Although LinkedIn is mainly used by working professionals, this shouldn't stop graduates and students from joining the network too. LinkedIn has become a prominent tool in the job search, so it is imperative that all kinds of job seekers know how to use the site appropriately. Here are some of the most common LinkedIn mistakes that could cost you your career, so avoid them at all costs!
A Bad Profile Photo
Keep in mind that your profile will be looked at by business professionals, so your photo must be business appropriate. Remember this is not Facebook, so choosing a photo of you from a night out is definitely not advisory. Stand in front of a blank wall, dress in clothes that you would wear to an interview and get someone to take a headshot of you. You must look smart and professional. But make sure you don't look TOO serious, you will want to appear friendly and approachable so don't forget to smile!
Lack of Detail On Your Profile
The work experience section on your profile is the most important, as employers read this to assess whether your experiences and skills could be of benefit to them. However, don't just write where you worked without explaining what you actually did, employers are more interested in knowing what your work experience actually involved.
Provide an introductory line stating where you worked and a bit of background to the company. Underneath this, list the duties you undertook and the skills you learnt. However, to ensure you avoid waffling, use bullet points to list what you did. Keep it clear and easy to read. And remember, no spelling mistakes or grammatical errors! Always proofread several times. As soon as an employer spots a grammatical error on your profile, they won't spend much longer looking at it!
Keep an eye on what percent complete LinkedIn says your profile is and try to get it to 100% as quick as possible.
Not Enough Connections
LinkedIn is for business networking, so you will only get the most from it if you have the right network of people. Don't just connect with friends and family and sit there waiting for employers to come across your profile, connect with as many business professionals that are in the field of industry that interests you or that could be of benefit to you. This way, you will get noticed by the right people.
Not Following Groups or Companies
One of the best ways to interact with others on LinkedIn is to join groups that are relevant to the industry you're interested in. Connecting with business professionals is important, but following companies and joining groups is what makes the difference. Contribute to discussions and interact with others within groups, as your profile will appear more visible to those who are in the same field of work as you. You never know who could come across your profile and want to hire you.
Not Giving Endorsements
You won't get if you don't give! Don't feel shy to endorse your co-workers, people you have worked with or people you know from uni. Usually when you do this, people will endorse you back; it?s a reciprocal process. Your endorsements will show as a bar chart of skills on your profile and will show people who stumble across your profile that you are a sought after and skilled candidate. The more endorsements you have, the better it looks and the more you show up in searches for those skills. So get endorsing!
Follow these basic steps and grow your network nice and steady everyday and you will soon see the results of the powerful networking tool of www.linkedin.com
