IT’S NOT JUST A RESUME
It’s 2020 and the importance associated with the traditional resume is decreasing. However, statistics are showing us that having a strong LinkedIn profile become more relevant nowadays as the number of users is continuously rising with a rate of 2 new members per second. In March the total number of users registered was 675 million with 70% coming outside of the US. From recent college graduates to senior-level experts, it is important to generate professional content as LinkedIn represents more than a platform to get a job. For example, it generates several opportunities for professional networking and building a brand that sells you. Time is the rarest resource we got and therefore just the thought of building a standout profile can lead to a headache. But it is not that complicated, and your professional experience can be related efficiently by following some tips & tricks. Allocate a specific time for working on your profile, an hour when you are not disturbed, and you can travel through your past in order to deliver an accurate and specific map of your professional development. Your mindset must be to always speak the truth! Find out what differentiate you from others and highlight your unique qualities and accomplishments, not duties. Try to show your reader the employer’s benefits.
What if the employer was a customer and you were the product? Why would the employer buy the product (yourself)?
Total Number of Linkedin Users: 675 million
Total Number of Monthly Active Linkedin Users: 310 million
Number of New Linkedin New Members per Second: 2
Linkedin Demographics: More than 70% of Linkedin users are from outside the US. 46 million students and recent college graduates on LinkedIn. There are 87 million Millennials on LinkedIn with 11 million in decision-making positions. 90 million LinkedIn users are senior-level influencers and 63 million are in decision-making positions. There are 17 million opinion leaders and 10 million C-Level executives on LinkedIn. (https://www.omnicoreagency.com/linkedin-statistics/)
TEN PRO TIPS FOR A WINNING PROFILE
1. Use a professional profile picture. This will help you get 14 more times profile views.
2. Don’t start with what you know, but with who you are. Your „about” section must be treated as your personal value proposition. Include your background, approach and future outlook. Say what you can offer to the market and what motivates you, which are your core values
3. Ask yourself the following questions: What have I done better than others? Which were the challenges and how I overcome them? What were the results? Have I received any awards or promotions for my performance? All the answers should be tailored and included in your job’s descriptions.
4. Transform your skills into benefits. Show not only your potential, but your accomplishments. For example, instead of saying “proficient user in Adobe Illustrator”, you could describe it as “ability to produce attractive newsletters at high speed and low costs”.
5. Deliver specific information about your previous positions and what you’ve done to deliver measurable results. Avoid extra used claims like “team player” or “excellent communication skills” and use action verbs instead for specific examples such as: “collaborated with marketing teams to elaborate sales plans and increased product awareness among customers with 30% in 2016”.
6. Keep your page active by posting relevant content on a weekly basis. Introduce the post with a personal comment. Be active for content specific for your industry and engage in debates with other professionals. Giving helpful advice and inspiration to your readers helps your image and gaining trust.
7. Customize your URL in order to erase the random auto generated number following your name. This will boost your credibility. To do so log into your profile and click View Profile. First click Edit your public profile & URL. from the upper right side of your profile page. On the right side of this page, click Edit your custom URL. Use your name here.
8. Think of people that you’ve had strong working relationships with in the past. Ask them to recommend you. This will bring a powerful proof of your skills and strengths.
9. Keep growing your connections in order to be visible to others. It is preferable to connect with people you’ve worked with or are part of the same industry or area of interest as yourself.
10. Last but not least, once you’ve finished building your stand out profile, remember that your job is not done. You still have to update your profile every time you make a change in your professional life.
