Optimize your LinkedIn in Two Easy Steps!

LinkedIn is an excellent place to be if you’re seeking new employment.  Recruiters are constantly searching for job candidates!  If you want to pop up in those searches, you need to optimize your LinkedIn profile to include buzz words.

You’re probably used to seeing profiles that look like this:

Notice the generic title I’ve listed.  It’s vague and doesn’t indicate where my expertise lies.  LinkedIn asks you to choose an industry, so you can see I’m working in the eLearning field and that’s about it.  When people are searching on LinkedIn, they usually only see your name and title.  Take a look at this generic search for eLearning:

Now let’s look at some properly optimized titles:

To include the RIGHT key words in your own profile, follow these two easy steps:

1) Make a list of your skills and professional accomplishments.

You might be a Manager or a President, but those words don’t matter as much (in this case).  Determine what you want potential connections, recruiters, and employers to know about you.  Have you increased sales by 500%?  Did you write a successful marketing e-book? It’s okay if you don’t have any specific examples like the ones listed above; industry key words are more than enough!

2) Incorporate those key words into your profile.

Take a look at my title description now:

Now, anyone searching the major terms used in the eLearning industry are going to find me, and so are people looking for design work.  Before the changes, none of those people would have seen me because my “formal” title is too vague to accurately convey what I can do.

I recommend spending a little time on step one.  Do some research on others in your field.  You can also ask those closest to you; sometimes they can shine a light on skills and accomplishments you haven’t considered.  Enjoy!