Given the current Global COVID-19 Crisis, there have been industries hit harder than others. As devastating as that is, there are still organisations/industries operating as per normal albeit remotely and open job vacancies still exist. However, with an increase in the number of people looking for work, it is now more important than ever to stand out from the crowd.
In addition to applying on job boards, there are several ways of being found by companies and recruitment professionals by creating profiles through online platforms such as Seek and LinkedIn. Here are five tips to improve your chances of being found.
1. Updated resume/CV.
With your online profiles especially with online job boards like Seek, I highly recommend uploading an up to date resume. Delete any old versions of an old profile to avoid any confusion. Before you upload a resume, use ‘F7, Spell Check’ and double-check that you have everything updated; about me, company names, job titles, correct employment dates, responsibilities, systems, projects, and achievements.
2. Enter all your information
Your online profile should act as a snapshot of you and your professional career. Remember, this is a first impression before your resume is even viewed. Outline what companies you have worked for, in what industries, your positions (including promotions) and showcase any achievements. Also, include a professional picture on your LinkedIn profile; it makes a massive difference and will create more traffic.
As an example, let’s set up my current role on LinkedIn.
Enter my job title, the correct date of employment and link in my company profile so it shows the company brand, and a link to their LinkedIn page. In the text boxes provided, type in what you are responsible for in the business (you could copy key responsibilities and achievements from your resume as a time saver).
How it looks:
As Senior Consultant at Troocoo, I look after… I specialise in… I work across these roles/industries etc.
Achievements:
I have implemented a system, increased revenue by X% and reduced costs by doing this, etc.
3. Utilise additional fields
These fields are often overlooked but can make you appear when specific searches are conducted. On most online profiles, there are additional fields to select from. These fields can include career history, notice period/availability, full/part-time, location, jobs interested in, education, etc.
For example on my Seek profile - let’s assume I was open to any work type, I can start ASAP, I drive and live Brisbane’s South and I’m an Australian citizen. Selecting these preferences, this is how my Seek profile would view on a search:
FullTime, PartTime, Contract (open to these work types) | Available Immediately (can start ASAP) | Brisbane, Gold Coast (can travel to businesses in Brisbane or Gold Coast) | Yes to ‘Right to Work in AU’.
4. List systems
Across any profession in the modern workplace, we are exposed to a variety of systems/software packages. I have clients who specifically ask for prior system knowledge (i.e. SAP or MYOB) so if I conduct a search for that system, profiles that have the system listed will populate my results.
Back to my LinkedIn profile as an example, it should appear as below:
Senior Consultant
Troocoo (company page linked)
Oct 2017 - Present (correct dates)
Brisbane, Australia (correct location)
As Senior Consultant at Troocoo, I look after… I specialise in… I work across these roles/industries etc.
My Achievements:
I have implemented a new system, increased revenue by X% and reduced costs by doing this etc.
Systems Used:
MS Excel, SAP, Xero, Citrix, C#, Javascipt, Adobe Suite, AutoCAD.
So if I now search for any of the above systems, as they are in my profile, I am now visible in that search.
5. Keep your profile up to date and remain online
I understand not everyone is proactively searching for new roles at the moment but it is good practice and good self-branding to have your profiles up to date. The short time spent doing it right will definitely help in the future. And finally, you should log in to your profiles regularly so you can stay connected and check for any unread messages.
I hope these tips do help in improving your online profiles. Any questions, you can email me at sam.wood@troocoo.com and I would be happy to provide any support that I can during this time.