I was Contacted By a Recruiter for a Job on LinkedIn

On Friday afternoon, I was contacted out of the blue by a recruiter on LinkedIn about a long-term contract job opportunity with Northrop Grumman here in North Alabama. After politely declining the recruiter’s request for a current resume and salary requirements, I got to thinking once again about how important it is for job seekers to establish a professional, digital footprint; and how many people may be missing out on jobs  that are never publicly advertised by failing to do this one simple thing.

I’ve been self-employed since 2006 and am not in the market for a job; but I still get  contacted about job leads on LinkedIn. I’m not sure why – my profile clearly brands me as a job search coach and certified professional resume and LinkedIn writer; but I have intentionally crafted a keyword-rich profile to amplify my visibility on LinkedIn with targeted “buzz words” that seem to put me on the radar of certain 3^rd party recruiters and company hiring managers.

This is why I encourage all of my clients to join LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a free platform where you can build industry connections and get found by company hiring managers and 3^rd party recruiters. It’s estimated that 97% of recruiters are using LinkedIn as a primary source for finding talent. Despite these obvious benefits (and more), some job seekers still refuse to utilize this  valuable resource.

Optimize your digital footprint

If you don’t know, your digital footprint is the information about you that is the result of your activity on the internet. Some people don’t have much of a digital footprint and prefer to keep it that way; but that’s not really important for a job seeker, right. I mean, not having one is a lot better than posting controversial messages all over social media. Not necessarily.

Some experts estimate that around 77% of employers screen potential job applicants turn to Google and similar search engines once they’ve review your resume to find out more about who you are, your interests, the people in your network, etc. Although a “controversial” digital footprint can hurt your chances of landing a job, so can having no online presence and/or activity. LinkedIn provides the perfect channel to intentionally create a professional digital presence that you control.

 Promote your personal brand

Your professional brand communicates your value and promotes the benefits of hiring and/or connecting with you in some professional capacity clearly and succinctly. Your LinkedIn profile is the perfect promotional tool for this purpose. Tell people who you are, what you’re good at, and be sure to seed your profile with industry-relevant keywords to boost your online visibility.

Access important industry news, contacts, and unpublished jobs

Since so many professionals utilize LinkedIn, it’s an excellent place for connecting with others and building or expanding your network. You can use the search tool to find people and companies in your profession; or you can find professional groups where communities of like-minded individuals converge to share current news and information – that includes job opportunities that the public never gets to see. These professional communities are a supportive and invaluable resource. You can also contact individual profiles via direct message to send private inquiries.

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Need a professionally developed LinkedIn profile to position you as the expert in your field that you are (an individual who happens to by just as captivating on social media and in real life)? Well then, we should talk! Contact me by phone: 1-866-562-0850 or email: info@topresumewriting.com.