If you hop on a free 30-minute discovery call with me, you’ll have plenty of time to ask me anything. Although each person’s remote job search is unique, I still get a lot of FAQs. One of which is: 

Can you search for remote jobs on Linkedin? 

And, my answer is always: Heck yes you can! 

Not only can you use the world’s most popular professional networking site to find remote work, you absolutely SHOULD be searching for remote jobs on LinkedIn. 

Here’s why. 

A Lot Of People Get Hired on LinkedIn

A quick google search and you’ll find that LinkedIn is a big player when it comes to hiring. And, while you may be accustomed to job search sites like Indeed, Career Builder, or Monster, LinkedIn is a valuable resource too.

But it’s not just the job ads specifically listed on LinkedIn that you should go after. There are also job openings that are never listed.

“Say, what?!?!” 

It’s true. According to numerous studies and surveys, between 70 and 80 percent of jobs are never advertised. Instead, these jobs are filled via word of mouth and referrals. 

So, how do you tap into this ‘hidden job market’? 

You network. And what’s the largest site for professional networking? LinkedIn! To date, more than 575 million people use LinkedIn to connect and create a professional network. 

Networking On LinkedIn For Remote Jobs 

Local networking events are great if you’re looking for a local job. But, what if you’re on the hunt for a cubicle-free career path?  

As a remote job seeker, the hiring process is done virtually. Submitting your resume, interviewing and even onboarding is all done online.

It goes without saying, then, that all your remote job search networking will be done virtually too. 

That’s where LinkedIn comes into play. 

Find Remote Jobs Via Networking On LinkedIn 

A little bit later, I’ll share a video to show you how to actually search for jobs on LinkedIn. But before we get to that, let’s talk about networking on LinkedIn so you can find all of those never-advertised leads. 

It all starts with a stellar LinkedIn Profile. 

The Basics Of A Great LinkedIn Profile

On LinkedIn, your profile is what other people will see before they even connect with you. A powerful LinkedIn profile makes all the difference in whether or not someone will want to connect with you or completely ignore your request. 

Your profile is broken down into 6 major parts: 

1. Profile Picture
2. Headline
3. Summary 
4. Skills 
5. Experience
6. Education

Pictures Are Important

LinkedIn profiles with a picture receive about 21 times more views and 36 times more messages. 

Does this mean you need to run out right now and hire a professional photographer to give you just the right headshot? 

Nope. You don’t.

A simple headshot taken in good lighting on your iPhone will do the trick too. The point is, a picture is important. Don’t use an old, outdated photo or one of you a little tipsy at last year’s office party.

Keep it simple with a forward-facing headshot in front of a clean background. That’s it. 

Your Headline 

By default, your headline will be your current job title. You don’t have to keep it.

Instead, I suggest you change your headline to the job you hope to get.

For example, if you want to become a remote customer service professional, then your headline can read: 

Customer Service Professional Providing Virtual Support 

Remember, don’t make a LinkedIn profile mistake and get cutesy with your headline. Use actual job titles in your headline, i.e., Administrative Assistant, Project Manager, Technical Support Representative. Stay away from creative titles like Customer Happiness Associate, Support Rockstar, Project Management Ninja, etc. 

Recruiters on LinkedIn are searching for people with common job titles. As such, LinkedIn places a lot of weight on what your profile headline says when deciding whether or not to show your profile in searches! 

Remote Job Search Summary 

Here’s a chance to tell your professional story. You don’t have to write a novel (unless you’re a novelist) but you should aim for three to five solid paragraphs here. 

If you capture someone’s attention with your headline and profile picture, they’re likely to read your summary next. This is where you can let your personality shine.

It’s best to have a beginning, middle, and end to your summary. I suggest you start with how your career began. Then, address where you are now. Finally, finish with where you hope to go in the future. 

People like to see progress (especially hiring managers). So, show them your career progression in a start-to-finish summary.

Highlight Your Remote Skills 

We all have a number of hard skills and soft skills to our names. LinkedIn offers a place for you to highlight those which are important to your chosen career path. As you start to type in various skills, LinkedIn will offer suggestions.

Remember to include common skills and traits employers look for in remote workers! 

Your Work Experience 

Like your resume, LinkedIn has a place for you to include your work history. Here, you can add all the companies you’ve worked for and previous job titles held.

Make sure you include quantifiable achievements at work like “increased customer retention rates by 5% month over month” or “exceeded monthly sales objectives by 10% on average each quarter.” 

Hiring managers want to know what you can do for them. The best way to show them is by highlighting your past accomplishments with concrete numbers. 

Include Your Education (If Applicable)

If you went to college, great! This is the place to put your alma mater. This section is optional, of course. If you have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, you can choose to highlight it here. If not, you can leave out the education section altogether. 

Start Connection & Networking 

Now that your LinkedIn profile is in tiptop shape, it’s time to start networking. 

When it comes to networking on LinkedIn, remember it is not a numbers game. You can have 500+ connections and an equal number of endorsements but get very little traction in your remote job search. 

That’s why it’s important to focus on quality connections over quantity.

Find Relevant Professionals

To do this, focus on people that are in job positions that you want. Ask those professionals in job titles you’re after for informational interviews. They can provide tons of insight AND become a potential referral for future job openings. 

Follow Remote-Friendly Companies

Don’t forget to follow remote-friendly companies on LinkedIn. This way you can more easily find current employees working there and be the first to know when new job openings are posted. 

Use LinkedIn Groups 

Get active in LinkedIn Groups! Find groups related to your industry or profession. Then, get social!

Don’t be self-promotional or spammy. Instead, offer great advice, answer questions, and share great content. You’ll naturally accrue contacts this way that can lead to future (unadvertised) job leads.

Search For Remote Jobs On LinkedIn 

We’ve looked at how to tap into the ‘hidden job market.’ Now, let’s discuss how to conduct a remote job search on LinkedIn. 

I could write another 1,000 words on this or I can show you a quick video. If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably ready for a reading break, so video it is:

Call In Backup

As a Certified Professional Career Coach & Forbes Coaches Council Member, I specialize in helping job seekers kick their cubicles to the curb. That includes writing knockout LinkedIn profiles that are fully optimized to impress both search engines and hiring managers.

If LinkedIn is not your forte, that’s okay. Let me take over your profile for you. It’s one of my most popular career coaching services and can lead to tons of job search success.

Learn more about my services and schedule a free 30-minute discovery call today.

Happily,

Ashlee Anderson, CPCC

The post Can You Search For Remote Jobs On Linkedin? (Yes, You Can. Here’s How.) appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

Job searches are tough. Remote job searches are even more tedious. When you start your remote job search, you probably have questions like: 

• Which companies actually hire? 
• What kind of jobs are out there? 
• Where can I find legitimate leads? 
• How do I know if something is a scam? 

And that’s just in the beginning. Once you start your job search, more questions come up as you try to navigate the virtual hiring process. 

The good news is, there are steps you can take to turn your job search from exhaustive to effortless thanks to LinkedIn. When you use LinkedIn the right way, your remote job search suddenly gets a lot easier (and actually kind of fun). 

What’s So Great About LinkedIn? 

It’s no secret that LinkedIn is a powerhouse platform for professionals. This networking site is responsible for 122 million interviews and 35.5 million job offers every year. Impressive, right? 

It goes without saying, if you’re not on LinkedIn you’re missing out on connections that can lead to your next job.

But, figuring out LinkedIn isn’t exactly a walk in the park. In fact, it can be downright difficult to write a powerful LinkedIn profile that gets the right kind of attention. 

Fortunately, LinkedIn has a few features that makes it easy for recruiters to know you’re in the market for a new job AND that you want to work remotely. First up is Open Candidate. 

What Is Open Candidate? 

Open Candidate is a relatively new feature on LinkedIn. Simply put, it’s a preference you can enable within your LinkedIn profile. When you turn on Open Candidate, you tell recruiters that you’re interested in new work opportunities and that you welcome the chance to speak with them. 

What’s more, you can set Open Candidate preferences — one of which is remote work. Think of Open Candidate as your remote work bat signal that’ll send recruiters running your way. As a bonus, this feature is confidential. That is, your current connections or employer won’t know you’re actively seeking out new remote-friendly positions. 

After you enable Open Candidate and set your preferences within it, you can use another small but powerful LinkedIn feature to make your job search easier – Job Alerts. 

What Are Job Alerts on LinkedIn? 

Job Alerts are exactly as they sound — emailed alerts from LinkedIn when jobs are posted that meet your preferences. In this case, job alerts can be created by location, keyword, job title, company or any other job search you conduct. 

So, let’s say you perform a LinkedIn Job Search by location. In this case, you search for “remote” jobs. (As I write this, there are 32,182 active listings on LinkedIn of jobs that are remote-friendly.) Once you perform this search, you have the option of turning on Job Alerts for new jobs that are posted with a remote location. All you have to do is toggle the Job Alert switch on at the top of your screen (as seen below): 

Easy, right? It is. 

Remember, you can create job alerts directly from any searches you perform on the LinkedIn Jobs page. Once you do, new leads will come directly to you. 

I highly recommend you create job alerts specifically for companies that are remote-friendly. Doing so will allow you to take advantage of the next lesser-known but effective trick to easily find new leads on LinkedIn. 

Signal Your Interest To Recruiters At Companies You Created Job Alerts For 

Once you’ve created job alerts for specific companies, you can let recruiters there know you’re interested in speaking with them. 

All you need to do is head into your LinkedIn Settings, navigate to Job Seeking Preferences, and turn this feature on. That’s it. 

After that, LinkedIn will share your interest to those companies you’ve created job alerts for. 

A lot of recruiters like to contact candidates that have an interest in the company they work for. It indicates you’ve done your research on the company and like what you’ve learned. This signals to the recruiter that you’re likely a good fit for the company’s culture and will enjoy working there — two important factors for long-term employment!

Career Coach For LinkedIn Success

Remember, LinkedIn is a powerful tool for professional networking — when used correctly. Once you have your profile perfectly polished, you can use the little-known techniques discussed here to make it that much easier to find remote work.

But, if you’re feeling stuck and need an extra boost, I’m here to help. As a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) and Forbes Coaches Council Member, I know what it takes to get your LinkedIn Profile in front of recruiters. I also specialize in remote work!

Let’s talk! How about a free 15-minute consultation? Grab a time that works best for you below:

I can’t wait to talk to you!

Happily,

Ashlee Anderson, CPCC

The post 3 Underused LinkedIn Techniques That Make It Easy To Find Remote Work appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

All too often, remote job seekers don’t put enough effort into their LinkedIn profiles. They figure it’s not the best place to find telecommute work. But that couldn’t be further from the truth! 

Remember, some 90% of recruiters actively use LinkedIn to fill positions. And, yes, that includes remote work too! To give yourself a chance of getting found, don’t make these common LinkedIn profile mistakes. 

Mistake 1: You’re Using Any Old Headshot 

The biggest of the LinkedIn profile mistakes I see for remote job seekers deals with their profile picture. In today’s world of selfies, it’s all too easy to throw up any headshot with a filter and call it good enough. 

But, in reality, it’s not good enough — especially not for LinkedIn and especially not for remote job seekers. 

Remember, when working remotely, the interview process is typically done virtually too. That is, you won’t get a chance to meet in person, make a great impression, shake hands, or any of the other niceties that come with an in-the-flesh meeting. Instead, your picture is the first (and sometimes only) physical impression you’ll get to make. Needless to say, it needs to be a good one! 

Selfies aside, as a career coach, I see many job seekers use professionally shot photos for their LinkedIn profile pic, like from their wedding day or other special event. Sure, you may look stunning in them, but LinkedIn isn’t the right place to use them. It’s also best to avoid group photos, family vacation shots, party pics, or photos so pixelated that even your BFF couldn’t identify you.

What To Do Instead 

Ideally, you want a LinkedIn headshot that is professional, polished, and clear. Now, this doesn’t mean you need to hire a photographer. In fact, you can DIY your own headshot using your smartphone. 

Tricks To Remember: 

• Lighting is key! If shooting indoor, stand by a window and avoid unnatural or harsh overhead lighting. It will cast dark shadows all over your face.
• Use your camera’s outward facing lens. The backward facing camera is usually better quality than the one in the front. 
• Buy a cheap tripod with remote control. You can find one on Amazon for under $10. 
• Take lots of photos! Don’t be afraid to take dozens and dozens of pics. You’ll have a better chance of capturing the ‘right’ look with multiple photos. 
• Try using video! If possible, shoot a minute long video of yourself. Then go through the video and pull out a frame that’s ultra flattering. 

The best LinkedIn profile pictures are business-y without being too stuffy. So, think of a candid shot of you sitting at a desk or engaging in another line of work. As a remote job seeker, this is important! You want recruiters and hiring managers to be able to “visualize” you at work. A shot of you working in action can do just that! 

Got it? Now go out there and get a better headshot. 

Mistake 2: You’re Not Using Open Candidate 

Another of the major LinkedIn profile mistakes is not using Open Candidate. If you’re not familiar, Open Candidate is a LinkedIn feature that allows you to send a signal to recruiters that says, “Hey, I’m looking for new job opportunities. Feel free to contact me.” 

Think of it as your job search bat signal. 

But, don’t worry, your current employer won’t know. So, if you’re trying to keep your remote job search on the down low, you can still turn Open Candidate on and reap all the networking benefits without tipping off your employer that you’re on the way out. 

Do This Instead: 

If you’re really, truly interested in remote work, it’s in your best interest to enable Open Candidate. Yes, you may end up with inquiries that are of no interest to you, but it can lead to a valuable connection that might be beneficial later on. 

Like it or not, LinkedIn is a professional powerhouse for job seekers. According to JobScan, about 87% of recruiters are actively searching for candidates on LinkedIn. It’s in your best interest to be active and available. Open Candidates is the perfect way to do just that.

As a bonus, you can specify your work preferences via Open Candidates. There’s even a remote work option so you can let it be know that you are most definitely in the market for a telecommuting job. 

Check out the screenshots below to see how to access Open Candidates, enable it, and set your presences accordingly. 

Mistake 3: Your Profile Is Not Keyword Optimized

We know recruiters are searching LinkedIn. To find remote candidates like you, they use keywords. The better keyword optimized your profile is, the more likely you are to show up in results — and, of course, that’s your ultimate goal. 

The problem is, different recruiters use LinkedIn’s search features, well, differently. A hiring manager at a startup might use free advanced filters to find a candidate currently in their network while a large corporation might pay for LinkedIn Recruiter to help find candidates. Plus, LinkedIn’s algorithm factors in a number of different profile sections and user activity to determine who to show in search results. 

If you’re not currently optimized, you’re making one of the major LinkedIn profile mistakes! It also means you are missing out on important connections that can lead to your next job offer. 

But, how do you makeover your LinkedIn profile so it’s search-friendly for both LinkedIn bots and human recruiters?

Do This Instead: 

You want to go through key sections of your profile, one by one. When you optimize these key sections, you give yourself a greater chance of getting found in searches. First up, let’s look at your headline and recent job titles.

Your Headline

LinkedIn places a lot of weight on what keywords you use in your headline and recent job titles. And it makes sense since most recruiters will be searching for individuals with particular experience. As a result, LinkedIn’s algorithm will place your profile higher in searches if your headline and/or job title match the keyword(s) a recruiter is searching for. 

Remember, your headline is the first major thing recruiters see in searches, along with your name and headshot.

You get 120 characters to spell out what you do, who you are, and your areas of expertise — use them wisely! But, keep in mind, you want your headline to reflect the job you want, even if it’s not your current position. 

Your Job Title(s)

Now, your job titles are also important. Again, LinkedIn’s search feature places a ton of value on your recent job titles. So, for example, if you want to get found when a recruiter searches for “graphic designer” on LinkedIn, you’ll have a better chance of showing up if: 

1. Your headline has the term “graphic designer” 
2. Any current or recent job titles has the term “graphic designer” 

Of course, you can’t take creative liberties and call yourself a graphic designer if you don’t have the skillset of one. However, it is an acceptable practice to make changes to your job titles to comply with industry standards.

For example, some companies get unique with their position names. A customer service representative might be called Consumer Hero. But the likelihood a recruiter is searching for “consumer hero” is slim. However, they would very likely be searching for “customer service representative.” In this scenario, it’s okay to tweak the job title. 

Similarly, if you worked in a role that allowed you wear many hats and, along the way, you developed the skills of a particular role without the label, you can call yourself that too. Remember, there are a lot of different job titles that fit a particular skillset! So, if you’ve got the skills and know-how, it’s okay to claim that job title on LinkedIn. It greatly increases your chances of getting found. 

LinkedIn Keywords In Your Summary

Another of the big Linkedin profile mistakes is not using the right keywords. Remember, a recruiter uses LinkedIn differently than you do. They’re continually searching for candidates, like you. And to do that, they use keywords. To get yourself seen in these searches, you need to identify and use those keywords throughout your profile. But, how do you find the right keywords to use in your profile? 

We know that keywords in your headline and job title(s) have the greatest weight, but there are only so many you can include in these spots. Another great spot to bump up your keyword usage is your LinkedIn Summary Section. This is where you get to tell your career story the way you want. 

Where To Find Keyword Inspiration

If you’re struggling to determine what are good keywords for your profile, I recommend browsing remote job listings on LinkedIn that interest you. In these listings, you’ll find all the relevant keywords you can place throughout your profile. Keep in mind, when a recruiter is trying to fill a position, they will often pull keywords directly from the job ad. If you have these keywords in your profile you stand a better chance of coming up in searches.

You Can Fix LinkedIn Profile Mistakes 

It’s easy to talk about what to do with your LinkedIn profile, it’s not always easy to identify LinkedIn profile mistakes. But, if you’re committing any of the errors we’ve discussed today, they might be keeping you from landing the remote work you’re after. 

Remember, your first (and maybe only) impression is your headshot. Make it count! Use Open Candidates to signal to the hiring gods that you are, in fact, looking for work! You can even set preferences that specify remote work options. And, of course, keywords are key!

Just like when you search for something on Google, you go to websites that have the same words in your search query. Recruiters too will only be able to find you based on the keywords in your profile. Be sure to optimize your LinkedIn profile to reflect the job you want (not the ones you’ve held).

Got it? Now you can stop making LinkedIn profile mistakes and start making progress in your remote job search. You’ve got this!

Happily,

Ashlee

P.S. This post contains affiliate links. Check out my disclosure statement to learn more.

The post 3 Common LinkedIn Profile Mistakes (And How To Fix Them Fast) appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.

It’s no secret that LinkedIn is the go-to place for professional networking.

And, as an out-of-the-cubicle thinker, you’ll want to make the most of this powerful social site!

With more than 400 million active users, you can make valuable connections as a remote job seeker looking to kick your cubicle to the curb.  

Once you make the decision to work from home, it’s time to give LinkedIn a second look.

When you take the time to do it right, your LinkedIn profile can help you develop valuable professional connections and allows you to get found by recruiters looking for remote workers. 

Before We Get Started

If you’re not currently active on LinkedIn, that’s okay! It doesn’t take but a few minutes to sign up.

And, if you’re already a LinkedIn member but it’s been awhile since you’ve been active or haven’t optimized your profile, that’s okay too.

We’re going to go through everything you need to do to set up (or revise) a killer profile on LinkedIn.

Establish a Goal for Your Profile

I always talk about the importance of goals as a remote job seeker. Goals give your remote job search a sense of purpose. They also help you track your progress and stay on task.  

Your LinkedIn Profile is no different. Give yourself a specific goal you want your LinkedIn profile to accomplish. Do you want to:

• Get found by remote recruiters?
• Expand your current network?
• Connect with remote-friendly companies?

Not only does your goal give you something to work toward, it helps define your ideal audience. And this is important when it comes to writing your profile.

Identify Your Ideal Audience

Your ideal audience are the people you want to read your LinkedIn profile. If your end goal is to find a remote job, your ideal audience are remote recruiters and hiring managers. Knowing who your audience is means you can write in such a way that you actually attract these people to your profile!

Keep your ideal readers — recruiters and hiring managers — in mind as we work to write your LinkedIn profile.

Step 1: Make a Great First Impression

Now that we know what your ultimate goal is and the audience you want to reach, we can get down to the business of writing a standout LinkedIn profile.

Did you know a whopping 94% of recruiters use LinkedIn to vet candidates? Needless to say, your LinkedIn profile can make or break your chances of getting seen by recruiters in the work-from-home realm. And getting seen all starts with a great headshot.

Your Face Is Your Brand

Whether you like it or not, your LinkedIn profile will first be judged by your headshot. In fact, your profile is 14x more likely to be seen just by having a picture! 

A professional, friendly profile picture signals to others that you are competent which automatically lends credibility to your professional claims. Your headshot is important — especially as a remote job seeker. Your face is your brand!

DIY Advice

If you have the funds to pay someone to take a perfectly professional and polished picture of you, great. Go for it! If not, that’s okay too. You can take the DIY approach and end up with a great shot. 

If you haven’t already, download the LinkedIn App. There’s a built-in photo editor you can use to enhance your profile image. Choose between an image in your phone’s gallery or take a new shot. When starting from scratch, use this great advice for capturing a LinkedIn-profile picture on your own. 

Now there’s no excuse not to ditch your selfie for a professional shot!

Complement Your LinkedIn Profile Picture with a Headline

Along with your profile picture, the first thing people view on your profile is your headline! And while it’s an important piece of your professional puzzle, don’t overthink it. By that I mean, don’t try to be too clever, use buzzwords, or cliches. Instead, make sure your headline clarifies who you are and what you do. You can also use this important piece of LinkedIn real estate to highlight any professional accomplishments or achievements.

Example Headlines for Remote Workers

• E-commerce copywriter who helps small businesses increase their online presence and maximize conversions. Contributor to Business2Community, Huffington Post, and LifeHacker.
• Virtual assistant who helps bloggers and online business owners manage their content marketing strategy and advance their social reach. Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification.
• Social media manager who helps brick-and-mortar stores get found online and make meaningful connections with customers. Social media strategist and professional certification from Emory.

When recruiters are searching for potential hires, they get to see headshots and headlines first, like so:

Make the most of this first impression using your headline and headshot. When you do, you give remote recruiters a reason to actually check out your profile! And that’s where you can really shine as a potential remote candidate — but you have to entice them to learn more about you with your headshot-headline combo first.

The Importance of Keyword Optimization

Throughout this article, I’ll be reminding you about keyword placement within your LinkedIn profile. Why? Your profile is searchable. And because it’s searchable, the right keywords can increase your chances of coming up in both LinkedIn and Google searches — a process called Search Engine Optimization (SEO). 

Anytime you add to your LinkedIn profile, it’s an opportunity to get found. So, always place an emphasis on keywords and phrases your ideal audience may use to find you.

Now, this doesn’t mean you ‘stuff’ your summary (and other parts of your LinkedIn profile) with industry keywords, but you should figure out what relevant keywords are as they pertain to your initial goal and target audience. A good place to find these keywords is on LinkedIn itself.

Go to the “add skills” section of your profile. Start typing in a skill you’d like to highlight and LinkedIn will throw out suggestions. 

For example, in the screenshot above, I typed in the broad term “marketing” to see what types of marketing skills others are searching for. If you’re at a loss for keywords, use this little trick to find ones that best represent your own knowledge. These are the terms and phrases to include throughout your profile so that you are more easily found on LinkedIn.

Step 2: Let Others In On Your Professional Journey

Once you’ve made the right first impression, it’s time to let remote recruiters in on your professional journey. When done right, your LinkedIn profile tells a story of your professional accomplishments, skills, and achievements. Basically, you’ll use your summary and experience sections to tell the story of Y-O-U. 

Use Your Summary Wisely

By nature, we hear the word ‘summary’ and start to think of super condensed renditions of much larger stories. And while that’s true, it doesn’t mean your LinkedIn Summary should be sparse!

When writing your summary, remember to:

• Keep it to 3 to 5 paragraphs
• Be personable
• Write with your target audience in mind
• Use industry-specific keywords

Let Your Personality Shine in Your Summary

Your summary should demonstrate your professional prowess. This is time to toot your own horn! Let recruiters know about your capabilities and credentials. Give them a reason to contact you!  

In reality, you are selling yourself — so don’t sell yourself short. Take the time to think about your professional history. What have you accomplished? What are you great at? What makes you uniquely you? These are the details recruiters want to read about potential candidates, especially remote workers.

Your summary gives recruiters a chance to get a feel for you without having to meet in person. Show them what you bring to the table and why you’d make a great hire. This is truly a chance to show off your personality. For a little inspiration, check out these LinkedIn Summary Examples that deliver the right balance of professional accomplishments with a dash of personality.

Put Your Experience on Display

Remember, along with your summary, your experience section shows remote recruiters you have the practical experience to get the job. This section is pretty self-explanatory! Here you’ll list your work history, starting with the most recent.

Note: Don’t be lazy and only include your current position. Not only does it make it look like you’ve only held down one job, you make it harder for recruiters to find you!

Remember, your LinkedIn profile is searchable. And the more information you include (with relevant keywords, of course), the greater your chances of getting found.

With each job you list, you can include a short description of what you did and accomplished. This is a prime spot to add in those strategic keywords we discussed. 

Step 3: Place Proof In Your Profile

LinkedIn is a social networking site for pros. And like any other social media platforms, a little social proof goes a long way! That’s why another LinkedIn profile must-do, is uploading or linking to work you’ve accomplished! In the experience section, you have the opportunity to literally show your work to others. Do it.

Share a PowerPoint presentation. Link to a blog post. Upload a design you created. Whatever tangible work you’ve done, show it.

For example, I have Freelance Writer listed on my work history. In the screenshot above, you can see I added media links to articles I’ve written. This backs up my claims of being a contributor to certain sites and shows my writing chops to recruiters. 

You’ve Got Skills

LinkedIn has a section devoted entirely to skills. Be sure to include them wisely on your profile. This isn’t the place to stretch the truth, so to speak.

In other words, if you use social media personally but never in a professional role, don’t put social media marketing as a skill on your profile. It’s a fib and, while it may help you get found by remote recuiters, it’s not a claim you can actually back up with experience or demonstrable proof! And by listing skills that you actually have, you’re more likely to get endorsements.

What Are Endorsements?

Remember, we’re aiming to give your LinkedIn profile social proof! Once your profile is published, your connections can see your listed skills and ‘endorse’ them.

When a connection endorses you for a particular skill it’s pretty much cementing your abilities, and makes you more discoverable by recruiters! 

How to Get Endorsements

I don’t recommend asking your connections to endorse you. Instead, go ahead and endorse your connections. Often this will encourage those you endorsed to return the favor.

Remember, as a remote worker the more you can demonstrate your skills, the better you strengthen your personal brand. And a strong personal brand gives remote recruiters confidence in your abilities to get the job done!

Recommendations for More Social Proof

We know social proof is important. Uploading work and getting endorsements are tried and true ways to gain that social proof that is important to make you look like a standout remote candidate. Another way to build a positive reputation on the world’s largest professional networking site is by recommendations.

What Are Recommendations?

Recommendations are simply a way for others to vouch for you. Think of recommendations as personal advocates telling others you are the real deal and worth a second look. Like endorsements, a good way to go get recommendations is to recommend others. 

Above is a screenshot of my friend and fellow work-from-home blogger, Lashay’s, profile. To make a recommendation, simply navigate to a connection’s profile, click those three squares next to their picture, and select recommend. That’s it! The more you recommend, the more likely you’re to be recommended by others.

Step 4: Add Finishing Touches to Make Your Profile Yours

So far we’ve looked at the big sections that recruiters check first and foremost. We’ve also discussed how to put social proof into your profile for added oomph. Now it’s time to put your own finishing touches on your profile to make it yours: 

• Add your college and connect with classmates
• Follow companies you like on LinkedIn
• Join LinkedIn groups that make sense for your interests and industry
• Start connecting with others

These small touches round out your profile and truly make it your own. Give remote recruiters another glimpse into your own personal brand!

Customize Your LinkedIn Url

Another often overlooked place to put a personal spin on your LinkedIn profile is your URL. You’re assigned one by default, but can customize it any way you want.

Doing so gives you even more exposure and makes it easier to get found. For example, I changed my LinkedIn URL to Ashlee-Anderson-Blogger. When someone Googles Ashlee Anderson, chances are my LinkedIn profile will pop up because I have my name is the URL (a big factor in SEO).

Your URL is another place to throw in a keyword you want to be known for. Let’s say you’re a content marketer, you could change your LinkedIn URL to John-Smith-Content-Marketer. 

Put the LinkedIn Profile Tips Together

We’ve reached the end. I know it’s a lot to think about at once. But seriously set aside a couple of hours so you can properly dig into your LinkedIn profile to take it from just OK to networking powerhouse.

A well written profile does a lot of the work for you, and while recruiters, clients and peers won’t necessarily be knocking down your virtual door to get acquainted with you, a well written, optimized LinkedIn profile does go a long way in expanding your network — and this is important! About 70% of jobs on LinkedIn will come from your network.

Let’s Connect!

I too am going through the process of revamping my own LinkedIn profile and connecting with fellow out-of-the-cubicle thinkers. Will you join me? Send me a connection request. I’d love to be a part of your network!

Happily,

Ashlee

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The post How to Write a Powerful LinkedIn Profile to Help You Find a Work From Home Job appeared first on Work from Home Happiness.