How Under-optimized LinkedIn Profile Is Harming Your Online Job Search

 




In this article, I will explain some few things that makes your Linkedin profile to recruiters.

Introduction

In Linked Global Talent Report, the most remarkable recruiting trend in 2023 reveals that organizations are likely to prioritize global talent acquisition. As a strategic approach to diversify and adapt to the evolving market demands, brands are increasingly pooling in talent from other countries

To benefit from this trend, I pointed out in this article, some places Linkedin Profiles can be optimized to be gain greater visibility from recruiters. Stay with me

Build The Minimum Connection

Build your connection to at least 50 connections. You won’t even appear on recruiters search if you don’t have up to 50 Linkedin connections. So, if you are still lacking in this area, go right back to your Linkedin and make some more connections.

Define  Your Skill Set



By now, any job seeker must have had a set of skills he is leveraging on to attract clients or get recruiters attention. It’s a professionals’ network, so skill up and join the club.

Unlike 3 years ago, recruiters are 25% more likely to search by skill than they were before. This will leave off folks who have not made up a concise and well-defined skill they offer.

There is a 25% increase in theshare of recruiter searches on LinkedIn incorporating a skills filter and currently, recruiters are 50% more inclined to search based on skills rather than years ofexperience. The  good news to inexperienced profiles is that employers are shifting towards skills-first hiring—an approach that prioritizes a candidate's skills over superficial indicators like an impressive alma mater or previous employer.  This article is not about the most marketable skill in twitter in 2023 job search.  A quick advice is this :

“Just like most things on social networking, you need to narrow down to a niche and be intentional about it. "Jack of all trade personality"   is often a sign of frustration and struggle. So narrow down to your skill set or related skill set”.

  

Clear Profile Picture

On top of the list as expected is a clear profile picture. I'm not going to spend much time here. You should have a clear head shot portrait of yourself to get noticed by recruiters. Anything other than a clear head shot is not good for your visibility to recruiters. Aside that, Linkedin realized that profiles are 25% more likely to be viewed if they contain profile picture than when they are not. It at least proves you are a human being not one alien from mars. So, keep it clear, sharp and professional. View some of the well-made profiles here:

Your Headline is Next.



In your headline, you need to incorporate the exact keywords the recruiters are likely to use in their job description. To do that, look at a job description to a career you’d be interested in. When looking at the description, focus on the skills and experience that’s listed as required for the position. Then, incorporate those skills and the experience they’re looking for from your career into your headline. Use numbers where necessary. An example is the famous

 "Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y], by doing [Z]."

 For instance; consider the example:

"Achieved a 10% reduction in costs by spearheading a comprehensive cost rationalization program."

Remember that once your headline is fine tuned to represent the niche you are seeking to get recruiters attention, you will be able to appear in recruiters search results when they search.

 

Note: After you make changes to your public profile, it can take weeks or months at times for search engines like Google, Yahoo, or Bing to detect changes and refresh. LinkedIn doesn’t control that refresh process. So it's better you exercise some patience during the process. And I hope Google and others will work to reduce the time.


Remove the "Open To Work" Tag On Your Profile Picture. 



There has been lots of discussion going on about the open to work feature on the profile of some job hunters on Linkedin. After carefully studying the opinions of recruiters, and experts and my own experience playing a major role, the open to work ag on your profile picture does not really sell you, it de-markets you rather. Imagine a beautiful profile pic, with strong skill sets, certifications, events attended, achievement and the " I am looking for work, and I am so desperate for a job right now". One expert went on to use the word "desperate on job seekers who have that tag on their profile pictures. Aside, you will don't have any edge over folks that doesn't have that tag on their profile picture. Telling a firm that you're open to work on your profile photo gives you no inherent advantage over other job applicants. To be hired, you must show that you are the answer to one of a company's problems. So, wake up, the attention is not in your availability but your qualification. Even adding the hashtag #opentowork thing is not searchable by recruiters, so these tools won’t get noticed easier

 

How to remove the open to work feature

You may instantly modify or eliminate the Open To Work option from your LinkedIn profile at any time:

  1. At the upper right of your LinkedIn homepage, click the Me symbol.
  2. Click View profile.
  3. From the "Open to Work" box (at the top of your profile), click the Edit button.
  4. Follow the steps to update your previous information.
  5. Click Save.

Click Delete from Profile to turn off the functionality. You can re-enable it at any time, but your previous choices will not be saved.

 

Change Your Location

If you’re hoping to move or relocate for a position, you can go ahead and change your location on your LinkedIn profile. That way, when recruiters go to search for local talent, you’ll be included in that area instead of being thousands of miles away. This should only be used if you’re serious about relocating though.

Also, If you are aiming for a remote job, I have not quite tested it exhaustively but I believe the location you are applying from will also be a factor and play huge role on whether you are accepted or not. Play a bit with it. If you live in the suburb, you can change your location to city for remote jobs.

 

Conclusion

Key points include building a minimum of 50 connections for increased visibility, emphasizing a well-defined skill set, and adapting to the shift toward skills-first hiring. The significance of a clear profile picture and a tailored headline with relevant keywords is emphasized. I advised against using the "Open to Work" tag on the profile picture, stating it may de-market rather than sell, and provides instructions on how to remove it. Additionally, changing location is suggested for those open to relocation or pursuing remote opportunities. The importance of patience in waiting for search engines to detect profile changes is noted.

I hope you find a direction from this pieces of advise. Thank you