Your LinkedIn profile plays a substantial role in securing a new position. More employers reference these sites than ever before when they are locating and evaluating candidates, so you need to make sure the content answers any questions they may have about your professional experience. Often, this comes down to three basic questions about who you are and what you have to offer. To make sure you can do so effectively, here are the areas you need to cover.
What Would Other People Call You?
This question is actually two-fold, as you need to let the hiring manager know about your official job titles as well as unofficial ones. First, you want to include titles for your current and previous roles as they would be relayed by your employer at the time1. Generally, these will be working titles (what you would have printed on a business card) as well as those that accurately describe the position if your official title does not fully represent the scope of your work.
Second, you need to include any nonofficial titles that others may view you as, typically as they relate to specific skills. For example, were you considered the company’s marketing expert? Network guru? Training savant? These unofficial titles can carry a lot of weight in your profile, so don’t be afraid to include them if your references would back them up.
What Services/Skills Do You Provide?
Every hiring manager wants to know what services and skills you bring to the table, and these should be covered thoroughly in your LinkedIn profile. Often, when it comes to your resume, you have to restrict the amount of information you provide to keep the document clean and concise. But, on your social media page, you have more room to add details, so don’t feel as though you have to hold back in the same way.
Ultimately, your LinkedIn profile can paint a more complete picture of what you have to offer, so include any skills or services that could be relevant to your target positions, even if they aren’t listed in the last vacancy announcement you read.
What People Do You Serve?
In the end, every professional serves someone2. This could be external customers and clients, or internal personnel, like co-workers. This information is relevant because different positions, even those that have the same job title, might not serve the same people. For example, a help desk professional could support other employees struggling with their systems or external customers who purchase a particular piece of software. While many of the associated skills are similar, certain parts of the role are fundamentally different (especially when comparing customer-facing and back-of-house positions), and hiring managers may be interested in knowing exactly who you worked with in the performance of your duties.
Work With a Top Staffing Agency in Marietta
By ensuring you answer the three questions above, your LinkedIn profile will be more effective. If you would like to learn more or are seeking a new position, the professionals at Employ Partners want to hear from you. Contact us today to see how our services can help you land your next job.
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