By Ragoo Raghunathan
If you have been recently laid-off, furloughed or are just making a career transition, I would highly recommend creating a LinkedIn profile if you don’t already have one. It is pretty easy. Once you make a profile, start making those connections and expand your network.
A friend of mine asked me, “Why do I need a LinkedIn profile? I am sending them my CV, why can’t they just see my CV and hire me for what I am?”
The answer is simple. Before they read your CV, the employer wants to see your profile and see who you are connected to, do you have common connections, what are your affiliations, how do you present yourself professionally, endorsements and skills etc. Most of the time, who you know becomes more important than what you know. It doesn’t matter if you are not directly connected to someone at the organization where you hope to get a job. You just need an indirect connection to someone who is. If you have connections that can get you closer to a recruiter or a hiring manager, use them.
On LinkedIn you can pretty much build your professional brand and let the profile do the talking for you. It is imperative to include all the key words that may appear in a job description that you are trying to match with, in your profile.
Most employers nowadays are advertising their job openings on LinkedIn since they already are on it and that’s where all the candidates are. Most of these jobs allow you to apply directly by clicking on a button, where it sends the employer a link to your profile. And just imagine if your profile is incomplete, you are at a disadvantage off the bat. Especially if you are seriously looking for a job now, unless you have the most sought-after skills, you may see yourself applying to tens if not hundreds of positions before you secure one. It makes it way easier to apply if you have an updated profile on LinkedIn.
Once you are ready with an updated profile, there is an option to export your profile in a pdf format, or even build a resume. If you click on the ‘More…’ button in your profile page you have these options. That comes in handy.
If you are a 1st connection of mine, I have made my connections on LinkedIn visible to you via my profile (www.linkedin.com/in/ragoo). I encourage everyone to do the same, however big or small your following. It costs nothing and can positively change the life of another beyond measure, especially during these COVID times.
When you are thriving in the world you don’t stop to look down. You stop to help others get up!
It’s all about networking online and especially on LinkedIn. Good luck.
