to your heart’s content.
2. Take a Career Selfie.
A professional resume and LinkedIn profile each serve a purpose. Your resume is your official document of qualifications, skills, and experience. Your LinkedIn profile is your opportunity to demonstrate your personality. In other words, your LI profile is an opportunity to highlight not only who you are and what you do, but why you’re passionate and how you can make a difference.
In an increasingly competitive marketplace, standing out can be as easier than you think.
I’d love to hear what your brand says about you. Email me at MicheleTorch@TorchGroup.com.
Michele Torch is founder, executive vice president, and chief talent officer of Torch Group, Inc. Torch in Two is her “quick post” that provides two tips any employer can easily implement to create positive change in their organization.
