MANCOSA, a leading management college in South Africa, believes that, when it comes to the ultimate social network for business professionals, LinkedIn is by far the industry giant. If you want to make connections, stay in the loop with others in your field and meet new business partners or mentors, Having a good LinkedIn profile is highly recommended for the ambitious business professional. Find out how you can create a Linkedin profile that will get you hired with these top tips from MANCOSA.
What is Linkedin and why do you need it?
Linkedin is a social network used by business professionals to connect and network. Many people use this online platform to seek out their next job or internship, source a candidate for a job role or keep up to date with the latest industry news. In fact, it’s estimated that 80% of all LinkedIn users cite professional networking as one of the keys to their career success.
How to set up a good LinkedIn profile that will get you noticed
Your LinkedIn is more important than you think. This is a professional landing page to your personal brand so it’s a great way to allow other professionals to see who you are and what motivates or interests you.
It is very easy to set up a Linkedin profile, just follow the easy steps explained when you sign-up. However, MANCOSA recommends adding various sections to your profile that will get you noticed. These include:
- Add a professional photo. Believe it or not, a photo increases the credibility of your profile. Linkedin authorities maintain that profiles with photos get up to 21 times more profile views than those who do not. You could even add a background image to personalise your page.
- Include a stand-out headline. Your headline can be used to promote your specific area of interest or expertise. Let your talents shine through.
- Summary. The About section is important as it allows you to express your motives and skills. This is what recruiters will be looking at initially so make sure you put some time and effort into this one.
- Work and education experiences should be listed succinctly. If you’re a recent MANCOSA graduate and you don’t have much work experience, that’s OK. You can include professional experiences that you believe are relevant to your line of work or the companies you’re interested in.
- Relevant skills. Showcase your abilities by listing the skills you have and, if possible, get your colleagues and networkers to endorse them for added credibility.
How to use the LinkedIn platform properly
Once you’ve set up your stellar profile, you need to start using the platform correctly. When you sign up, ensure that you’re using an email address that you will be checking often. It’s vital that you are responsive to connection requests, messages and job invitations if you want the platform to work hard in your favour. You can also allow LinkedIn to access your email list and suggest connections who are already on the platform. Ideally, the bigger your social network and connections, the more opportunity you’ll have to be recommended for the job of your dreams.
Should you currently be unemployed at the time that you’re setting up your profile, possibly consider options such as “currently considering new opportunities” or “graduate seeking a challenge”. How you present your personal brand is also very important. For example, the best profile photos are always professional headshots and remember to smile!
Add documents outlining your career experience, as well as links to any online portfolios, blogs or websites you may have. Increase your visibility by building out your connections. Add people from the same line of work that are relevant to you and people with whom you work with to your network. Ask for recommendations. One of the best ways to secure these is to actually leave some recommendations of your own first. Then you’re ready to search and apply for jobs in your industry and location using your profile!
Get yourself noticed on LinkedIn
Post status updates and share industry-related content like articles and videos. Also, comment on other people’s posts and content – remaining courteous and professional at all times. This is because the more active you are, the more compelling your professional persona will be to prospective employers. It also shows recruiters that you’re focused and in-the-know in terms of industry news. Always curate the content that you share to ensure its professional and appealing to employers.
Study courses at MANCOSA
MANCOSA has a wide range of qualifications from which you can choose. We cater for both school-leavers and working professionals looking to upskill themselves in order to advance their career path. We also support online study. Accredited degree, diploma and higher certificates, as well as postgraduate programmes are available. The MANCOSA MBA is consistently ranked as one of the country’s top MBA programmes. Browse our full range of programmes to get an idea of what will suit your professional ambitions.