by Katherine Smith, PharmaLogics Executive Recruiter
As I began writing this blog post, I realized how lucky I am to wake up every day and do a job that I enjoy. As a recruiter, I’m in a unique position to help make this happen for other people, as it’s something I believe everyone should get to experience. To that end, I have the privilege of speaking with people about their careers very candidly — asking candidates about their short and long-term career goals as I get to know them on a personal level, and understanding what they are passionate about and excited for in their careers.
This approach makes me just as much a career advisor as I am a recruiter, and as part of this I’m able to give candidates insight on how they can better position themselves to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers on professional platforms such as LinkedIn.
When I reach out to candidates for the first time, I do so via LinkedIn, so in many ways your LinkedIn profile is the first impression you may not even realize you’re making. I use LinkedIn to recruit because it is a fantastic way to make an initial connection with a candidate, and move forward into a deeper conversation.
I realize that it can be overwhelming for candidates who are trying to stand out on LinkedIn in a crowd of thousands of qualified candidates. Here are a few ways you can enhance your profile to improve your chances of working with a recruiter and possibly find your dream job.
Include details in your work experience
Be sure to include details about your experience on your profile! When I look at profiles for different roles, I am drawn to the profiles that include more detail describing work history. Hiring managers will also be drawn to profiles that contain more information as it helps them have a clearer picture of your skills and experiences. If you are actively looking for a job, or if you would like to have recruiters reach out to you more often, I would recommend adding 2-3 bullet points of information to each work experience listed on your profile.
Make your contact information available
I often come across candidate profiles on LinkedIn that are marked to indicate someone who is looking for new opportunities. When I see these profiles I automatically prioritize them, knowing that those individuals will likely be interested in hearing what I have to offer.
That said, you would be surprised at how many of these candidates do not make their contact information accessible. If I am unable to get in touch due to a lack of available contact information, that candidate risks missing out their perfect next move. I would recommend that candidates who are actively looking for a job to post their contact information in more visible areas of their profile, such as the “About” section on LinkedIn.
Include specific skill sets
Many opportunities require a set of specific technical skills as they relate to the position. For example, a Senior Manager level position would likely require that a candidate have prior management experience. When reviewing different candidates, one of the things I focus on is a demonstration of that skill somewhere on their profile or resume.
I would highly recommend that a candidate include technical skills throughout their work experience to clearly show their qualifications. Profiles that include more detailed information tend to stand out more, and make it easier for recruiters to approach potential candidates about a specific role.
These are just basic examples of some things you can do to help highlight yourself in the crowd and snag your dream job!
About the Author:
Katherine Smith an Executive Recruiter for PharmaLogics Recruiting. She originally started her career looking for roles in education and found her true passion in recruitment in January 2020. Katherine has always loved coaching and mentorship and loves the fact that she can bring those skills into her everyday work. She is currently living in the Greater Boston Area and during the pandemic has enjoyed working on puzzles and exploring new hobbies.