Building a strong online profile

With new members having increased from 4 million to 10 million in China in 18 months, Linkedin is changing the professional landscape and making it more important to have an online presence that stands out. No longer is a paper CV enough to sell your skills – an effective Linkedin strategy is essential to encouraging great opportunities to come to you.

Here are five ways to get the most out of your online professional profile:

Make a good first impression

Complete your profile, from the summary to your education, and update it once a month. The more content you have the greater the likelihood you will pop up in recruiter searches, and including a professional photo will significantly increase the chances you get viewed.

A great resume alone probably won’t get you into your next great big role. The vast majority of candidate sourcing techniques include Linkedin, other social media channels and of course, personal networks. When it comes to getting noticed, a professional social presence is essential.

Connect with every professional you know

With LinkedIn, it’s in your interest to make your professional connections known online and to help them connect with one another. The more direct connections you have, the larger your overall network will be, creating more career opportunities in the long run and increasing the chances that your profile will be seen. Make sure these are professionals you actually know or have worked with, though, and don't spam your own circle.

Recommend others

An impressive employment history will always help to draw recruiters in, but it is the recommendations from others that may convince them to meet with you. Give genuine recommendations to others, and they are likely to reciprocate. If you do this over time, your job hunt will be much easier when you do start looking.

Join groups

Whatever your industry, joining and actively participating in LinkedIn groups will put you in touch with other experts in the field. Posting intelligently and often in group discussions will establish you as a thought leader in the market, widen the reach of your message and help you connect with key people you might not otherwise have interacted with.

Optimise your search rankings

Recruiters search for keywords, so optimise your ranking by incorporating industry terms into your heading, summary and work history. Keep it light on the overused buzzwords, such as visionary or guru, and make sure your language is clear and concise, avoiding industry jargon that might be hard for those outside your business to understand.

 

For more information in career advice, please contact:

Rachel Wang, Regional Director, Northern China
E: rachel.wang@robertwalters.com.cn
T: +86 (21) 5153 5861

Alternatively, search for the latest job vacancies at Robert Walters here.