LinkedIn is a crucial part of any job search plan since over 90% of companies will now check you out on LinkedIn before calling you. And +97% of recruiters will source talent through LinkedIn. In order to be found, you must keyword optimize your LinkedIn Profile. Here’s how to do that:
Identify Your Most Important Keywords
You need to look at this from the perspective of the recruiter and think about what keywords they would use to source talent. Generally, they will search on titles, location, and special capabilities like Healthcare Executive, Georgia, and Radiology. Be careful about optimizing for specific titles. A Vice President in one company is a Director in another and a Manager in a third, depending on size. It's better to use generic titles like Healthcare Executive. Look at job postings to identify the most important keywords for you.Sprinkle The LinkedIn Profile With The Keywords
Now that you know the keywords you want to emphasize, make sure you use them extensively in your LinkedIn Profile. There are certain parts of your profile that are most important for this - they are:Your Headline
This is what shows just under your name in your Profile box and is one of the most important places to put your keywords. If you do not enter anything here, it will default to the title of your most current position, so make sure you not only have the right keywords, but also a compelling message. For example:Sales Executive | Medical Sales Executive Consistently Top Ranked for PerformanceNotice how we managed to get “Sales Executive” in there twice?
Your Summary
Here you have 2,000 characters to describe yourself and your value proposition. In short, this is where you tell your story. Make sure you use your keywords a lot here. For example:As a Senior Sales Executive for Medtronic, I lead medical sales initiatives that demonstrate the competitive advantage of Medtronic products. Recognized as a top performing Medical Sales Executive, I have consistently ranked in the Top 5% of all Medical Sales Executives.Note how Sales Executive and Medical Sales are used extensively.
Your Experience
There are two places to get keywords in here, the Title and the Description. Sometimes your title is just not something someone would search on, so if your actual title is Business, Technology And Resource Group Architect, then you might want to show your LinkedIn title as:Enterprise Software Architect | Business, Technology and Resource Group ArchitectThis way, you can ensure your keyword is there, even if you have a title that is specific to your organization. You also have 2,000 characters to describe your position so you can get your keywords in here too.
