During your job search, the most important goal is to stand out from your competition. This can be a tough objective--especially on LinkedIn, where there are hundreds or thousands of candidates vying for similar positions.
How can you rise above the masses? Here, we'll look at a common social media profile problem that will get you lost in the shuffle, and how you can fix it and get noticed on LinkedIn.
Creative, motivated½and other keyword don'ts
The keywords you use on LinkedIn help recruiters and employers find your profile and learn more about you. However, too many job searchers overuse the same keywords, believing they're showcasing their qualifications--when they may actually be turning off employers.
Terms like "creative" and "motivated" are subjective: opinion, rather than provable fact. Because you are the author of your LinkedIn profile, any subjective keywords you include are self-opinion. This can give potential employers the wrong impression--that you have an inflated ego, and therefore will be difficult to work with.
Other subjective keywords you should avoid include effective, organizational, innovative, track record, extensive experience, analytical, problem solving, and responsible.
How to improve your profile--and your employability
Objectivity, or the ability to assess things without the influence of your personal opinion, is a key trait of the personal branding you need in your job search. Your LinkedIn profile should remain as objective as possible. So, the first step is to comb through your profile and remove all those subjective keywords.
What should you replace them with? Your accomplishments are the most compelling and convincing aspects to include on LinkedIn. Detail your experience on projects and through previous employment with statements that objectively explain your skills and qualifications.
For example: Instead of saying, "I have strong problem-solving skills," you might state, "I've worked with more than 50 clients to solve implementation issues that affected performance in their workplace."
When it comes to your LinkedIn profile, numbers and proven results count. By offering employers and recruiter's objective, verifiable information about your skill set and qualifications, you'll set yourself apart from the masses of creative, motivated, problem-solving candidates and give yourself a competitive edge in your job search.
If you are looking to place yourself in one of the top jobs in the Houston, TX area, contact Clearpoint today!
Here are just a few of the “hot jobs” Clearpoint is working on this week. Please apply for anything that is a fit for your skills and experience, and as always please feel free to share with your networks.
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