You’ve heard that LinkedIn is the place to be for job search. But why isn’t your phone ringing off the hook with job offers? The secret lies in getting more LinkedIn profile views. Here’s how to make that happen.
[UPDATED DECEMBER 2022]
Your LinkedIn profile is always searchable, unlike your resume, which lives on your computer, locked away.
Did you know: 65% of recruiters are using LinkedIn to search for talent!
And according to Jobvite’s 2021 Recruiter National Report, recruiters use LinkedIn to search, contact, keep tabs, and vet candidates. Here’s what you need to do to ensure recruiters are looking at your LinkedIn profile!
Building a great profile is a small part of what attracts people to view your profile.
If you really want more LinkedIn profile views, you’ll need to do these 5 things.
1. Use The Right Keywords In Your Headline
By default, LinkedIn uses your most recent job title and employer in your headline. CHANGE THIS. Remember, your LinkedIn profile is about showcasing you, not your employer.
Think about the keywords or phrases that a recruiter or hiring manager would use to search for someone to fill a job. These are the words you would want to use in your headline. You have 220 characters, use them wisely!
If you are about to graduate, you don’t need to include that information in your headline. Use keywords found in job postings you are interested in applying for. See examples here.
It is doubtful anyone would search for “team player, organized,” other similar buzzwords (via LinkedIn), so avoid using them in your headline (and use them sparingly in your LinkedIn profile).
- Specialized
- Leadership
- Passionate
- Strategic
- Experienced
- Focused
- Expert
- Certified
- Creative
- Excellent
2. Say More In Your About/Summary
Your About section should provide a high-level overview of what you do (and what you like doing). It should answer the question “tell me about yourself.”
LinkedIn provides 2,600 characters for you to tell your story in your About section. Here are just some of the things you can include to get more LinkedIn profile views:
- Use keywords and skill sets that are valued by future employers (they are in the job posting).
- Describe your successes (and quantify them whenever possible)
- List the industry experience you have accumulated
- Include processes, procedures, software and other tools you are familiar with
- Consider adding samples of work, pictures and other media too!
Here are examples of LinkedIn About sections.
3. Create A New Status Update Every Day
As I skimmed through my home page, looking for status updates (posts) from job seekers in my network, I was sadly disappointed. I couldn’t find a single one!
One of the best ways to stay top of mind and build a memorable reputation is by sharing on-brand news, stories and events. On-brand for a job seeker is NOT job search stuff. It is content related to the next desired occupation.
Here is an example of a post by someone in marketing.
Here are 10 LinkedIn status update ideas you can use during job search (without promoting the fact that you are unemployed).
4. Connect with Recruiters and HR
If you are job searching, then you should absolutely be connecting with corporate recruiters, HR staff, and third-party recruiters! It doesn’t guarantee anything, but, it just might help! Glassdoor asked top corporate recruiters two questions- “How would someone get on your radar?” and “was there a candidate that totally wow-ed you and if yes, how did they do it?”
The answers might just surprise you…Here’s one:
How would someone get on your radar?
It’s fairly easy to get my attention since I’m fairly transparent. Reaching out to me via Twitter and LinkedIn are one of the easiest ways to get on my radar and even better when those individuals begin interacting with my posts, especially Philips related posts. That level of interaction demonstrates their passion for Philips and even if I don’t have an employment opportunity available for that person at that precise moment, I’ll remember that person.
Chrystal Moore, Senior Recruiter, Philips Healthcare
5. Add Your Thoughts
Whether it is commenting on a relevant post or responding to a question posed in a group, add your thoughts, perspective, and voice! It helps build awareness of you.
Some recruiters lurk in groups looking for talent. Use occupation or industry-specific groups to network! (Networking = building relationships and helping others!) Use these concepts to connect with new people, offer advice/help, or share interesting news.
More Ways To Get More LinkedIn Profile Views
Here is a 20 point checklist for creating an awesome LinkedIn profile.
Monitor Your Profile
How do you know if the changes have helped? Check out the stats! Your Dashboard tracks LinkedIn profile views. Do this before you make the changes and then check the stats about 2-3 weeks after you’ve made the changes. You should see the numbers increase!
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
