Most working e-commerce professionals maintain a LinkedIn profile these days, and for good reason! Finding a job can be time consuming and challenging, and LinkedIn serves as a real-time, online resume. Your profile is visible to the entire world—and this includes recruiters, hiring managers and potential employers. When you join LinkedIn, you make it easier to be located because rather than searching on your end, job leads may come to you. Plus, you can search the site for open jobs, and contribute as a subject matter expert through your own posts, by joining groups, or through the site’s idea-share platform, Elevate.
If you’re convinced it’s time to set up a profile, or if you have one but haven’t done much with it, you can take steps to make your profile professional and informative. This will help you attract attention to land e-commerce interviews.
Ten ways to spruce up your LinkedIn profile
You can make your LinkedIn profile shine with the following tips:
- Spend a little time. Your profile represents you, so of course you want to impress visitors to your page! Plan to put a little time into creating your LinkedIn profile. When you’re first getting started, it’s a good idea to create your profile to mirror your resume—you can include the same headline, summary and work history. Plan to put as much thought into your profile as you do your resume.
- Be choosy with your profile pic. That selfie from your night out with friends? It might not be appropriate as your LinkedIn profile picture. Ask a friend or family member to take a decent picture of you, or spring for a business headshot. It will make your profile seem much more professional and a lot less “post-college.”
- Add a banner image. You can get more page views when your profile is attractive and eye-catching—so why not add a banner image? Websites like Unsplash and Pixaby offer attractive images you can download for free.
- Write a catchy headline. This is at the top of your page and will be the first thing visitors will see. It can include your job title and current company, but doesn’t have to. Instead, you can use this valuable real estate to say something about your skills and accomplishments, and even infuse a little of your personality. After all, your page should help to establish your personal brand.
- Include keywords. Note—this is different than buzzwords. Avoid jargon-y, overused words that will soon be outdated and don’t really mean anything. Instead, review the job postings for e-commerce jobs to which you’d like to apply and pull out commonly used words and phrases. Then, include these words within the sections of your LinkedIn profile.
- Make your summary count. Your summary can be 3-5 short paragraphs that sum up your career and accomplishments in a nutshell. Remember, this appears near the top of your profile and it’s one of the first things recruiters and hiring managers see. Since most people will skim starting with the top of your page, your summary counts—use it to include your skills, experience and career passions.
- Share accomplishments, not duties. Your work history section is a great place to brag about what you’ve done in your career. When you list past roles, don’t simply include a bland list of your past responsibilities. Instead, list your successes and what you’ve been able to accomplish in past roles and with previous employers. Bonus points if you can include numbers to help quantify your accomplishments.
- Make connections. This increases your online network and the possibility you’ll be noticed by employers or recruiters. Search for colleagues within your current or past company and ask to connect. You can also get strategic by making connections with professionals in companies for whom you may want to work in the future.
- Collect recommendations. If you’ve ever shopped online and carefully considered reviews, you’re more than familiar with the power of recommendations. The words of others make a big difference in the professional impression you’re able to impart upon visitors to your LinkedIn profile. Ask connections with whom you’ve worked to write endorsements you can share on your page. A good plan is to ask someone for a recommendation immediately after they’ve offered you praise in the workplace.
- Update frequently. So you don’t lose track, make updates to your LinkedIn profile every month or so. Check in regularly as you gain new skills and complete new projects to be sure your profile reflects everything you’re all about!
In search of something new?
Once your profile is spruced up and ready to go, you may find yourself wondering, “What’s next?” And that’s where the partnership of a recruiter can come in. If you’re in search of a new job in the e-commerce industry, let Jarvis Cole help! To learn more, contact us today!