It is highly likely you have heard that modern job seeking for a corporate career requires use of LinkedIn. With its hundreds of millions of profiles, it can be easy to get lost in the crowd. Eager users resort to a range of creative tactics to make their profiles stand out. While innovative differentiation is ideal in a job search, some strategies are a fast track to limiting your career options. Here are three of the most treacherous LinkedIn profile pitfalls to avoid.
[See: 10 Ways Social Media Can Help You Land a Job.]
No Picture or That ‘Worse Than Not Having a Picture’ Picture. It has never been easier to take and post a profile photo that makes a prospective employer more likely to want to call you. Really, all you need is a friend to hold the smartphone, good lighting, a solid background and the top half of you interview-ready. If your friend has Portrait Mode on their phone, you may not even need the lighting or the background. If you do not post a picture, you scare employers into thinking how you appear is worse than any selfie you can post. LinkedIn stats confirm that having a photo increases engagement by 22 percent. Why would you want to miss out on that? In general (and in hiring), recruiters avoid what they cannot see.
Some pictures are actually worse than not having a picture. The worst offense may be the smooch selfie taken when you should be driving. First, you are breaking the law (and make the drivers around you nervous). But more importantly, it is usually not the content of the picture that raises concern — it is your judgment. To determine the most ideal picture for pursuing a corporate role, look at the profile pictures of employees at your favorite company, the “Our Team” section on their website and any recruiting materials they may have. It is not about perceived attractiveness. Your choice in picture conveys if you have a realistic sense of how to look in a professional environment. If you don’t take the time to represent yourself appropriately in your profile, a recruiter has to question what other areas will be overlooked as well.
[See: Don’t Be That Guy (or Gal): 8 Networking Turn-Offs.]
The Grandiose Headline. I watched a presentation recently, facilitated by a marketing leader at LinkedIn and a leading analyst on marketing strategy. The two were discussing the proliferation of people on LinkedIn professing that they are “marketing storytellers.” Both experts agreed that being a “storyteller” is a title used when others praise your work and contribution — not something you claim about yourself. This stands true for many grand titles that users give themselves. When you give yourself an extreme title, you are inviting a hiring authority to either dismiss you or to challenge your accomplishments to see if there is merit. Most hiring stories do not begin with either of those paths. Stick to things that you do and value that you bring. Let others give compliments of “expert” or “storyteller” in your LinkedIn recommendations.
Keyword Littering. Frustrated job seekers often say they are worried about missing the right keywords in their resume and LinkedIn profile. Yes, it is important to accurately describe your skills and experience using modern and relevant terms. However, if you are unfamiliar with a term or have never heard of it — chances are it is not a skill you possess. Hires do not happen because the right keywords were in a profile. If the recruiter ran a keyword search to find you, she followed this discovery with a review of your work and current employer. If those credentials do not match the hiring criteria, the search ends there. Resist the urge to include a ton of keywords in your summary just to be found.
[See: How to Quit Your Job.]
Leveraging the power of your LinkedIn profile is a must for a modern job search. Do not undo your efforts with inappropriate pictures, exaggerated headlines and overuse of keywords. Recruiters review thousands of profiles in a a week. They are not fooled by tactics and may often be put off. Instead, hiring authorities look for qualified people with whom they would like to work. If you spend your time fully describing your background, skills and qualifications that best match the roles you are targeting and secure some recommendations for all the awesome work you are doing, you will maximize your chances of being found for that next role.
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3 LinkedIn Profile Pitfalls originally appeared on usnews.com
