The #1 mistake I see on LinkedIn profiles (Special announcement inside)

Hi everyone,

I spend a lot of time reading LinkedIn profiles. (Are we connected yet?) Here’s the #1 mistake I see on most LinkedIn profiles: 

Writing about what you did in the past rather than what you can do in the future. 

When you’re writing your LinkedIn profile, there are two important things to keep in mind: 

1. Write your profile for the job you want, not the job you have.

2. Write your profile to attract recruiters and hiring managers. 

WRITE YOUR PROFILE FOR THE JOB YOU WANT, NOT THE JOB YOU HAVE

Think about the type of job you want next. Look at the job descriptions that interest you. What skills are needed? What qualities are preferred? What tasks are required? That’s the lens through which you write your LinkedIn profile.

For example, if you want to get into project management but have never held that job title, write your work experience through the lens of project management. Share information about the previous projects that you have planned and executed. Talk about how you have engaged teams and stakeholders. Highlight your leadership, communication, and organization skills. 

Whatever skills and keywords you see in the job descriptions, that’s what you highlight in your profile. 

WRITE YOUR PROFILE TO ATTRACT RECRUITERS AND HIRING MANAGERS 

For job seekers, LinkedIn is a professional networking site and a great way to stand out from other job candidates.

For hiring managers and recruiters, LinkedIn is a search engine to find ideal job candidates.

That’s why keywords are essential. For example, you might search LinkedIn for jobs by job titles and locations.

Recruiters and hiring managers search LinkedIn for potential job candidates using job titles, locations, skills, and industries. Those are your keywords.  

First up, the Job Title - if you don’t have the “correct” current job title in the Experience section (most of us don’t), then your LinkedIn Headline is extra important. List your ideal job title in your Headline, not your current job title. 

After the Job Title and Headline, the About section is the third most important element of your profile. Fill it up with terms and keywords a recruiter might use to search for candidates, like hard and soft skills, industry jargon, and the job title or related job titles. Scan the job descriptions for keyword ideas. Continue filling out your profile with similar keywords.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE KEYWORDS

I’ve talked about keywords a lot today. They are the foundation for your personal brand and the key to your job search.

And the keywords are right in front of you - they’re all in the job descriptions. Pull the keywords and key phrases from the job descriptions and put them in every section of your LinkedIn profile - from the Headline to the Recommendations. (Use them in your resume too.)

I’m telling you, this works. It’s the same advice I give my clients when they’re updating their profiles, and most of them land jobs through recruiters. One client updated their profile on a Thursday and had five recruiters contact him by Monday morning. And one of those contacts led to a job. 

LINKEDIN + PERSONAL BRANDING course starts TUESDAY, MAY 14 

In today’s competitive job market, a good resume is not enough. You need a strong personal brand and an optimized LinkedIn profile. 

That’s why I’m launching my first group course tomorrow. The schedule is intense; you’re going to learn a lot in a short time:

WEEK 1 (May 14): Find your keywords + personal brand statements

WEEK 2 (May 21): How to write effective bullet points (for your LinkedIn profile and resume)

WEEK 3 (May 28): How to write your LinkedIn profile

WEEK 4 (June 4): What to do and say on LinkedIn + Check your LinkedIn settings

I’m teaching the same techniques that I’ve used to help hundreds of job seekers land their next job.

Join me starting May 14! We meet every Tuesday from 12:00-1:00 pm EST on Zoom. I will lecture first and then we’ll have a Q&A. Can’t make it on Tuesdays at noon EST? No problem! The sessions will be recorded and shared for those who cannot attend. PRICE: $295

Click here for more information and to enroll in the course starting Tuesday, May 14. 

To your success,

- Emily