Several years ago I published a post about deadly LinkedIn mistakes that became very popular – 29 Biggest LinkedIn Mistakes. The post included some of the worst things executives in job search do, or neglect to do, on LinkedIn.
In revisiting and updating that post, I’ve compiled here what I consider to be the 5 worst mistakes. I still see my clients and other executive job seekers make them all too often.
Avoid These 5 Deadly LinkedIn Mistakes
Mistake #1: Anemic, Skimpy Profile
I’m constantly surprised by how many executive job seekers still haven’t fully embraced LinkedIn.
Sure, they all at least have a presence on LinkedIn. But they usually have only a minimal profile.
Too many of them have very little content in the many profile sections LinkedIn provides. And the content that IS there, tends to be generic and doesn’t distinguish them from their competitors.
Here are 4 reasons a too-brief LinkedIn profile can actually hurt your executive job search:
- Doesn’t provide enough information to help hiring professional see your good fit
- Lacks personal branding and chemistry
- Marks you as out of date with social media
- Decreases your “findability” online
Mistake #2: Neglecting SEO and Keywords
Being mindful of Personal SEO, and LinkedIn Profile SEO in particular, makes LinkedIn an especially powerful tool.
Executive recruiters and hiring decision makers at your target companies search LinkedIn for candidates using relevant keywords.
The more of the right keywords your profile contains, the more likely your profile will rank higher with LinkedIn’s search engine. This boosts the likelihood you’ll be found and considered by these key people.
Even if you passively sit back and don’t take advantage of the many networking activities and features LinkedIn offers, a fully fleshed out, keyword-rich, SEO-friendly LinkedIn profile will help you land a great-fit gig.
Your profile will sit there, drawing the right people to it, and to the unique value you offer.
But I strongly urge you not to be passive with LinkedIn, when you’re actively job-hunting.
Mistake #3: Boring, Generic, Short About Section
What does your LinkedIn About section say about you?
Does it evoke a “Meh”, or does it scream “You need me in your company”? Will it bore people, or will it attract them to you?
If the following things are happening with your About section, people reading it are probably thinking “Meh”:
- It includes a drab mere paragraph or two.
- All that’s there is a string of keywords (that may or may not be relevant to your target employers) padded with just enough verbs to make the sentences flow.
- You have some of the right keywords in it, but the minimal amount of information there does nothing to differentiate you.
- The content is generic and could apply to just about any other job seeker like you.
- The same measly paragraphs could be plunked down into the profile of just about any other executive doing the same kind of work.
In other words, your About section doesn’t make you stand out in a positive way. And if you don’t stand out, people assessing you (recruiters and other hiring professionals) are likely to pass right by your profile in search of others who appear more qualified.
Even if you are more than qualified for the jobs you’re seeking, an anemic LinkedIn Profile will do little to nothing to make that clear to the right people.
Use as much of the space allowed (2,600 characters and spaces) to increase your LinkedIn search ranking. More content also helps generate chemistry better and differentiate your unique ROI for your target employers.
Mistake #4: No Profile Photo (or Headshot)
“Your profile picture is a key element of your LinkedIn presence. Our research shows that just having a picture makes your profile 14 times more likely to be viewed by others.
They’ve even included profile photos as a criteria for their “Profile Strength meter“. When you include a photo and their other criteria, you’ll bump up to an All-Star profile rating.
Although some LinkedIn members fear discrimination based on age, appearance, ethnic background, etc. if they include their photos, I still advise that it’s best to have one.
There’s no doubt that discrimination exists in job search, so you’ll need to decide for yourself, but there are risks involved with NOT having a photo.
Most executive recruiters and hiring decision makers at the companies you’re targeting will see your LinkedIn profile before they see anything else about you. Put yourself in the shoes of these people assessing your candidacy through your LinkedIn profile.
The first thing they’ll notice when they land on your profile is your photo . . . or lack of one.
If you have NO photo, their initial thought could be “What is this person trying to hide?”
Mistake #5: Neglecting LinkedIn Groups
Let’s say you’ve done the work to define your personal brand and you’ve built brand-reinforcing content to support your value to the employers you’re targeting.
And you’ve wisely built out your LinkedIn profile with plenty of that good content (including all-important relevant keywords), making you a more visible and findable candidate.
LinkedIn is sitting there, passively working for you.
But what’s next?
Take advantage of all the proactive ways LinkedIn can help you land a great-fit new gig, including joining LinkedIn Groups.
They help you:
- Generate interest and build credibility for the value you offer your target employers.
- Keep your personal brand top-of-mind.
- Share content and network with like-minded people.
- Position yourself as a thought leader and subject matter expert in your field.
- Learn from other experts in your field, and other experts in other fields.
- Bring new people into your network, to open yourself to more opportunities.
- Find the right people to connect with to advance your job search and career.
- Connect directly with people who are not first degree connections.
We have run into some who are afraid that they will be discriminated against on the basis of their appearance. One of our professionals, an African-American University Professor said, “They’ll figure it out when you show up for the interview. And, if they are biased, it will be the worst interview of your life as they search for a way to exclude you.” She went on to say, “Let them be [stupid] and exclude you so that you don’t waste time preparing for a job interview, for a job you’ll never get.” It is well-documented that the lack of a picture means you won’t be in the top half of search results for LinkedIn Recruiter because your profile will be seen as incomplete.
(She used a more colorful word than “stupid.”)
Rich, many thanks for your insightful comment. I hope job seekers heed what you said — not having a photo will push your profile down in search results, because it won’t be seen as a complete profile. I know that some people are being overlooked, for various reasons, based on their appearance in their profile photos. Unfortunately, they don’t see that it’s illogical to then take down their photo. They won’t be improving their chances. Just the opposite, most likely.
I hadn’t quite thought of it that way. By removing their picture to improve their results, they are actually hurting themselves. In a sense, they are letting the “stupid” people win even more.
Precisely, Rich! Thanks for the follow-up.