Why and How to Make a Professional Linkedin Profile
Written by Gabriel MacAdam
Thumbnail Photo by inlytics | LinkedIn Analytics Tool on Unsplash
During the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment rates increased in Nova Scotia by as much as 3% during the Spring of 2020, dramatically impacting the economy. According to CBC News, roughly 38, 000 full-time positions were lost along with 11, 800 part-time positions, all due to the pandemic. The loss of most of these jobs was in the service sector (such as retail or hospitality), because of their “in-person” human-to-human nature. Many of these positions are filled by university and college students. With increasing job loss among university students, many are struggling to pay for tuition, rent, and even basic needs like food and water. For this reason, I would like to share tips and tricks from Saint Mary’s University Accounting Society’s webinar held on March 7th on “How to Make a Professional Linkedin Profile” and the ways you can improve your Linkedin profile to help get a job and grow your business network during the pandemic.
What is Linkedin?
Linkedin is an online service that allows employers to post jobs and allows potential applicants (job seekers) to advertise their CVs or resumes. Much like Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter, Linkedin is a social media platform. However, instead of connecting you with friends, Linkedin is used to promote your professional profile and to connect you with others in the same professional field. Having a Linkedin account is a great way to become involved and engage with the job market in a more interactive way than was previously possible. It also creates the opportunity to network with past or potential employers or employees.
Why You Need a Linkedin Profile
Linkedin is a professional personal platform that allows you to put your skills and qualities on display. If you want employers to know how hard of a worker you are, or to see how knowledgeable you are in a specific field, highlight it in your profile and own it! This includes your various work experiences and accomplishments throughout your career and or educational background.
Linkedin offers access to an exclusive job market not posted anywhere else online. For instance, Linkedin provides job postings only to those with a Linkedin account, unlike other job boards such as Indeed or Glassdoor. Having access to this exclusive job market also provides insight about the job market, like what employers are seeking in an employee or what specific qualifications are needed.
With Linkedin, you are able to expand your professional network and connect with your peers and colleagues, alumni from your alma mater, and potential employers. Others will get the chance to get to know you as well, the connection goes both ways and it is helpful for employers and colleagues to get to know you too. Connection is key! Being well connected can be the difference between remaining unemployed, or landing an interview and getting your dream job.
Linkedin is also a great research tool. With Linkedin, you can learn about your dream company or job (along with their mission or objective) before applying. This way you can gain inside knowledge and be better prepared before you step into an interview.
What Makes a Great Linkedin Profile
A professional Resume/CV (If you do not have a CV, Saint Mary’s University offers resume-building workshops at Career360).
A professional headshot. You want to be able to put a face to your name, this way employers will be able to remember what you look like as well as match your face to your resume. This also makes you look like a “real” person and not just an online profile.
A professional summary about yourself. For example, what you bring to the table, what makes you a suitable candidate for the position to which you are applying, what you are looking for in a job. Keep your summary short, roughly 2-3 sentences.
Include a personal summary like a list of awards and extracurricular activities to show off your accomplishments. These may include a published article, project, volunteer work or any type of certificate or extraordinary qualification.
Tips and Tricks
Customize your public URL. This makes your Linkedin account more accessible and easier for employers to remember.
Add a background to your profile. This will make your profile more attractive and appealing to employers, not having an intriguing background may make your profile appear boring and uninteresting to potential employers. However, it is important to remain professional and to keep a professional background (skip the puppies and rainbows when choosing a background image).
Everything you put into your Linkedin profile will be filtered according to keywords you’ve submitted into your profile. For instance, if you are an accounting student and are looking for an accounting job, or have some experience in that particular field, Linkedin will filter your job search to suit your needs.
“Saved searches” allows for you to save jobs that you are interested in before applying. This will be convenient when you are on the lookout for a job because when you do decide to apply, that job will already be saved to your search and you won’t need to find the job post all over again.
Gather references and ask your colleagues to endorse your skills. This will increase your credibility when employers begin to look at your profile.
The earlier you start connecting the better. Remember that connection is key! The more well connected you become the more you will be able to take advantage of other people's connections.
Photo via the Accounting Society
In an interview with the Accounting Society’s Vice-President and Executive Director of Finance, Bradley Wagner, he explained the significance of Linkedin and his own personal experience with the professional networking application: “Linkedin has given me many more opportunities that I would not have had otherwise. It gave me the chance to get to know my employer before even meeting with them.” Wagner also emphasized that Linkedin is easy to use: “Linkedin is a user-friendly app and I encourage everyone to take full advantage of its features.” In terms of how quickly a user can become well connected with other professionals, Wagner draws from his own experiences with Linkedin: “I have become connected to many of my peers, employers, and other people fairly quickly after customizing my Linkedin profile. When I send an invitation I like to attach a small note to it saying something along the lines of “thanks for the connection” or “I noticed this about your profile,” to start a conversation.” Wagner encourages SMUdents to use Linkedin because “it gives SMUdents the chance to see where their peers work and what they are doing. If you get an interview, the interviewer will be able to see what school you went to and if they attended the same school, it could be a conversation starter.”
In short, taking the time to download the Linkedin App or create a profile online will only benefit you in the long run. It can’t hurt to become more familiar with the job market and to better understand an employer’s wants and needs. Make sure to take into consideration the tips and tricks highlighted by SMU’s accounting society. Connection is key and having a well-designed Linkedin account will facilitate your networking ability.