Like most forms of social media, Linkedin can be used as a tool to market yourself. Think of your Linkedin profile as an information hub for recruiters and employers looking for unique talent. In fact, 87% of recruiters reported that Linkedin was an effective tool to help vet candidates during the hiring process.

So how do you tailor your Linkedin profile to catch the attention of employers and/or recruiters in Hong Kong? As a recruitment company in Malaysia, we’ve seen our fair share of good and bad Linkedin profiles. If you’re looking to stand out from the crowd, we’ve got some tips for you below! 

1. Complete Linkedin Profiles  

You should always think of your Linkedin profile as an online resume. And there’s no better way to get rejected other than submitting incomplete resumes in. The same theory applies to most dating websites too!

When a recruiter looks at your Linkedin profile, they want to know both your work and educational history, as well as your work experience and accomplishments. Without a complete resume, the recruiter won’t be able to grasp your full career history. Which might lead the opportunity away from you.

Keep your Linkedin profiles updated! Simple measures such as forgetting to update the end dates of jobs or even spelling mistakes could make a recruiter skip your resume. 

2. Your Headline Isn’t Great 

Your Linkedin headline matters more than you think. If a recruiter chooses to Google your full name, understand that both your location and professional headline will appear under your name. You want to make the most out of your Linkedin headline, so be sure that both the industry you work in and your job function comes across clearly.

Pro-Tip: Whilst recruiters and employers love creative candidates, it’s best to refrain from inserting jargon in your Linkedin headline. Additionally, try not to take your Linkedin headline too lightly. Titles such as, “social media ninja” or “marketing wiz” might not sit well with recruiters from more traditional organizations.

3. Active Profiles 

Imagine you’re browsing through OkCupid or Tinder and you think that you might have found the perfect match. But! Your potential partner isn’t very active on their profile. Making you either refrain from sliding into their inbox or worse…unmatching with them. This is the same idea that recruiters apply when they’re vetting job applicants online. It’s best to keep your profile active during your job search.

Set about 15 minutes aside to read your Linkedin news feed, share and repost content, comment and like interesting posts, each week. It doesn’t take too long and shows the potential employer that you’re actually invested in your professional life.

4. Personal Branding 

Ask anyone how they managed to build a large network and they’ll probably tell you to build your own personal brand. Personal branding and landing a successful job often go hand in hand. However, cultivating a personal brand surrounding your current organization can hurt your future job chances.

When you brand yourself too closely to the job, recruiters and hiring managers might think that you’ll be less interested in new job opportunities. Or switching to a new company. Try presenting yourself in a neutral way (e.g. make your Linkedin profile picture background neutral). Or try creating your own articles, blog posts, and statuses without mentioning your company.

Pro-Tip: Another way to brand yourself for free on Linkedin is by creating your own customized Linkedin URL. This makes it easier for recruiters to look you up. Having a personal URL also makes you more memorable, instead of just having a string of random numbers and letters. 

5. List Your Contact Information

If you’re job hunting, it’s best to treat each and every part of your Linkedin like a resume. One thing many job seekers fail to include in their Linkedin profile (when they’re job hunting), is their contact information.

If you’re uncomfortable with having your phone or mobile number accessible online, consider including your email address instead. That way, you can vet through any unsolicited offers without pressure.

Pro-tip: You want to make your contact information as clear as possible. As a recruitment company in Hong Kong, we’ve seen many Linkedin profiles. As such, we recommend including it in your Linkedin’s summary. It’ll be the first thing a recruiter sees, and trust us, it’ll stick. 

6. Make Your Linkedin Profile Public 

There are times when we’ve come across a profile that seems to advertise an ideal candidate. Unfortunately, the candidate has decided to keep their profile information locked behind a private account.

A public Linkedin profile allows you to be viewed by a broader audience, whether or not you’re “connected” to them on the website. If you’re uncomfortable with having everything on display, Linkedin allows you to hide certain information from the public’s eye.

Although, as a recruitment company in Hong Kong, we highly recommend keeping everything accessible and on display when you’re a fresh graduate or someone relatively new in their career field. 

7. Engage With Your Dream Company on Linkedin 

One way to put yourself in the good books of recruiters is by engaging with your ideal company on Linkedin. Contributing to group discussions or sharing videos posted by your dream organization is a great way of gaining exposure.

You should also follow other similar companies or join groups to learn more about the industries’ latest updates. By participating and pitching your ideas in Linkedin groups on a regular basis, allows you to gain exposure to some of the leading people within the industry.