If you’re actively seeking a new career challenge in accountancy and finance, LinkedIn could be the perfect place to find it. The professional networking platform has almost 740 million users worldwide, andover 90% of recruitersuse LinkedIn as part of their hiring process.
To attract your dream employer though, it isn’t enough to simply be on LinkedIn. You need to optimise your profile and learn how to use the platform to your advantage as a candidate.
Not sure where to start? Here are some essential tips to bear in mind:
Make yourself searchable
Recruiters and employers make use of LinkedIn’s search tools when sourcing potential candidates. If they’re out there looking, you need to make sure you can be easily found. This means:
- Using a standardised job title– one that describes what you actually do and is in line with industry-standard search criteria. Avoid ‘fun’, vague or overly descriptive job titles at all costs.
- Picking out the key skills and qualifications that employers will be searching for– again, these need to use standardised, easily searchable terms.
Keep your profile up to date
Your LinkedIn profile should include every piece of important information an employer or recruiter could need. This means a profile statement that really ‘sells’ your skills and experience, an uploaded CV and a full timeline of work and experience. You can even add case studies, testimonials and portfolio work.
With your profile statement, don’t be afraid to give it a little personality. This can help you stand out, and help the recruiter to get to know you a little. But remember that you only have a matter of seconds to impress, so keep it snappy, dynamic and concise.
Remember to check your employment history timeline for any suspicious-looking gaps or discrepancies, as these can be off-putting. And for a finance role, a professional-looking headshot is usually a better choice than a Facebook-style ‘candid’ photo.
Embed a video
LinkedIn allows you to embed videos in your profile, so why not take advantage of this feature? A video can help an employer to get to know you, and give you the perfect platform to talk about your skills and expertise. This could be a smart way to get an edge on your competition.
Be active
To get yourself noticed among the millions of job-seeking finance professionals on LinkedIn, become an active member of the community.
Feel free to post, to share your professional expertise and start some conversations. And join in discussions elsewhere, commenting on and sharing posts from others in your field. Think of it as virtual networking. You just never know whose timeline you’ll pop up on, and what that could do for your career.
Set your ‘open to work’ status
Last but not least, you need to shout it from the rooftops that you’re open to new opportunities. You can do this easily by setting your ‘open to work’ status on LinkedIn to ‘actively looking’. Just make sure you include the details of the kinds of jobs and locations you’re interested in. Remember – recruiters don’t like to waste time.
If you’re currently employed and don’t want to alert your boss to your intentions, you can also adjust the settings so that your status is only viewable to licensed LinkedIn recruiters.
Need help finding the perfect opportunity? Get in touch with our expert finance and accountancy recruiters here at Sewell Wallis.
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