5 Easy Ways to Beef Up Your Linked In Profile

by Cindy Kraft, the CFO–Coach

There is no question that social and business networking sites provide a wealth of prospects for recruiters who are sourcing passive candidates (prospects who are employed, top talent, and open to hearing about new opportunities). Jason Blessing of Taleo, a leading eRecruiting software company, says, “I’ll be stunned if 20–50% of candidate referrals aren’t coming through online communities in five to six years.” I’m stunned he thinks it will take that long. The recruiters I talk with are big fans of Linked In and Facebook as a premier recruiting strategy for the highly desired passive candidate.

Linked In claims to have 17 million users with Facebook claiming 63 million users. With those kinds of numbers most people will remain a small fish in a very big pond. But there are some things you can do to boost your visibility … and perhaps even become a bigger fish in a smaller pond.

Create a Powerful Branded Profile

Yes, a compelling profile is critical to boosting your visibility in the big sea. This is not your daddy’s boring bio either. This profile, limited by 2,000 characters, is your opportunity to showcase how you do what you do (your brand) that is different and unique from others who do the same or similar things.

This limited profile section forces you to focus on the value you offer and deliver it succinctly. The process of unearthing and condensing down your marketable value proposition into a clear and compelling accomplishment statement is one of “the” most valuable things you can do for yourself.

Ignoring the profile section relegates you, by omission, to commodity status. Do what others are not doing and you will get noticed!

More is Better

It is great to have your employers and job titles, past and present, listed. But that is not enough. In the world of key searches, more is better.

Expand your information to include a brief summary of what you did and then include one killer accomplishment that you have not already talked about in your profile. You don’t have to rehash your resume, but you do need to provide enough information to attract the attention of recruiters and others in your target market.

“The amount of information online acts as a pre–qualifier and gives both participants a framework to begin establishing a relationship.”

Vanity URL

Linked In and Facebook both allow you to create vanity URLs using your name. This is a great way to increase your Google rankings … if you have also made your stellar profile available for public viewing, which I highly recommend.

Once you’ve customized your URL, be sure to include it in your email signature line and on every blog post or comment you leave so you can unleash your own viral marketing campaign.

Join Groups

The big fish, small pond analogy definitely applies to this suggestion. Joining groups allows you to mingle with like–minded folks and gain access to their contact information. Be sure to set your contact information option to open so others can contact you as well.

The challenge with joining Linked In groups is the lack of a searchable function to allow you to find the right groups. I have a list of 2400 groups that is keyword searchable and requires a mere click to join. I am happy to share it with anyone who is interested … just email me your request.

Recommendations

Third party recommendations are extremely important on Linked In. In fact, there are some jobs you cannot even be considered for without them. These are very powerful endorsements that add credibility to the statements in your profile and employment history, and are critical to your positioning.

Well–known author and recruiter Kevin Wheeler says this about his colleagues, “They [brand new recruiters] never knew the old ways, so they are doing things afresh. Many experienced recruiters who are not able to learn from this competition will end up being displaced and replaced.” Sadly, this statement could also apply to the senior executive who resists the hot trend of proactively managing their careers through value–oriented packaging and visible positioning.

If you still haven’t joined my Linked In and Facebook networks, the offer is open–ended!

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Cindy Kraft is the CFO-Coach and America’s leading Career & Personal Brand Strategist for Corporate Finance helping clients understand their marketability, articulate their value, and position themselves as the clear and compelling choice. She is a Reach Certified Online Identity Strategist, Certified Career Management Coach, Credentialed Career Master, Certified Professional Resume Writer, and Job & Career Transition Coach. Cindy can be reached via email cindy@cfo-coach.com, phone 813-655-0658, or through her website cfo-coach.com.