Don’t Miss Out on the Best Sales Jobs
Is your LinkedIn profile getting recruiters and hiring managers to call you about sales opportunities? Your LinkedIn profile can and should be supporting your resume and helping you get job leads.
It doesn’t take a huge amount of work to get your profile ready for a successful job search.
Today’s hiring managers will check out your LinkedIn before they decide to contact you. Make sure you have a KILLER profile so you’ll get a shot at interviewing for top sales jobs.
Get a killer LinkedIn profile with these seven tips…
1. Complete Your Profile
Completing your profile is essential for “getting discovered.” LinkedIn’s algorithms rewards completed profiles by ranking them higher than incomplete profiles.
Fill out every section because the more fields you use, the higher you will rank. The most important sections are your name, headline, title, and summary. In the summary section (2,000 words) tell people what you sell and which verticals you sell into.
2. LinkedIn Picture: Current and Professional
Your picture should be current, professional, and conservative. Keep in mind; you are looking for a new job, not a hot date.
Recruiters and employers will be viewing your profile, so make sure it’s serving your professional interests.
3. Job Title: Boring is Better
Creative job titles won’t help you show up in a search. When recruiters search LinkedIn, they search for candidates who have job titles that match their openings. If you have something listed other than a traditional title, your profile won’t rank for the search.
Appropriate titles might include Inside Sales Representative, Software Sales Manager, Account Manager, Regional Sales Director, Vice President of Sales, Director of Sales, Global Account Manager, and Business Development Director.
4. Resume and Profile: Mirror Images
Your resume and profile need to match. Double check dates, job titles, companies, and skills for consistency.
5. References: Get Some
Hiring managers like to see proof that you’re good at your job. Peer and manager references legitimize your work history and provide social proof that you’ve worked for the companies listed on your profile.
There is no better way to solidify your credibility than to include several strong references.
6. Contact Information: Easy to Find
When you’re looking for a job, don’t make it hard for people to find you. Recruiters and hiring managers ferret through mountains of information: profiles, resumes, referrals, and applicants.
Hiring managers and recruiters may not reach out to you if your contact information isn’t instantly visible. Keep your cell phone number and personal email address easy to spot by listing it in the summary section.
7. Key Words: Relevant, Varied, but No Stuffing
Key words are important. But how many? Which ones? The rule of thumb is to use the same key words hiring managers will use to find you.
Balance this approach by varying key words, using key words in appropriate context, and avoiding keyword stuffing. The last thing you need is a profile that comes across as spammy.
Create Sales Job Opportunities for Yourself
Never underestimate the importance of your LinkedIn profile. More than 85% of hiring managers will view your profile before contacting you. Increase your odds of “getting discovered” for sales job opportunities.
Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date, complete, displays your contact information, and uses key words to describe what you sell, and the verticals you sell into.
Now that you have a better idea about what hiring managers expect on your LinkedIn profile, focus on making immediate improvements.
These seven steps are powerful, practical, and easy to do. You’ll be surprised at how fast you can put your LinkedIn profile to work for you.