In most industries your LinkedIn profile is a crucial component to maximising career opportunities. LinkedIn launched in 2003 and its relevance has only grown. The platform, used primarily for networking and career development, is the world’s largest professional network.
LinkedIn Benefits
If the majority of people in your industry appear on LinkedIn, it is a wise move to have a profile. There are many benefits to being on LinkedIn, including keeping up to date with news in your industry, job opportunities and building your profile through regular posts. Employers want to see that you are open to connecting to people in the industry because it shows that you are open to helping them grow their business. They will see that you are committed to your career and that you care about how you present yourself to peers.
With limited time available to interview people, employers are more likely to select candidates who present themselves well on LinkedIn then candidates who haven’t got a profile.
People will visit your profile and judge you on it. LinkedIn is designed for connection, so with this in mind, the value your profile offers includes:
- Business development – connecting with potential customers
- Brand awareness – Driving both your personal and corporate brand
- Learning – Connecting with relevant groups to enhance your knowledge base
- Networking – Connecting with colleagues and other members of your industry can pave the way for future opportunity
- Job opportunities – Ability to see who is viewing your profile and keep up to date with job opportunities in the market with arguably the most powerful job board in Australia.
Creating a professional, relevant and compelling LinkedIn profile that presents you in the best possible light, is of great value to your career. Given its significance, we’ve outlined some important things to avoid.
LinkedIn Don’ts
- It is better to have no profile than one that has nothing but your name and the bare bones of a career. LinkedIn profiles don’t take much effort to set up and it looks as though you don’t care how you appear when you have this kind of profile. Often these sorts of profiles don’t have many connections, which is also not a great look.
- Don’t have multiple profiles. If you have done this and you need to remove any, this often requires getting in touch with LinkedIn, but it’s important because it avoids confusion for people looking at your profile.
- Don’t put slogans or mantras such as “where there’s a will there’s a way” in your profile.
- Don’t forget the importance of clear communication. This includes making sure your profile doesn’t have spelling errors, poor grammar and contradictory or misleading information. It’s also advisable to have your LinkedIn profile in the primary language of the country you are working (and potentially job seeking in). A primary concern of employers in Australia is that your English and overall communication skills are strong.
- Don’t request recommendations from strangers.
- Don’t have differing or contradictory information on your resume. It’s important that your information is accurate. We see this more often than you might think, it undermines your intention and credibility, and it is very off putting for recruiters.