If you are ready to start looking for jobs in New Mexico, one of the most influential tools you have is your LinkedIn profile. Since many companies utilize the professional social media platform for their hiring needs, having a presence is a basic prerequisite. However, taking it to the next level and improving the strength of your LinkedIn profile can increase your visibility to recruiters and hiring managers in the platform’s search engine results and help you make a positive impression once they take a closer look.
Check out these tips for how to improve your LinkedIn profile for job searches:
Grab Attention Immediately
Two critical areas of your LinkedIn profile will influence whether or not it will be viewed and considered: your photo and headline. Ensure you upload a professional headshot with a simple background and good lighting, so recruiters know you are a viable prospect.
Customize your headline, the snippet of text that appears underneath your name. By default, it’s your most recent job title, but changing it to be a more standard set of wording that reflects your skills, industry, and goals can ensure that recruiters and hiring managers can quickly understand your qualifications. You have 220 characters to work with, so focus on communicating the most critical information about yourself that sets you apart from others.
Introduce Yourself
Another crucial part of your LinkedIn profile is your About section. This is the LinkedIn version of a cover letter, and an invaluable (yet often overlooked) opportunity to use your voice to tell your professional story. You have 2,000 characters to tell recruiters and hiring managers what is so great about you, so make them count. Write a concise description of your qualifications as if you were introducing yourself at a networking event, and include your accomplishments, passions, and whatever else is unique about you.
Add Strategic Keywords
No matter how qualified you are for the types of roles that recruiters and hiring managers are looking to fill, your LinkedIn profile won’t show up in search results if it doesn’t contain the most relevant words and phrases. Review the listings for jobs you want to be contacted for, and ensure the most common keywords are organically present throughout the various sections of your profile.
Highlight Your Accomplishments
Unlike the standard resume and cover letter format, the LinkedIn platform provides multiple options to show your achievements and abilities to profile visitors. Include any awards, honors, special projects, or portfolio links, and consider asking your network connections to endorse your skills or write recommendations on your profile. After you’ve gotten the initial attention of recruiters and hiring managers who find your LinkedIn profile, this can help you maximize the impact on your job searches by effectively highlighting your accomplishments.
Find New Mexico Job Opportunities
Are you ready to explore new job possibilities with a recruiter? Team up with The Hire Firm for your job search. With nearly three decades of experience in connecting candidates to employers in New Mexico, we can help you find the job that is right for you. Get in touch today to get started.