Careers Now: Create a presence on LinkedIn to assist in your job ...

Kathleen Furore Tribune Content Agency

Job hunting is always challenging, especially with all of the different ways companies list jobs and the different ways people can apply. LinkedIn is becoming a bigger player in the job search than ever before, recently rolling out new job-search tools to help in the process.

That made me wonder: How is creating a presence on LinkedIn different from simply posting the same resume you use when applying for jobs online? And how can people optimize their profiles to make sure they’re getting the most out of the platform?

According to LinkedIn product lead Rohan Rajiv and James Neave, head of data science at Adzuna, LinkedIn offers a chance to paint a more comprehensive picture of your skills, interests and experience than a more format-confined resume.

“LinkedIn gives people a dynamic and engaging way to tell their professional story. With your profile, you can also share more about yourself and your professional story by highlighting your experience and skills as well as your best work in the ‘Featured’ section,” Rajiv explains.

He also notes that LinkedIn offers the opportunity to include the context of how you developed those skills so prospective employers can better understand more about you.

“You can also showcase your top skills in your ‘About’ section and also can turn on ‘Open to Work,’ which helps bring the jobs to you by letting recruiters know you are in the market for a new opportunity,” Rajiv says.

LinkedIn, says Neave, is really about building your brand.

“So, you should use language and content that align with that brand,” he says. “Bear in mind that potential employers can gauge your cultural fit, interests and areas of expertise by your LinkedIn online activity. This could include posts you’ve shared, articles you’ve written or comments you’ve made on others’ posts. These are all opportunities to build your personal brand.”

That brand-building is important, he notes, because a LinkedIn profile "must be suitable for any type of job you might apply for in the future.”

So, just how can people optimize their profiles to make sure they’re getting the most out of the platform?

Identify what you want from the platform

This is the first step, according to Neave, who says you might want to use the platform to land a job, to network or to keep up-to-date on industry news.

“If you want to find a new job, your LinkedIn profile should be easily discovered by recruiters — so, make sure you’ve set it to be public and include keywords you think they’ll search for,” Neave advises. “It’s also a good idea to include a link to your LinkedIn page on your resume.”

Make the profile as complete as possible

“The more you complete your profile, the more effectively the platform can work for you. Because of this, I recommend starting with a photo and completing the ‘About’ and ‘Experience’ sections,” Rajiv says. “Take the time to focus beyond your experiences by highlighting your skills, which have become more important than ever in landing opportunities today.”

This is especially important, he adds, because “over 50% of companies on LinkedIn globally explicitly rely on skills to search and identify job candidates.”

“Nobody wants to see a largely empty profile,” echoes Neave, who also advises adding a profile photo. He recommends closeups or headshots, professional attire and backgrounds without a lot of color.

“If it’s a customer-facing role, a smile could show that you are approachable and energetic,” he adds.