Over the years, LinkedIn has developed their platform for job seekers and for companies looking for employees.

Linkedin is now a must-check-tool, when a person is looking to hire. 
Even when they don’t actually look for you at Linkedin, they will google you, and there Linkedin (usually) pops-up as one of the first. 

LinkedIn is getting better at matching companies with job seekers but it is far from perfect. Therefore, you need to fill that gap they haven’t been able to. 

You need to become visible. 
You need to add some sparkle.
You really need to stand out. 

 


In this post, you will get five better ways to make your LinkedIn pop!

1. Don’t make this headline fail

Never ever just write; looking for a new job etc. The headline is the first thing people see after your name and picture. 
 
Yes, the first thing. Think about how important that is.
Yes, exactly; very important! 
 
You have about 200 characters (with space) to make yourself attractive and stand out from everyone else. 
 
Why should anyone click on your profile? 
This is where you tell them. 
  • The first 73 characters are shown, in small places, like the comment sections. 
  • The first 83 are shown in the posts.
This is where you make them click.
This is where you tell them what you can/do and what you want to work with.
It is hard to do. – A good idea, is to tell someone about your skills and what you want to work with and have them write your headline. Afterwards you need to fix it, to your taste.
 
Remember; it is never done. 
Right now, my headline is like this …
 
The full LinkedIn headline on my profile
 
Headline, as shown in posts
Headline, as shown in comments

I have seen many better and worse. Right now, this works for me. 

You need to check out well-known people in your industry and your colleagues. Find one or two thing(s) in each headline that works and what doesn’t work. 

Use theirs to better yours!

Like our elders always tell us; Learn from others mistakes. 

If you find it suitable, you can use a couple of emojis but remember to check them on desktop and mobile. They need to be suited. 

Don’t worry, the rest of the points are not this long. This one is just very important.
 

2. Stop being unspecific and talking in terms

Many times, without even realizing it, we are unspecific. Many have a hard time getting things down in writing, what we have in our heads. Most of the time we don’t even realize that others have no clue of our terms. 
 
We tend to think; I know, so he/she knows too.

I know from working with marketing for more than six years, that people don’t always understand what I am trying to tell them. I actually realized this, when I started to sell nail polish in 2013. 
 
A product that most people know about and think using it is easy. In reality, very few knows how to use it. There is a whole process and ways to make the nail polish stay on the nails for a long time. 
 
The nail industry is so big, outsiders probably can’t even imagine. People in that industry, almost have their own language. – Yours does too. 
 
Terms, weight, scale, metaphors, do’s and don’ts etc. 
 
Like c-curve, it is very common thing in the nail industry. 
You probably had to google what it was, right? 
 
 

3. Stop being private, be open

Who cares? If you really want a good job, keeping everything private in your Linkedin-profile is not-the-way-to-go. It is not as if you are giving the whole world your living-address. You are just going to share some information, you have chosen, yourself. 
 
Those who are looking to hire, need to be able to get some ‘attractive’ information out from your profile, even if they have just googled you, in private mode.
Not everyone wants to let you know, that they have looked at your profile. Respect that.
I know my new clients check my online presence before contacting me. 
I also know my boss did, before he called me in for an interview.

If you feel like it is crossing some line, you can just change it, until you land the job you want and then change it back to private. It’s not that hard. 

4. Start showing your work

This is actually such a cool feature. As soon as I discovered it, I started using it. Unfortunately, not everyone is using it. 

My links are also old and some without pictures. I need to cleanup in there. 😉 

It is a neat way of showing your work by linking to:

  • An article, you were mentioned in or interviewed for
  • A video you are in or of the project you are working for or have
  • Your own blog or website, where you share your expertise

You get the point, right? 

 
It doesn’t matter if you have a portfolio somewhere else. Only a few will check it out there. 
The person checking your LinkedIn is the one, you need to show your work too.

5. Start sucking-up, visibly 

Of course, in a way that’s not too obvious and in a way that it isn’t too much. If they are very active on LinkedIn, become active on their page. 

  • Follow the page(s)
  • Like their posts
  • Share some of the interesting posts, but not too many
  • Comment (ask, confirm, etc.) – This will make them recognize you. 
  • If you find a mistake, don’t humiliate them but send them a private message
 

Bonus tip

Don’t put all your apples in one basket. Choose a few good companies, you would like/love to work for and go after them, with full willpower!
 
If they don’t work out. Find a few new companies and try again. 
 
 
Good luck with your job hunting! 
Go and get them! 
   Sincerely,
   Hafsa Farooq
   Freelance Copywriter
   Digital Marketer

P.S. Want to connect? I just want a message when you sent me an invite. Breaking that cold barrier we have online.
Yes, I would really like to connect!