It’s the 2nd month of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The economy is reshaping itself as I type this. Whether you love your current job, or have been furloughed, during uncertain times it’s always a good idea to be ready for anything.
If you haven’t touched your LinkedIn profile or resume in the last 4 months, it’s a good idea to make sure everything is up-to-date.
Real-time Feedback on a LinkedIn Profile
Last week I was invited on Incremental Improvements. A new virtual show designed to help people make small adjustments to improve the quality of their lives. In this episode I help Joanne tune-up her LinkedIn presence.
Improve Your LinkedIn Profile
To improve YOUR LinkedIn presence consider these questions:
Picture:
- Have you posted a picture of yourself? If not, it’s a good idea to include one.
- If so, does it still look like you?
Skills:
- Have you listed all of your relevant abilities in the “Skills” Section? It’s important to list ALL of your skills because skills count as keywords for the LinkedIn algorithm. Keywords help you get found in search results by potential employers.
Headline:
- Have you created a Headline that showcases your expertise? Most people just put their most recent job title, but the headline section can serve as a mini-commercial for why you are unique. Hundreds of other people will have your same job title. Let’s showcase why YOU are the one to reach out to.
Plus, Resume Tips!
Okay, the most important thing to remember is that your resume is not a career obituary. It’s a marketing document. As such, it needs to advertise your skills and expertise. Notice I DID NOT say experience. No one cares about your experience—unless that experience can help them with their current business problem.
Lead with Your Most Relevant Information
While you might have extensive experience, it’s important to keep your resume as brief as possible without leaving out key information. Research has shown that hiring managers spend 6-8 seconds per resume! During that time they decide whether to put your name in the Yes-To-Be-Looked-At-In-More-Detail-Later pile. Or the No pile.
To grab their attention, create a career achievements section at the top of the document. You can title it: “Summary” or “Key Highlights” or “Career Profile” or “Career Achievements” but whatever you call it, make sure to include items that showcase your designations, awards, publications and best skills.
Include Numbers
Business craves data, so include metrics in your descriptions. Numbers allow recruiters to better understand the value you can bring to their organization. If you helped cut costs, let the reader know how much money you actually saved. If you increased efficiency, let them know by what percent.
Use Verbs
Use power words to describe your work activities. Words like: “succeeded,” “achieved,” “earned,” “developed” or “accomplished” are attention grabbers.
Applying the above techniques, here’s an example of a before & after.
Stay Up-to-date. Stay in Control
Staying up-to-date with your personal marketing collateral is a good idea at any time, but right now it’s something you can invest thought into that will help you feel more in control of your future. You deserve that.
About the Author: Carol Lempert
