If you’re currently working, you’ve just finished another year at your current job. Maybe you even qualified for a bonus. But do you enjoy the work?
Or maybe you’ve decided to get back into the job market.
Either way, as a New Year’s resolution, be sure to make LinkedIn your friend.
You can be absolutely thrilled with your current job and still want — even need — a LinkedIn profile.
LinkedIn is virtually the only place where you can publicly post all of the information about your skill sets and experience, maybe even more than on your resume. There’s no better way to make yourself known to recruiters without your boss getting suspicious.
Posting your profile on LinkedIn has become so widely accepted that you’ll likely see your boss’ profile, and that of every management person in your company, posted on LinkedIn.
Are they all looking to change jobs? Doubtful, but they do want to be seen as players in the job arena, and thus visible to those who might seek them out.
Without appearing to be looking for a new job
Done well, your posting allows you to list your strengths, your accomplishments, your references, and your career goals — all without appearing to be actually looking for a new job.
I rarely meet with someone I don’t already know without first checking out their LinkedIn profile. It never fails to provide valuable insight.
It’s also helpful to see a professional-looking photo, so I can acknowledge you when we first meet. This is especially helpful when meeting for the first time at a crowded restaurant or event.
Just as you put effort into your resume, show some effort in the photo you post. Wear what you’d typically wear to work each day, not a tux or evening gown. And no selfies or Photoshopped pics.
Without a photo, something seems off-putting. Did you not know how to post one, and you’re unwilling to ask for help? Maybe you’re concerned that your appearance will give way your age? Let go of that. We’re hiring for skills, not age. And a smile makes everyone look better.
Make sure your photo is fairly current. Twenty-year-old photos aren’t good enough, nor appropriate. And LinkedIn isn’t the place for your match.com pic.
As for work history, again, don’t worry about giving your age away. If you have the needed skills and experience, we won’t care about your age, unless you don’t have what we’re looking for.
In the weeks before 2023, you may have been preparing for your annual review. You listed all of your accomplishments over the past year and are ready to sell yourself as a valuable asset to the company.
So, you just prepared your updated LinkedIn profile.
Be re-active to search firms and HR professionals
Now you have two options.
Either let your profile sit there, so you can be re-active to search firms and HR professionals that harvest resumes off LinkedIn. Our staffing firm and many others rely on key-word searches for positions we’re trying to fill.
As we cull through countless resumes on LinkedIn, looking for gems, do yourself a favor and drop in key words you think search firms will look for.
You don’t have to be looking for a job, but we will find you if we think your skill sets are a good match for our open position. No harm, no foul if you’re not interested in the position we’re hiring for, but it’s a nice ego boost to be sought out.
Or you can be proactive by adding “open to new opportunity” to your profile.
This lets us know that you’re available — right now. That should, of course, only be used when the boss knows you’re searching or if you’re not currently employed.
You’ll get the first call from recruiters because you’ve made yourself available, and we won’t have to talk you into leaving your current job. Or worry about how to entice you with higher comp packages.
It’s all part of you managing your career.
Be open to opportunity when it knocks and know which doors to open and which to keep closed.
Blair is co-founder of Manpower Staffing.
