Market Yourself

I would argue LinkedIn is the most powerful social networking site in the world to help you sell yourself. If you want to find a great job, get more leads on jobs, connect with headhunters, find sponsors, sell an event to companies or learn about your industry, you can take advantage of LinkedIn to market yourself. Here are some ways you can take advantage of LinkedIn:

1. Keep your profile up to date. It needs to be 100% correct and completed so that you can market yourself properly. Do your research, look at other people’s profiles with over 500 connections for tips on how you can improve yours. When applying for a job, the company will look you up and ensure your resume matches your profile. Basically they will ‘stalk’ you. They always do their research to ensure you can bring significance to the team. Ensuring you have a profile picture, personal summary story, recommendations, no spelling mistakes and accurate details will maximise your marketing opportunities.
2. Make Connections. Ensure you connect with everyone on LinkedIn. Import your contact list and ask everyone to connect with you. The worst that can happen is the say ‘no’. When you apply for a job, search for the recruitment officer in that field. For example, search – ‘Deloitte Human Capital Recruitment’. Find the manager and connect with them. That way when they see your application, they know your name already, and will likely look at your profile and see you are proactive for finding them. You never know where an opportunity can come from and where it can take you. Expand your circle and do not keep the same limited network.
3. Personalise. Each time you send a connection to an important person, ensure you personalise it. Send them a message with the invitation, and express who you are and why you want to connect with them. Make sure your profile is personal. Not just your boring resume. Add a headline of who you are, what you do, who you help and include these factors in the other sections of your profile.
4. Activate your profile. In order to make your profile seen by others, you need to be active on your profile. This way your profile will be viewed and will lead to good things such as new connections, conversations and opportunities. Activation can be done through; sending out connections, liking, commenting and sharing updates of companies and connections, get the LinkedIn app to stay active and participate in group discussions.

If you invest time in these four LinkedIn profile tips you will be a digital asset that attracts you to companies and connections of importance. LinkedIn is a launchpad to build a large network and get your message out there, and market yourself!