There’s never been a more important and beneficial time to go digital with your CV, and LinkedIn makes it oh-so easy. Here’s how to make the most of the platform and get you one step closer to realising your career goals

Ever heard the phrase,‘If you’re not on Facebook, do you even exist’? How about, ‘If your business doesn’t have a digital presence, it’s practically invisible’? Well, combine these two concepts, and you’re left with the reality of your career’s trajectory if you choose not to hop on to the LinkedIn bandwagon. As of early 2020, the professional networking platform had 675 million users, of which 7 million were based in South Africa. Nearly one-fifth of the global users had been invited to a job interview through the platform, while 35.5 million users had been offered jobs through a LinkedIn connection. The numbers don’t lie: In the digital age, even your professional profile needs to live online. So where to start? We asked the experts, who shared their dos, don’ts and tips for making it on LinkedIn. 

1. GET THE BASICS RIGHT
First impressions count, and your LinkedIn profile is no exception, whether you’re a jobseeker, working professional or entrepreneur. Across the board, having a professional, up-to-date profile is the most affordable and easiest way to add credibility to your offering. ‘As a jobseeker, if your LinkedIn profile has a professional picture, a summary of yourself and details of your experience to promote your skills, knowledge and personality, it will attract potential recruiters or employers to your profile,’ shares Arnette Pillay, talent acquisition search specialist. ‘Even if you aren’t actively looking for a new job, it looks professional when your LinkedIn page is up to date and populated,’ added Viv Gordon and Tamara Wolpert of Viv Gordon Placements. Who knows? An opportunity you didn’t know anything about may come your way on the platform. 

2. PREP YOUR PROFILE 
Start with a clear headline that includes:

1. Your current role or your profession if you are currently unemployed.
2. A recent photograph of yourself.
3. Your current city.
4. Write a headline that’s all about you, creatively explaining your value and passion for your job, suggests Arnette. ‘A link to your company is also a good idea, as it enables the recruiter to see what category of company you are working for,’ say Viv and Tamara.

3. POPULATE YOUR PROFILE 
Once you have locked down these basics, populate your profile the same way you would your traditional CV. LinkedIn orders this correctly so you don’t have to, but that means you should pay even more attention to the words. 

4. WHAT TO INCLUDE 

• A summary: ‘This is your elevator pitch so it should tell people what they can expect from you, what you do in your current role, why your company is great, and highlight your  strengths,’ says Arnette. LinkedIn has a feature that can help you compose a compelling summary, meaning less guesswork for you.
• Your current role or most recent job, followed by previous experience (‘Include succinct duties and responsibilities under your various positions,’ suggests Viv and Tamara.)
• Your education: Include graduate and post-graduate qualifications.

5. MAX THE BENEFITS
The evolution of the recruitment world has spurred smart innovations on LinkedIn. If you’re looking for new opportunities, pay a visit to the ‘Jobs’ tab on your newsfeed. It has a function that allows you to put feelers out to prospective recruiters based on your career interests. You can also save job searches and manage your job alerts, so you’ll always be the first to know about opportunities that appeal to you. 

6. SHOULD YOU GO PREMIUM? 
Anyone that’s used the platform will know that it often prompts you to try the premium version. But is it really worth the extra spend? For serious jobseekers, there are some added benefits on LinkedIn Premium that could be worthwhile, such as: 

• Improved metrics – you’ll be able to see additional information about the position you have applied for such as the salary breakdown and number of other applicants.
• An ability to see who’s looked at your profile – it’s useful to know if any recruiters are checking out your profile.
• InMail messages – this allows you to contact someone without having connected with them first. 
• Access to on-demand learning videos – this helps you upskill yourself. 

7. GET NETWORKING
There’s great value in recommendations from former colleagues, bosses and clients, as Viv and Tamara share: ‘Endorsements from previous managers or colleagues is recommended, giving a great background to you and your skill set.’ Don’t quite know how to get an endorsement? Consider giving one first, which can incentivise the other person to return the favour.  Written recommendations are a sure-fire way to grab a potential employer’s attention, especially if they are sifting through profiles to find the candidate with a stellar personality and work ethic, who can also deliver. ‘Build credibility by collecting recommendations from people that prove your depth of experience,’ suggests Arnette. And if you really want to go the extra mile, join groups and connect to similar professionals in your field. ‘Be active – comment and contribute to conversations,’ suggest Viv and Tamara. 

8. BIG NO-NOS
Public service announcement: LinkedIn is not a social networking platform for posting drunken selfies with your bestie. Here are some other ‘don’ts’ our experts suggest you keep in mind for the next time you log in:

• Keep images professional. Don’t use bikini or party photos in your profile.
• Don’t spam recruiters with InMails.
• Don’t lie about where you’ve worked or how long you were in a position. ‘Once this information is out in the public domain, there is a high risk of being “caught out”,’ cautions Viv and Tamara.

Words by Dominique Bowen
Photography: Pexels