Many executive job seekers have a “build it and forget it” mindset when it comes to their LinkedIn profile.
Once they’ve written a bit of content in the About section, and popped in their various job titles in the Experience section, they think they’ve done enough.
Then, their profile sits dormant for months . . . or even years.
They suddenly need that profile to support their candidacy in a job search.
So, they scramble to get their LinkedIn profile up to snuff.
If you’ve looked closely at how much content you can put in your profile, you know what a daunting task it will be to populate all the relevant sections. But that’s exactly what you need to do.
In case you weren’t aware, a fully fleshed out profile, with plenty of content, will maximize your visibility. You’ll be more findable to executive recruiters, hiring professionals at your target companies, and anyone else who is looking for candidates like you.
The more content in your profile = more relevant keywords and phrases = better SEO (Search Engine Optimization) or findability.
Make a habit of revisiting your LinkedIn profile a few times a year, and dusting off and refreshing things with these 3 tasks:
1. Update and Refresh Your LinkedIn Profile Content
Look to the research you’ve done on the companies you’re targeting and make sure the content in your LinkedIn profile will position you as a good-fit candidate to help them meet their current needs.
For help, read my post, When Was the Last Time You Updated Your LinkedIn Profile?
2. Get More LinkedIn Recommendations
In line with the “build a profile and forget it” attitude of many, I often see LinkedIn profiles that have only one or two recommendations . . . and they’re several years old.
Work on getting at least a few more current recommendations, that will provide evidence of your personal brand and good-fit qualities for your target employers.
For help, read my post, Give To Get the Best LinkedIn Recommendations.
3. Re-order Your LinkedIn Profile Skills and Endorsements Section
A client of mine recently complained that his LinkedIn “Skills” were loaded with endorsements for skills that didn’t really apply to him. And those listed in his top 3 were not ones that best reflected his top skills.
His list sent the wrong personal brand message. And he wondered if his Skills list would be detrimental to his personal SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
Did you know that LinkedIn lets you prioritize those skills? You can determine which are the most important ones (especially the first 3), and re-order them.
For help, read my post, My LinkedIn Skills and Endorsements Are a Mess.
More About LinkedIn and Executive Job Search
5 Reasons Your LinkedIn Profile Isn’t Working
How to Build Personal Brand Content for Executive Job Search
How Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Impacts Executive Job Search