Launched in May 2003, LinkedIn has been a valuable professional platform for many over the years. From professional advice all the way to finding jobs and potential recruits, LinkedIn lets you do it all on one convenient platform.

A survey published in November 2019 showed that in the US, over 160 million users used LinkedIn for job hunting as well as for finding talent. India was in second place with 61 million users. Similarly, 58% of recruiters prefer looking for employees via social media, especially LinkedIn.

Therefore, it is important to have a prominent LinkedIn presence. Here, we have compiled a quick guide for you that you can use to enhance your LinkedIn profile and to use the platform to your advantage.

Tips for Updating your LinkedIn Profile

An updated LinkedIn profile is essential if you want to make a good impression on employers and recruiters. Some tips on how to update your profile effectively include;

1. Include a catchy heading that defines how you excel at your craft
2. Use professional photos. Despite it being a social media, this isn’t where you’re supposed to connect with your friends. This is a PROFESSIONAL social media platform.
3. Write a good summary. And by good, we mean This is going to be your first impression. Take your time to think about it and write something that connects.
4. Avoid typos. We recommend using online software or even MS Word’s dictionary for this. Grammarly is a good online platform to help you out with typos and grammar.
5. Use keywords, but don’t overstuff them. Use your job title, education, and field in your summary wherever possible.
6. Add documents, presentations, or other media to show that you mean business.

Essential Information to Add to Impress Potential Recruiters

Sometimes, being thorough and compelling with your profile isn’t enough. You need to add relevant information and make yourself more accessible. These include;

1. Your contact information. Add it in the first three lines of your summary if you can without being obvious.
2. Add your whole employment history and make it compelling. Don’t just copy/paste your resume.
3. Include samples of your work. Yes, it works on LinkedIn as well, not just on freelance platforms.
4. Announce that you are available without sounding desperate.

Searching for Jobs on LinkedIn

Many recruiters post jobs on LinkedIn as well as other platforms. To search for them;

1. Use the “Advanced Search” option and add a filter. You can also search for your favorite companies and see if they’re hiring
2. Don’t be afraid to reach out. Ask recruiters if they are hiring. If they aren’t, you don’t risk offending them but instead become another contact that they can get back to when they are actually hiring
3. Look at the “Jobs” board. It is in the top taskbar or on the side menu in mobile apps. Although LinkedIn sorts them out based on your experience, you can further sift through the list to find the one that clicks!

LinkedIn is widely considered as one of the top headhunting platforms in the market, so use that fact to your advantage. Update your profile and spend some time on the platform. You’d be surprised just how easy it is to find a job on LinkedIn!