When tech recruiters search for open positions, the first thing they do is head to LinkedIn to search the more than 900 million users and 58.4 million companies.
Want to get your profile to appear at the top of their list? This blog will explore how tech recruiters use LinkedIn, top tips from ClearBridge recruiters, and how to optimize your profile.
How Tech Recruiters Use LinkedIn
Recruiters rely on LinkedIn as a search engine, finding the right fit for open positions by using filters, such as job title, location, years of experience, skills, and keywords. This is especially important in tech roles, as recruiters do specific searches for technology systems and if you don’t list a technology, you might be overlooked. The filters can further narrow down candidates who are open to work, more likely to respond, or have applied in the past.
Top Tips
Keep Your Profile Up to Date
“Even if you’ve been with the same company for a long time, make sure to update any title changes/promotions you may have received, and update any new or relevant technology you’ve been working with, especially if it’s something brand new and cutting edge that not many people have worked on yet,” says Mike Ludwig, Principal Recruiter for ClearBridge. “If you’re adding a new job or even just a new title, make sure to put the date you finished your last position, so it doesn’t look like you’ve been working two jobs for the last x number of years.”
Make Sure Your Profile Matches Your Resume
ClearBridge Principal Recruiter, Tim McGeown advises candidates to ensure everything in the profile matches up to their resume: “When dates/titles/responsibilities don’t match up, it’s a big red flag for recruiters.”
Open to Work
If you’re actively seeking a new opportunity, set your profile to Open to Work. This will help recruiters know with a quick glance that you’re looking for a new position. ClearBridge Senior Technical Recruiter, Erik Faass adds “When selecting the Open to Work tab, it’s helpful to recruiters if you add specifics of what you’re looking for in your next job opportunity: contract/FTE, position, location, etc. If you’re relocating to a new area, be sure to put the new location on your profile. Recruiters are actively searching on location in addition to skill set.”
Turn on Notifications
ClearBridge Senior Technical Recruiter, Andrew Light reminds candidates to use all the tools that LinkedIn offers to job seekers, the most important being to turn on your notifications so you can quickly learn when a recruiter reaches out.
Optimize Your Profile
Create a Custom Profile URL
Having a custom profile URL looks more professional, helps recruiters identify your profile quickly, and can improve your profile’s rank when members are searching.
Profile Photo
A good photo, appropriate for a professional platform, increases the credibility of your profile. Members with profile photos receive more profile views, messages, and connection requests.
Your photo should be:
- Only you
- From the shoulders up
- In focus
- Well-lit
- Recent
- Taken in front of a simple background
- Without filters
Cover Photo
A nice-to-have feature – it’s a great place to share something that represents your interests. Keep the size to 1128 x 191 pixels for best viewing on any device.
Headline
Your LinkedIn headline should include your job description beyond your title. What is your experience level, relevant specializations, and specific expertise? What are the problems you solve and the solutions you provide?
As your headline is keyword searchable, make sure you include terms to help tech recruiters find you.
Summary
In your LinkedIn Summary, you can connect the dots of your work history and sell yourself. Tell your story. Why do your skills matter and how do you make a difference?
Experience
When looking at LinkedIn profiles, ClearBridge Technical Recruiter Eva Notter focuses on keywords to find the right fit. Just listing a job title with no description of job duties makes it difficult for that profile to come up on the search. Make note of the language used in job descriptions that interest you and leverage common language in your profile.
Make sure job titles and descriptions of job duties are clear and concise and contain technical keywords that recruiters can search to find your profile. For example, a QA Analyst should list testing tools, such as SOAP UI.
ClearBridge Delivery Team Lead, Corey Bouvier recommends job seekers list actual projects at each position and note where and when they were completed: “If you launched a brand new EHR system or E-Commerce platform, make sure that information is not only included in your profile but where and when you did the project.”
Recruiters are more interested in what you are currently doing or have recently done, rather than a role from ten years ago. If you are a recent grad or student, include internships and volunteer work. If you don’t have a current job title, use a career-related description (i.e., Experienced Site Architect, Network Administrator, Systems Engineer with 10+ years’ Experience).
Skills
Utilize the Skills section to showcase your abilities. List areas of expertise, tools, and technologies. Don’t leave out soft skills, such as remote working or management experience.
List your skills in order of importance and consider removing skills you don’t want to work with.
Accomplishments
In the Accomplishment section, list courses, certifications, major projects, awards, etc. Add anything that is measurable and quantifiable, focusing on specific results and positive impact.
Connections
Your connections tell a recruiter how active and engaged you are within your community. Recruiters can specify degrees of connection in their search, so the more connections you have, the more likely you’ll have a 2nd-degree connection and will appear higher in their search rank.
An optimized LinkedIn profile is vital to ensure you stand out to tech recruiters. By following these tips, you can increase your chances of getting noticed and getting hired.
Ready for your next job opportunity? Contact a ClearBridge Technology Group recruiter today!
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