Landing the perfect job requires a complete LinkedIn profile

The first improvement you need to make to your LinkedIn to land a job in finance is to ensure your profile is complete. In simple terms, your LinkedIn profile is nothing more or less than your virtual resume. Ask yourself this: would you submit an incomplete resume to an employer? Of course not. So why would you do the same with your LinkedIn profile? Building and maintaining a LinkedIn profile requires attention to detail. Take the time it takes to fill it out properly and put it online only when each section is properly completed. Let's see several ways to improve your LinkedIn profile.

The 8 ways to improve your LinkedIn profile

If you want to make sure you appeal to recruiters, you need to take care of your LinkedIn profile thoroughly. This means that you must not let anything slip by. Fed Finance reviews 8 important points to work on to enhance your profile!

1. Specify and quantify your experience with precision

Let's start with the most important part! Your future employer doesn't know you yet. They don't know what you can do and how much of an "expert" you are in your field. When it comes to your professional experience and knowledge, describe in detail what you have achieved. Provide quantifiable results. If, in the course of your duties, you have directly contributed to increasing sales in your department, highlight your accomplishments, e.g., "helped increase sales by 12% for the first quarter of 201X". It is now possible to add the skills you have developed under each work experience. You can also add media, such as documents, photos, websites, or videos. This is what will make you stand out from other candidates! Don't be stingy when it comes to information about your work: recruiters will be satisfied to know you better through your previous experiences. If you have gaps in your CV, you should know that it is possible to mention them on LinkedIn in the form of a "Professional Break". Don't be ashamed of them and fill them in too! These breaks have an impact on your career: make this impact positive by sharing what you did there.

2. Attach a professional photo to your virtual profile

LinkedIn profiles that display the candidate's photo are viewed more often. So be sure to attach one to yours. But don't attach just any photo. It must be professional and related to the position you are applying for. Leave out distracting accessories or inappropriate clothing. What you can do: Be approachable through your picture: looking confident, you can smile to give off positive energy. Offer a neutral background to avoid drawing attention away from your face. What you should avoid: Don't include a disturbing element in your photo. Recruiters would rather see you in a professional posture than casting a fishing rod! Don't apply a filter to your photo: filters put an extra barrier between you and the recruiter, making you more difficult to see.

3. Don't leave your LinkedIn profile banner empty

Another area not to be neglected on your LinkedIn profile is the one where your banner is located. As one of the first visible elements of your page, it makes your profile more attractive to visitors. In your banner, you can convey a little more of your world, of who you are. The way you fill it in gives some more clues about your personality, your tastes or your know-how. Propose something original, which remains coherent with your professional project. The goal is not to insert a picture of your last vacation in Vermont, because the landscape is pretty! Provide recruiters with an additional reason to be attracted to you.

4. What to put in your LinkedIn profile title

Along with your name, photo and banner, the title of your LinkedIn profile is also one of the first things employers and recruiters look at. It is therefore very important. If you don't optimize it, LinkedIn will default to your name and your current job title. A bit sad, isn't it? So how do you fill it in? Tell recruiters what you have to offer in a few words and be specific. Include your job title, your target industry, and your main keywords. For a finance position, here's an example of a LinkedIn profile title: "Accounts Receivable Manager|Financial Company, International, M&A, Bilingual" is much better than just "Accounts Receivable Manager for Company X". Make the most of it! Are you bilingual? Say so. Want to insert a quality that defines you perfectly in the workplace? Mention it.

5. Customize details with the right keywords

If keywords are important in the title of your LinkedIn profile, they are just as important for the rest! Fill in the Info section with keywords that recruiters or contractors are likely to type in when searching for a candidate for your desired position. Looking to work in the accounting sector ? Gather words that are likely to be related to the accounting lexicon and include them in your LinkedIn summary. Don't forget to mention your soft skills so that recruiters can quickly identify you. Similarly, did you know that you can change the URL of your LinkedIn profile? Instead of a string of letters and numbers without a soul, you can modify it and insert your name and your target position. This adds a keyword to your profile and once again, you stand out!

How do I change my LinkedIn profile URL?

It's easy: click on Edit Public Profile and URL at the top right. On the new page that appears, go again to the top right and click on Edit your personalized URL. Remember to separate each word with a dash -, because the indexing robot will not understand words that are all attached!

6. Take advantage of your network with recommendations

Under the Skills tab (which you filled out very carefully, didn't you?), it is possible to receive Recommendations from members of our network. Do you get along well with your current manager? Have you worked closely with certain colleagues? Feel free to ask for and provide recommendations to enhance your profile. Recommendations allow you to emphasize your advantages, and to bring an outside eye to your profile for those who visit it. The goal is not to ask for friends' opinions only, but to collect valuable data about you. The more referrals you have, the better your profile will look!

7. The importance of posting, sharing and commenting on LinkedIn

Candidates who stand out are also those who frequently post content on their LinkedIn profile. Publishing content regularly shows that you are actively engaged. To that end, post, share and comment on content related to your industry. Be sure to keep it strictly professional, as employers and recruiters have access to this material. While this may be akin to hiring discrimination, you'd be taking risks by posting your political beliefs, losing your cool, or openly criticizing the work practices of others, for example. Being fake is not the answer either. You can be yourself and still choose to keep any opinions that might discredit you to yourself. LinkedIn remains a professional social network, unlike Facebook for instance, where you can act as you wish.

8. Translate your LinkedIn profile to French

One option on LinkedIn is to translate your profile into another language. It may be a good idea in the finance field to consider translating your English profile into French as well, or any other language you are comfortable with that would be a plus for your profile.

Choosing the right recruiter: an essential addition to LinkedIn for a job in finance

Improving your LinkedIn profile is a good way to get on the radar of employers and recruiters. LinkedIn is a powerful social network that allows thousands of potential candidates to stand out and find their ideal job. Fed Finance offers excellent job openings in the financial field. With its excellent placement service, the company enables professionals seeking employment to reach new heights. Your ideal job exists and is closer than you think. Contact Fed Finance to land it.