In modern society, we know that sending your CV to a company's email address isn't the only way to apply for a job position. Nowadays, more people are joining LinkedIn with a specific goal: getting hired by companies overseas. In this article, we'll show you 7 tips on how you can improve your profile on LinkedIn to attract job hunters and land the job you are aiming for.

Profile updated? Everything in the correct place? When was the last time you spent time working on your profile? First, you have to understand that having a good social network can connect you with people who can lead you to potential job opportunities. So, if you still think that working on a personal brand is a waste of time, think again!In today's world, branding and online communication have the power to create new and interesting scenarios for your career. Read the tips below and take the time to focus on how to create a personal brand and connect with the right people on LinkedIn.

1. Update your profile picture

There's a saying that claims that you'll never get a second chance to make a good first impression, and this definitely applies to your professional profile. Avoid dark pictures, pictures with low-quality or unnecessary accessories such as sunglasses when uploading a profile picture. Your LinkedIn profile picture is what most people, including recruiters, will come across first. People want the assurance that you are professional, but also a nice and friendly person to work with your profile picture can help you stand out while emulating that message. Here are some tips on how to take the right picture for your profile:

Dos

• Choose a white background, so it looks clean and professional.
• Use a recent, updated picture.
• Smile or, if you don't feel comfortable doing that, try to give off a friendly expression.
• Make sure your picture is of decent quality.

Don'ts

• Avoid pictures in overly relaxed moments, like on the beach or with your kids or pets. Of course, there’s no harm in sharing those types of pictures on your personal profile.
• Try not to use anything that hides your face.Avoid using tank tops or scruffy, overly-informal clothing.

2. Always update the information on your profile

Don't forget to list new milestones, experiences, courses and growth opportunities you've had in your career. Many people start a new job and neglect their profile straight away.This is a big don't if you want to demonstrate that you care about your personal branding. If you’re searching for a a new role, a few more things need to be considered:

• Your bio: this part of the platform is used to identify your professional position, so it needs to be very clear. You can add your current job title and the company you are working for at the moment, or even describe a little bit more about yourself, eg.: “Finance director - 15+ of experience.”
• Your location and contact information: it is important for a recruiter to know where you are, so he/she can consider you for a position.. Don't let this type of information become outdated, because it can lead to confusion when dealing with a job hunter.

3. Request recommendations

If you’re searching for a job, asking for a recommendation from a former colleague is a great way to improve your profile and build credibility. This part of LinkedIn can be compared to a company review but, only, it’s for you. For example, before you watch a movie, you check for good reviews. When it comes to hiring someone, companies may also need other opinions about you and your job qualifications. Try to get at least one positive review from each of the places you have worked at. It will help you to build a strong and trustworthy profile for recruiters.

An alternative for getting recommendations is talking to people you've had good working experiences with. The reviews must be honest, based on real working experiences and from people you really know. You can even say what you want to be mentioned about you, in a way to target the position you want to occupy at a company. A neat trick you can use to get someone to provide you with a recommendation on your own profile is by giving them a recommendation as well.

4. Share your accomplishments and interact

Took a new course? Post it. Joined a new book club? Talk about it!. Created a new project? Share it.. LinkedIn is a social media platform, so it needs to be used to inform the people you're connected with about your professional activity. When a recruiter crosses your profile, they will see that you've been working on your professional improvement.

Depending on your area of expertise, you can also post material you've created to help your community and get endorsements from people who have benefited from your good work. For example, let's suppose you're a designer and you have created a new set of tools for designers that work with Figma. By posting the kit you've created and making it available for other designers to see and use, you will be helping other people and also gain recognition for your creative work. It can be a portfolio and help you study and prepare for interviews. This will help you on the next section of this article. LinkedIn also has posting features where creators and thought leaders can now write articles or start their very own newsletter to gain an audience. Why not give it a try?

5. Get endorsements for your skills

Getting endorsements is another nice way you can highlight your profile and emphasize your skills. But remember: the endorsements must be honest and based on your real expertise.

It is very important to have endorsements for skills that are useful for the position you want to apply to, so it would be helpful not to spend too much time on endorsements that don't make sense for the professional area, like "eating", "running", "partying". If you already have some of those skills in your profile, make sure to delete them and you will look much more professional and focused to someone who visits your page.

6. Update your profile to English

English is a primary language in business and is currently used to communicate around the globe. Having this in mind, if your profile has English words it will appear in international search engines. Before filling up the information about your professional profile and experience, remember that every word counts and they need to be well chosen. You want your profile to appear in searchers and seem relevant, so having the information in English can help you if you want to apply to a US or international company.

Have a look at the profiles of people that inspire you. Doing this will help you with considering hashtags and choosing the correct vocabulary to boost your page. LinkedIn has also set a list of some words you should avoid while writing your headline or bio. Check this list for some Buzzwords on LinkedIn:

1. Specialized
2. Leadership
3. Passionate
4. Strategic
5. Experienced
6. Focused
7. Expert
8. Certified
9. Creative
10. Excellent

These words have been described as buzzwords because they don't add a lot about you and what your best features are. However, if you want to use some of those words in your profile, always try to make sure you explain how you identify with that. For example, if you say that you are creative, make sure to mention something creative you did, or a project where your creativity was really important. That way you will show recruiters why you can be considered a creative person.

7. Enhance your community

Following the correct people can help you to get that job you've been dreaming about. If you engage with your community - people that work in the same area of expertise as you - you can get in touch with new courses, platforms and job offers. Check the software or technologies your colleagues are using that are important and trendy. It all can help you achieve the position you’re striving for.

We hope the information on this article can help you improve your profile, and later on, have even more job opportunities on the way. While you’re focused on growing professionally, let Higlobe help you get paid quickly, easily and with peace of mind, subscribe to Higlobe.

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