Think of your LinkedIn like a SMB Listing

Most LinkedIn profiles I see suck.

There’s no other way to put it.

Most profiles either have nothing listed, everything is extremely bare and generic, or they put down every skill known to man.

In either case, that’s not the approach to take.

We want to put as much *accurate* information as possible.

This will allow the reader to know exactly what you do for a living & where you want to go, so you’ll get more targeted and relevant InMails to your search. Further, it will help the LinkedIn Algorithm pick up your profile for our searches on the backend.

I want you to think about your LinkedIn Profile like a SMB listing.

1: When’s the last time you searched for a plumber?

Let’s pretend you’re looking for a plumber. There are dozens and dozens of them. Chances are, you’re not searching through 10 pages looking for the absolute best one.

You’re probably going through the first 1-2 pages (while checking their reviews) and reaching out to them. Some don’t answer you in time, but some do. The ones that do, you’re vetting them out, then asking for a quote. Once you get the one you’ve identified, you’re carrying on with your day.

That’s exactly how it is for recruiting. Remember, LinkedIn is NOT an ATS.

While *most* recruiters will go through all applicants who apply directly on their ATS, LinkedIn is a SUPPLEMENT.

Meaning, we are not going through every single candidate who pops up in our search. Once we get a total of 3-5 candidates - TOTAL, from the ATS, LinkedIn, & other job boards - we are moving onto the next role.

So it is imperative that your linkedin is filled out correctly so we make sure you’re all the way up at the top

2: Ways we can filter Candidates

It’s important to understand what we are looking for on the backend to help connect the dots why exactly you need your profile filled out.

We can source candidates a number of ways

• Title

• Location

• Education

• Keyword/Skills Match

• Boolean

• And more…

Here’s what it looks like from our end below, so as you can see, there’s a couple different options we can source from. There are even more advanced features than this by the way…

3: The more info you add, the better the results

So let’s run a live example of a software engineer experienced with Java and AWS in the NYC area.

As you can see, the first three candidates are near perfect matches. I clicked their profiles, and everything is filled out & optimized top to bottom from the About Me, Work Experience, Skills Section, etc.

They’ll be rewarded for having their profiles filled out correctly by getting the most relevant inmails in their inbox.

4: Competition is fierce. Marketing matters.

Further, as you’ll see, there are thousands of candidates pulling up in this search!

Granted this is an extreme example because my search is super generic, but it’s not uncommon for hundreds or a few thousand candidates to pop up.

So you could be the Michael Jordan of software engineers.

It won’t matter if we don’t know you exist and can’t find you.

If you’re buried pages deep into this linkedin search, you are S-O-L. No one is finding you and you’re left in the dust.

Conclusion

Do me a favor this weekend and fill out your profile completely.

If you’re not sure what to do, a good way to start is having your profile mimic your resume since LinkedIn Recruiter mimics a job board.

If you’re looking for some extra help, you can grab my job seeker’s e-book here. It goes over step by step how to optimize your linkedin profile and everything else you need to get started on your job search journey.

If you’re looking for an expert approach, I offer audit services here.

As always, thanks for tuning in this week and I’d appreciate any feedback and referrals.