LinkedIn Tips - Three Free Ideas To Help Employers Find You

 On line job boards have been around over 15 years. CareerBuilder and Monster went live in 1994. HotJobs followed in 1996. However, fewer than 3% of jobs were found through this new medium. Ten years ago, I didn't know anyone who'd gotten a job or even an interview through an on line site.

Things began to change in 2002 when LinkedIn created a new paradigm by introducing social networking to on line job searches. Today, LinkedIn has 80 million registered users, and is growing at the rate of one new user per second. It's available in over 200 countries and in six languages.

People are now using LinkedIn to network, get interviews and land jobs. More importantly, employers are now using LinkedIn to find new employees. Gone are the days when companies were limited to merely posting static job descriptions on line, and then sorting through countless unqualified applicants. Employers can proactively conduct key word searches to find qualified candidates without ever posting a position. They can screen employment history, professional qualifications and educational credentials. They can also check references. All this is done at a fraction of traditional recruitment costs.

It is therefore vital that today's job seekers make it as easy as possible for employers to find them on LinkedIn. This article presents three suggestions LinkedIn users can implement themselves, at no cost, that will do just that; make it easier for employers to find you. The suggestions are:

1. Optimize your LinkedIn profile by performing a key word review;

2. Personalize your LinkedIn profile (URL) address, and;

3. Promote your brand.

As a LinkedIn user, you should periodically optimize your profile by performing a key word review. Simply put, make sure you're including all the right words in all the right places! This will improve your rankings when employers search for someone with your qualifications and experience.

The questions are where and how to perform this multifaceted process. I got 443 hits on Amazon for the word LinkedIn, offering books and videos up to $299.95. "Cut me a break, I'm unemployed," you say? Then I suppose hiring a professional consultant is out of the question.

The good news is there are recognized LinkedIn experts who share their knowledge and resources for free. My favorite is David Lanners, a Harvard MBA and a very engaging public speaker. Visit Dave's web site for links to numerous documents, presentations, videos, seminars etc. If you do nothing else, download his color-coded one page summary called LinkedIn KEY (to Higher Rankings). Pay particular attention to sections highlighted in green, as these are the areas that affect your LinkedIn rankings. His address is: http://www.leaderhelper.com/resources.htm.

While you're at it, take a look at Dave's LinkedIn profile, http://www.linkedin.com/in/leaderhelper. It probably bears little resemblance to yours, but you can't argue with success! It also demonstrates suggestion #2; personalize your LinkedIn profile (URL) address.

Do not settle for the address automatically assigned when you registered on LinkedIn. Mine was: linkedin.com/pub/dale-r-schmeltzle/6/4a1/303. People often misspell my name under the best of circumstances. Having to enter 55 characters, the last 10 of which are gibberish, doesn't help. Remember, your goal is to make it as easy as possible for employers to find you.

On the other hand, the name Schmeltzle has one advantage. Only 9 users worldwide share my name. That includes a cousin with three profiles. By simply adding Dale, I claimed a little corner of the Web all for myself. But what if you're one of the 1,227 David Bakers, or the 3,373 William Smiths, or the 4,080 Robert Jones I found? I rarely search a name that doesn't generate multiple hits unless I enter additional screening criteria (location, past employer, etc.). Unfortunately, sometimes I only have a name. At that point, I can either guess or move on. Do you really want to put a prospective employer in that situation?

Address challenges are easily overcome. LinkedIn lets you to personalize your profile address and abbreviate it in the process. My address is now: http://www.linkedin.com/in/dschmeltzle. The benefits are obvious, including that it's 17 characters shorter. And wouldn't an address that ended with DPBakerCPA go a long way in distinguishing you from the other 1,226 David Bakers?

Yet 60% of my 500+ LinkedIn connections apparently don't know you can easily change your address. Simply go into your profile and click the edit button in the Public Profile section. Another page will open. Click edit next to "Your Public Profile URL" and your problems are solved.

By following these two suggestions, you've enhanced your profile and provided a shorter, more identifiable URL address. You've done exactly what any marketing executive would tell you to do; you've improved your personal brand. It follows there's one more critical step in your job marketing campaign.

Suggestion #3 is simple; promote your brand. Prominently display your LinkedIn URL address on your resume, business cards and out-going email signature. You might also consider adding it to personal web sites, blogs and other appropriate social media.

Why is suggestion #3 necessary? Not everyone will locate you on LinkedIn. Your resume will also find its way to prospective employers through traditional job boards, networking, job fairs and even snail mail. But even if an employer didn't find you on LinkedIn, it is highly likely they'll want to review your profile before extending an interview. By affording them easy access to your LinkedIn profile, you also provide access to your references, published papers, articles, presentations, professional discussions, etc., none of which are available through hard copy resumes or cover letters.