Why can't I find you? A recruiter's guide on increasing your visibility

In Kenya alone there are nearly 2 million registered profiles on LinkedIn and over 600 million users registered worldwide making the likelihood of having your LinkedIn profile noticed by recruiters even more of a challenge.

Good news– by making a few simple changes to your LinkedIn profile, you can make it easier for recruiters to find you and take yourself a step closer to finding a job. The following tips will help your LinkedIn profile stand out from the crowd:

1. Keywords: People don’t use keywords enough in their LinkedIn profiles. Keywords can make the difference between your LinkedIn profile standing out like a beacon and being completely disregarded by recruiters.  It is a good idea to use keywords that are specific to your career.

For example, if you have worked for a startup organization, using the key word ‘startup’ can show recruiters that you are a Jack-of-all-trades who can thrive in a challenging, ever-changing work environment.

2. Achievements: A very common mistake made on LinkedIn profiles is listing the responsibilities of your job and not highlighting your achievements. Recruiters are more interested in seeing that you can effectively carry out your duties; not what your job description entails.

For example, instead of saying, “Increased company's profitability”, you could say “Generated $10M revenue, surpassing annual goals by 10%.”

It is important to be authentic, honest and concise·

3. Headline: Another common mistake made on LinkedIn profiles is using the default ‘current job title and company name’ as your headline. You should use your headline to market yourself using keywords and phrases that make you stand out to recruiters. For example, a project manager could use the following headline:

“PMP-certified project manager - Known for successfully leading multi-million-dollar projects in developing countries”.

4. Personality: Although you should spend most of the content on your professional profile, let your personal attributes shine through as well. Your profile summary section is the best area to add a little personality and appeal to your profile.
5. Availability: Adding the ‘#OpenToWork’ photo frame feature on your LinkedIn profile picture will let recruiters know that you are open to new opportunities.
6. Languages: Ensure that you update your language skills on your LinkedIn profile as some roles require candidates who have a working knowledge of or proficiency in various languages.

In conclusion, following the simple tips in this article can help your LinkedIn profile reflect your best self as a professional, stand out to recruiters and improve your chances of landing the job of your dreams.