What really matters to employers on your LinkedIn profile?

When it comes to your LinkedIn profile there are always the standard responses of what you should be paying attention to. Do you have the right headshot? Have you created a clear and catchy headline? Does it list your website? Is your personality being showcased? While these points are useful in creating a well put together profile, is this really what potential employers are paying attention to?

 

As a marketing director of a digital company involved in the hiring process, I have broken down the sections we take into consideration when looking at LinkedIn pages of potential hires and why we look at them. This is beneficial to anyone just building their profile or looking for a change in their career.

 

About me section

Here is where you can get creative. Your about me section of the LinkedIn profile should read like a business story about yourself. Keep it interesting and allow your personality to come through. This is where we can really get a feel for who you are as an individual. Tell a story but keep in mind that you should also be answering the question of what’s in it for me, your potential employer. In a way, your about me section is a sales pitch about yourself.

 

Portfolio and examples of work

Do you have a portfolio and examples of your work? Most areas of your LinkedIn profile consist of you highlighting what is already present on your resume such as skills, experience, goals and objectives. The portfolio portion of your LinkedIn profile demonstrates your capabilities by using real examples of your work. This is beneficial to employers when looking to fill a position. If I am looking to hire a web developer, digital marketer or graphic designer, I want to see previous work that they have done. The portfolio section for these types of positions is more important than any other section on LinkedIn as it also demonstrates your design style and taste. From here we are able to gauge the type of work you can provide in the event you are hired to join our company. It provides beneficial real time data of what we can expect from you, choose your best work and add it in this section.

 

Education, certifications and licenses

Employers are always going to be interested in the education section displaying your academic background. In addition to this,   listing your certifications and licenses you hold on your profile shows us that continuing your education and expanding your knowledge is a priority for you. Employers like to see a willingness to keep learning and improving. Web development, SEO, digital marketing and graphic design are in an industry that is continuously changing, we want to see that you are putting forth a good effort to stay on top of the new and improved ways of doing things and new trends that are relevant to your field of work. This also proves to us that you are flexible with your learning and paying attention to continuing your education to make sure you are relevant.

 

Get endorsements!

Your skills on LinkedIn are something that employers look at. Most of the time these skills are reflective of what would be found on your resume. When looking at this section we like to see more than just a couple listed. Personally, I want to see at least 5 different ones. Employers also pay attention to the diversity of your skillset listed. Endorsements of these skills also matter. When you are endorsed it’s a great way to show potential employers that you have demonstrated these professional abilities to other’s and they recognize that you are capable of them.

 

Network Connection Quality

When it comes to your LinkedIn connections It’s not necessarily the number of connections that you have but instead the quality. We may consider hiring you because of the people you are connected to and if you have an ability to make things happen with these connections. Some of the questions that we ask ourselves are: do you have a wide variety of diverse connections? Are your connections related to your industry? Are they connections that you can pull knowledge and expertise from? Employers appreciate LinkedIn profiles that have quality connections.

 

LinkedIn offers plenty of opportunities in the job market. It has firmly positioned itself as a hub that many recruiters and companies use. This can help you get ahead when searching for a new job or career.

Tressa Whitman is the Marketing Director at Reverence Global.

By Tressa Whitman
Tressa Whitman