Looking for work within the not-for-profit or public sectors? LinkedIn is your friend. It is a direct route to recruiters and job opportunities and a way to showcase your skills, experience and interests.
But are you using it effectively? Could your profile be doing more for you?
If so, read on for our handy tips on how to use LinkedIn to help you secure your next role.
LinkedIn has an inbuilt indicator that shows you how strong your profile is. Listen to it and follow the suggestions to improve your profile. The more detail you include, the more professional you come across and the more confidence you instil in recruiters and potential employers.
A few must-haves include a professional photograph, a strong summary paragraph, and a headline that makes the most of the 120 characters on offer. It doesn’t need to be limited to only your job title either. Include specialist areas and expertise, locations you would like to work in, and relevant keywords. If you are currently unemployed or in education, write what you are looking for so you appear in searches and grab attention.
Adding volunteer work, training courses and interests shows your experience and willingness to work and support not for profit and public sector organisations as well as your community.
A simple but effective step is to set a personalised URL that includes your name. It helps to differentiate you from others on LinkedIn and makes you easier to find. It is easy to do, click on ‘view profile’ and ‘edit public profile and URL.
Being relevant applies in every section of your LinkedIn profile. Employers want to quickly see whether you are a good fit for their organisation, and that can be hard to do if your key experience is hiding amongst lots of unnecessary details. If a previous role is not relevant to your chosen sector and career path, keep the details brief or leave them out altogether.
Setting up your LinkedIn profile is only part of the process. To really make the most of it, you need to keep it up to date, build connections and engage with others in the sector. Follow organisations you are interested in, join groups, and post updates to show your involvement in the public and not-for-profit sectors—for example, personal thoughts and opinions on trending topics, milestone celebrations and details of events. The more you interact, the easier you are to find!
Asking your connections for recommendations for work you have done in the past builds your credibility. They provide proof that what you say on your profile is an accurate representation of you, your abilities and your work ethic. Build them up over time, and give reviews where you can, too. It all helps!
Interested in getting further help with your profile? Get in touch, we would be happy to give you some advice.