In the world of business, whether you’re a job seeker or just giving your career a boost, a LinkedIn profile is a must. With over 500 million professional profiles, LinkedIn is a networking platform that offers tools for career development and networking opportunities.
Here are 4 reasons why you should have a polished LinkedIn profile now.
Job Search
LinkedIn provides you an opporunity to search for jobs by keywords and location. Go to LinkedIn’s search box, type in a specific job and your location preference, and LinkedIn will show you all the jobs related to your keywords. You can also set job alerts based on your career interests to stay updated on the latest job openings.
Moreover, most companies, if not all, are on LinkedIn. You can specifically look for them on the networking platform and check if they have any job vacancies that match your skills.
Build your professional brand
LinkedIn is packed with professionals whose career interests are similar to yours. It’s important that you boost your professional brand to stand out. What sets you apart from others in your industry? Why should employers hire you? What can you bring to the table?
LinkedIn is a good alternative to a personal website which could be a bit pricey. Start building your professional brand by uploading a professional profile picture and writing an impactful summary of your skills and experiences. These give recruiters a deeper understanding of who you are and what you can do.
Research companies and their employees
Before going into an interview or accepting a job offer, you can do a research first about your potential employer. Companies use LinkedIn to develop their professional brand by providing a summary of what they do and sharing company news and updates, allowing you to get a better understanding of their culture. You can also see all their past and present employees.
Networking
We can’t stress enough about the importance of LinkedIn in professional networking. Based on a 2017 LinkedIn global survey results, 80% of professionals consider networking to be important to career success. The survey also revealed that 35% said a casual conversation on LinkedIn Messaging had led to a new opportunity.
