Nowadays, new graduates are ready to use various platforms to capture job opportunities. LinkedIn is also a popular choice for job searches as well as professional connections. LinkedIn career expert Blair Decembrele says there are 20 million jobs available on the platform. Although there are many opportunities, Blair invites new graduates to reflect on what their career goals are.
In addition, he also explains common mistakes on LinkedIn profiles. These mistakes, even if they are trivial, can easily reduce the chances of new graduates looking for work.
Here are three LinkedIn profile mistakes for recent graduates who are looking for work.
1. Forgetting Basic Information
Blair calls a LinkedIn profile a first impression in the professional world. It is also hoped that LinkedIn profiles will be made as complete as possible so that job seekers are not confused.
A number of important information that should be on your LinkedIn profile, namely a clear profile photo, name of university, department, and organizations or voluntary activities that have been participated in.
"Professionals who write the name of the university get 10 times more profile visits than those who don't. In addition, profiles with photos get 21 times more visits than those who don't," explained Blair.
Another important thing is not to post unclear and unprofessional profile photos. One photo that is not recommended is a photo of a pet.
2. Less Summary Writing
Apart from writing about internship and volunteer experiences, Blair said that writing a detailed profile summary also has its own value.
"Think of it as your support. There are lots of places on your profile that you can use to describe your experience and describe your activities. However, a summary is a great opportunity to describe the type of position you are looking for and about who you are as an experienced professional," explains Blair.
He suggests using 40 or more words in the summary to increase the chances of users appearing in searches.
3. Forgot to activate the job search feature
LinkedIn users don't need to blatantly write that they're looking for work. Because, LinkedIn has a special button so that job recruiters know that you are looking for work.
To do this, click "settings & privacy" then search for "let recruiters know you're open" then activate that button. That way, recruiters can see the location of the job seeker, previous work experience, and the type of job that is being sought.
Another suggestion is for recent graduates to keep their appearance simple while emphasizing what unique experiences they can bring to job seekers.
Source: liputan6.com