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How to Create an All-Star LinkedIn Profile for Job Search

Jul 17, 2024

How to Create an All-Star LinkedIn Profile for Job Search

Introduction

  • LinkedIn Importance: An all-star profile is 40x more likely to be contacted by recruiters and 18x more likely to appear in hiring manager search results.
  • Goal: Cover five key items to improve LinkedIn profile.
  • Speaker: Jeff Comfort.

Sneaky Bonus Tip

  • For Job Seekers: Turn off

    • Path: Settings and privacy -> Visibility -> Visibility of LinkedIn activity.
    • Purpose: Make changes without notifying colleagues.

Tip 1: High-Quality Profile Picture and Cover Photo

  • Profile Picture:
    • Smile at camera, chest in frame.
    • Use remove.bg to get a clean background.
    • Create a high-res photo with canva.com (make account).
  • Process:
    • Create design 1600x1600 pixels on Canva.
    • Drag and drop original and clean background photos.
    • Use gradients or edit image settings for professional look.
  • Cover Photo:
    • Create a LinkedIn banner 1500 pixels on Canva.
    • Use pre-populated templates and customize.
    • Upload to LinkedIn.

Tip 2: Effective Headline

  • Formula: Title + Value you bring.
  • Example: “Product marketing at Google” vs “I bring boring ad products to life.”
  • Purpose: Differentiate from peers.

Tip 3: Include Relevant Keywords in About Section

  • LinkedIn Search: Works like Google Search, keywords are crucial.
  • Finding Keywords:
    • Use 10 job descriptions.
    • Paste text into word cloud generator.
    • Find commonly used keywords.
  • About Section Structure:
    • Intro line with years of experience and value.
    • Three examples with metrics.
    • Close with types of opportunities.
  • Example: Structure for student seeking first job, with sprinkled keywords.

Tip 4: Add 5 Skills Correctly

  • Requirement: Need at least 5 skills with endorsements.
  • Process:
    • Use word cloud to identify top 5 skills.
    • Add to LinkedIn profile.
    • Get endorsements from friends, family, colleagues.
    • Endorsements from people with the same skills carry more weight.

Tip 5: Custom LinkedIn URL

  • Reasons:
    • Better chance of hearing back from employers.
    • Improves SEO when someone Googles your name.
  • Process:
    • Path: Edit public profile and URL -> Pencil icon -> Customize URL.
  • Bonus: Add URL to email signature.

Conclusion

  • Next Step: Watch video on best practices for messaging recruiters on LinkedIn.
  • Sign-off: See you in the next video.

Full transcript