Since this is the platform where the professionals go, it’s critical that you have your profile set up correctly and that you make sure you are not making the mistakes that are preventing you from getting hired. What are those errors? Keep reading to find out!
1. Typos in Your Profile
We have all been guilty of a typo here and there, but that is why we go back and read what we typed to make the necessary corrections. When you type quickly, a typo is bound to appear sooner or later. A typo is something that should never appear in your LinkedIn profile since it could mean the difference between being contacted or having your profile skipped. I’m sure there is a trustable spell checker you can try to avoid this mistake.
2. Promoting Yourself with Retrospective
It could be tempting to go back in time to promote yourself. It’s possible that you were in charge of a large variety of tasks while you worked as an accounting assistant, but that doesn’t make you an accountant. The people that are looking to hire someone know when something simply doesn’t fit, and you will only get a reputation of being dishonest.
Promoting your title from “Accountant” to “Financial Director” just because you worked for a small company and you were the person with the most rank in the finance department could put your credibility at risk. A small lie here and there could reduce the possibilities of being pre-selected, and if you do get pre-selected, the job interview could be focused on proving that what you put in your profile is true.
3. Quantity Is Not Quality
Remember, LinkedIn is not Facebook. It may seem tempting to connect with as many people as possible, but what is going to help is connecting with people in your industry, profession or sector. Accepting every invitation that comes your way weakens you.
4. Don’t Use Your Vacation Picture in Your Profile
You may be tempted to use your vacation picture for your profile so others can see you’re a down-to-earth person. I’m sure that’s true, but LinkedIn is for professional photos and Instagram for all other kinds of pictures.
Putting a picture of you doing the chicken dance is not going to get you hired. Use professional pictures that cover your head all the way down to your shoulders, and if you’re smiling, it’s even better.
5. Avoid Third Person Talk
Imagine how strange it would be to have a conversation with someone who is always referring to himself in the third person. It’s weird, and it’s also a very common mistake in LinkedIn. Please, avoid this since it is only going to make a possible employer skip your profile.
6. Negative Comments Are Not Going to Help
LinkedIn is not the place to let the world know how much you hate your ex-boss. I’m sure you really deserved that promotion, but posting negative comments in LinkedIn is only going to hurt you. No one likes a sore loser, especially one that makes it public.
7. Not Taking Advantage of the Visuals
Did you know that LinkedIn makes it possible for you to add a background photo so that your profile stands out from the rest? When you add your background picture, make sure it’s big enough so it won’t be pixelated. Don’t forget to also take advantage of the videos, links, photos, presentations and documents the platform has to offer.
8. Not Indicating an Email or Twitter Account
If you make it easier for people to get in contact with you, you’ll stand a better chance at getting hired. Let’s face it, on the Internet we have microscopic patience, and the less we have to do, the better. That’s why you need to make sure that you include every possible social media account possible (Email address included).
9. Not Taking Advantage of the Groups
As shocking as it may sound, there are some LinkedIn users who don’t belong to a single group. If that’s you, it’s time for you to join a group that has to do with your profession. By joining a group, you can send others messages, even if they’re not in your contacts. These groups are nourished by the interesting articles that are shared, but be careful not to publish the same one in various groups since this could be considered spam.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are certain things that just don’t look good, at least on LinkedIn. Are there any other mistakes that were left out? Let us know in the comments.
