If You Want To Improve Your Chances of Landing Your Dream Tech Job, Improve Your LinkedIn Profile
No matter what you think of LinkedIn, if putting your best face forward for potential employers and hiring managers matters, you need to improve your LinkedIn profile. According to some estimates, approximately 95% of recruiters and hiring managers use LinkedIn to find and screen candidates.
That means that when you submit an application and resume for that dream tech job, those doing the screening will inevitably look at your LinkedIn profile as well. If your profile either contradicts what’s in your resume or reflects poorly on you, your experience, and your talents, your chances of landing that perfect position in IT diminish dramatically.
Fortunately, it is easy to quickly improve your LinkedIn profile. Here are five simple ways to make your profile – and you – look incredible.
Picture Perfect
The first things visitors to your profile page see aren’t your job title, location, credentials, or experience. Your profile picture and background photo will fill up a big chunk of their screen before they can scroll to the good stuff. These pictures are your first chance to make a first impression, so both should be professional, businesslike, and reflect your ambitions.
A professional headshot is a great way to improve your LinkedIn profile, but there is nothing wrong with a recent photo taken by a friend or even a quality selfie. Whichever route you choose, ensure you are using a high-resolution picture – cloudy or blurry photos will do you no favors on your profile.
One missed opportunity for many LinkedIn profiles is not utilizing the background photo option. This is an expansive space you can utilize to grab people’s attention, provide context, and show a little about who you are and what matters to you. Skylines and landscapes are common background photos, but there is nothing wrong with some purposeful creativity.
One word of caution: if you are not using a photo you took, ensure that the image you download and use is free to use, so you don’t risk copyright infringement.
Your Career Is More Than a Job Title
You will have a chance to list your current and past job titles in the Experience section of your LinkedIn profile. No rule limits the description at the top of your profile to just a job title. Use that headline field to encapsulate your career, goals, or what makes you tick.
For instance, which grabs your attention more? Programming and Coding Professional with 10 Years Experience, or Creative Programmer and Coding Ninja? Customer Care Representative or UX Professional Committed to Creating Exceptional Consumer Interactions?
The headline will improve your LinkedIn profile by conveying what potential employers can expect if they hire you – rather than what you currently do or have done at other companies.
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Don’t Skip The Summary
Imagine being given a chance to tell your story in your own words, paint a picture of your best self, and create a narrative that gives a reader a picture of who you are and how you roll rather than just what you do and what you know.
Now imagine not taking advantage of such an opportunity.
Too many otherwise savvy professionals leave the summary section of their LinkedIn page blank, putting themselves at a disadvantage compared to those who craft a readable, compelling personal and professional story. Make an effort to write a thoughtful and informative summary, and you will improve your LinkedIn profile and attract more readers.
Request Recommendations in Addition to Endorsements
Third-party validation – someone else singing your praises – is invaluable. It’s why employers ask for references and why you look at Yelp! reviews before making reservations at that hot new restaurant.
While endorsements for skills give people a quick, visual sense of your value and the basic skill sets you possess, recommendations are personal testimonials that illustrate what it’s like working with you and the quality of your product.
A convenient drop-down menu in the Recommendations section of your profile makes it easy to reach out to specific contacts for recommendations. Don’t be shy to request recommendations from former and current colleagues! Chances are they also are looking for ways to improve their LinkedIn profile and would be happy to have your recommendation on their page.
Think Outside Your Jobs
You’ve described in great detail your work achievements, projects, and skills – all of which are great ways to improve your LinkedIn profile. But you are more than your job. Many of the things that define you as a person are experiences, accomplishments, and interests beyond those in your career.
By including relevant and impressive non-work experience on your LinkedIn profile – such as educational achievements or volunteer work – you can paint a well-rounded picture of yourself as a candidate and provide more reasons for a reader to take a second look.
However, while your love of the outdoors is certainly part of who you are and is worth including as part of your biography, your LinkedIn profile is likely not the appropriate social media platform to spam with details of your weekend camping trip. Save that for your personal Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok series (remembering that your readers may have access to these platforms as well).
Improve Your Odds of Getting Noticed by the Best IT Companies – Contact GTN Technical Staffing Today.
Whether your tech job needs tend toward a permanent position or temporary, contract-based work in the tech industry, GTN Technical Staffing can help you get noticed by the best IT companies worldwide. Contact us today to learn more, or browse our career page for positions we are actively filling.
