The Importance of Keywords in a LinkedIn Profile
Using LinkedIn is an ideal way to connect online with other people in your industry and to even find a new job. When a prospective employer views your LinkedIn profile, it's important that it stands out for the right reasons. Since employers often search for potential employees by keywords, your profile must contain as many of these words as possible.
Other People Are Reading
-
Industry Words
-
When writing your profile, it's important that you include as many industry- and job-specific terms as possible, regardless of what your field of employment is. Many employers will search via keywords related to the position they're looking to fill. If your job involves computers, for example, list all the programs with which you're proficient. This way an employer who searches for the software program's name will be able to find you.
Location Words
-
Having all the right qualifications doesn't mean a thing if you're not in an area close enough for an employer to consider you. In addition to writing keywords specific to your industry, make sure your profile also includes keywords related to your location. This will allow employers to search via industry keyword and location keyword; for example, "C++ programmer Dallas."
-
Personality Words
-
Beyond specific, tangible qualifications, many employers place particular emphasis on personality strengths. If you want your LinkedIn profile to stand out, make sure to include terms such as "punctual," "independent" and other words that describe your work attitude and ethic. Though many people use this sort of wording on their profiles, it's important that yours does, too, in the event an employer searches specifically for one of these traits.
Searching
-
If you're searching for a job for yourself, you can enter keywords that particularly apply to your skill set, location and personality. Just as an employer may find you through these terms, you can also search for a position suitable for you. Likewise, you can also browse other people's profiles by searching for them through keywords. If you can't recall the name of a former colleague, for example, search for the company and the colleague's area of expertise, and you may find her.
-
