Did you know that nearly ninety percent of recruiters use LinkedIn and other online career profile sites in their hiring processes? If you don’t have an online career profile, you are missing out on opportunities to advance your career.
While it’s relatively easy to set up an online career profile, getting the details right takes more effort. Many people make mistakes in creating online profiles that could cost them a job offer.
If you want to avoid making these mistakes, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn four of the most common career profile-building mistakes.
Having an Incomplete Profile
Having complete career profile details shows recruiters that you are professional and put together. It helps them to understand who you are and what your professional goals are.
Create a personal and engaging bio and personal statement. Describe your career journey up to this point and what you’re looking for from the next steps on your path.
Using the Wrong Photo
Choosing profile pictures can be a daunting task, but it’s worth the time and effort. This may be the only chance that a recruiter gets to see what you look like, so it’s worth making this image the best it can be!
If you have the money to spend on professional headshots, do it! A professional photographer is trained to help bring out the best version of yourself on camera. Some even work with hair and makeup stylists so that you don’t have to do any of that work yourself.
You can still get a professional-looking photo, even if you’re on a budget. Make sure that your photo has good lighting and is as clear as possible. Choose a neutral background that won’t distract from your image.
While patterned and colorful clothing can show personality, don’t go overboard. Again, you want your background and your clothing to complement your image, not distract.
You should aim to update your photo every three to five years.
Letting Your Profile Go Out-of-Date
Online career profile design is not a set-it-and-forget-it project. Updating your online profiles is incredibly important to maintaining a consistent and trustworthy personal brand.
Include new accomplishments and job descriptions on your site as they come up. Even if you are not actively job seeking, recruiters can see your profile, and they may pass you by if they can’t see what you’re currently working on.
Taking time to share news and engage in conversation in online professional platforms also shows your network that you are an engaged member of your professional community.
Not Sharing Your Personality
Your online career profile should help recruiters get to know you. How would you present if you were at an in-person event with them? What is your personality like, and what would be their first impression of you?
Try to build the same feeling through your online profile. You should absolutely list your skills and accomplishments, but also put some of your personality into the writing, headline, and bio. Help recruiters get to know the person they want to hire!
If you need an example of what this looks like, check out the online profile of Rick Bowness on The Mollie Plotkin Group website. Plus, if you’re looking for a keynote speaker, you can contact him for his availability!
No More Career Profile-Building Mistakes
And there you have it! Four of the most common mistakes that people make when building their online career profiles. Avoid these common career profile-building mistakes, and you’ll be miles ahead of the competition.
For more business news, take a look at the other articles on our site. We have topics including finance, startups, career advice, and more!
