4 Tips to Create a Standout LinkedIn Profile

Organizations increasingly use LinkedIn to recruit talent for open positions. So how can you get noticed?

22 February 2011

With more than 90 million profiles on LinkedIn, you need to stand out from the masses if you want to attract job opportunities.

And recruiters looking for candidates are clearly there. In fact, 83 percent of employers either used or planned to use social networks for recruiting in 2010, according to a survey of more than 600 US human resources and recruiting professionals. Jobvite, a social recruiting company, conducted the survey in June 2010.

Not all social networks are created equal, however, especially when it comes to careers. Among those employers hiring, 78 percent use LinkedIn for recruiting purposes, according to the Jobvite survey, versus 55 percent for Facebook and 45 percent for Twitter.

LinkedIn is a requisite destination for project managers looking to advance their careers, says Debra Forman, an executive coach at Pinstripe Coaching, a Toronto, Canada-based executive training firm.

“LinkedIn profiles are integral parts of the interview process,” she says. “If someone doesn’t have a profile on LinkedIn they are missing opportunities to transition to new jobs."

Many project managers may not be leveraging their LinkedIn profiles effectively and are not including the right amount of information that portray them successfully.

“Your LinkedIn profile is very good real estate. People who don’t use it well are leaving money on the table,” Ms. Forman says. “Profiles should pass the test of professionalism by including key information that recruiters and organizations will be seeking. Project managers should list their skills, project experience and use language that will talk to their potential clients."

To maximize your presence, make sure your profile is:

Complete: Include your current position, two past positions, education, a summary, a photo and specialties. You should also solicit at least three recommendations from a mix of people you’ve worked with, says William Dawson, lead consultant at FreshMinds Talent, a London, England-based recruitment consultancy.

“If your only recommendations are from colleagues, it can look false and perhaps even trite,” he says. “It gives people a 360-degree view if you have contacts, clients, bosses and team members.”

Be sure to add your PMI certifications, too. They show potential employers your commitment to the profession, says Debra Schepp, co-author of “How to Find a Job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Other Social Networks.”

Current: Use the status box on your homepage to share links to industry articles and blogs, as well as updates about your own projects, Ms. Schepp says.

Don’t say anything that could be construed as confidential, though. “Think of your update as a way to garner support and interest in a project you're working on, especially if input from the LinkedIn community at large would be useful,” she says.

Concise: The most effective LinkedIn profiles are simple, straightforward and easily scanned, Mr. Dawson says. Otherwise, people may not read it.

“Massive blocks of text are a no-no,” he says. “Keep it simple, use bullet points and focus on your skills, responsibilities and achievements.”

SEO-friendly: Optimize your profile for Internet search engines by loading it with strategic search terms. Also try to include language used in job postings, says Brad Schepp, co-author of “How to Find a Job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Other Social Networks.”

“You don't want recruiters to bypass you for specific opportunities because you didn't include the terms they may be using to search for people,” he says. Browse job openings to find out whether you should call yourself a “project professional,” “project manager,” or “PM,” for example.

And remember that LinkedIn is not a stream of consciousness—it’s a professional network with a powerful engine, says Ms. Forman. “Anything you put out there is ‘out there’ and can most likely be found through a search engine.”

One final tip to project managers: Don’t wait until you’re looking for a new job to work on your profile, Ms. Schepp says.

“If you have a good profile and a dynamic presence on LinkedIn while you have a job, you’ll already be that much more connected.”