10 tips to make your LinkedIn profile outstanding

The 21st century has blessed us with endless technological advances and at MTS Talent we recognize that staying up to date is crucial for todays survival. Keeping your social media profiles current, professional and intriguing is critical in contributing to your online presence for when hiring managers look you up online. At MTS we encourage our EMPs to keep their LinkedIn profiles in the best possible shape they can, in order to enhance their chances of being hired.

Here are a few insider tips we offer to our EMPs to make sure they stand out and appear professional. We can assure you that applying these tips to your own profile, whether you’re an avid user or more casual – will contribute to your success.

1. Put some thought into your profile picture. Although we don’t like to admit it, people often do judge a book by its cover. Make sure your profile picture is current, professional and recognizable. Blurry pictures taken during your vacation can often give off the wrong impression. A professional headshot will add credibility, recognition and personal appeal to your profile.

2. Apply a background image. This will help hiring manager’s get a better feel for who you are – as well as contribute to self branding. Plus it helps your profile look more complete and inviting.

3. Tailor your profile to contain the key words that are related to the type of roles you want. If you want hiring managers and recruiters to be able to find you via LinkedIn advanced search, it may be a good idea for you to add certain keywords to your profile you would like to be known for.

4. Enhance your summary. How do you want your profile viewers to perceive you? This may be your first impression on them, so why not lighten up your summary with some interesting things about yourself in a more casual, personal tone. Consider what you would want your take away message to be if you went for a cup of coffee with your readers. Remember that there is a fine line between personal and professional. You want to give readers insight into your personality without disclosing too much.

5. Expand on your shared media. Feel free to go beyond your basic image and text. Adding extra photos and videos to your summary will make you much more appealing. With the introduction of Professional Portfolio on LinkedIn you can now easily share visual content on your profile. When LinkedIn acquired Slideshare in 2012, it was clear they are encouraging visual content for users. Put simply, if you can show it visually rather than saying it with text, then do so.

6. Join groups appropriate to you. Groups are a great way for you to build your LinkedIn connections (which is also really important). Groups will open up a portal allowing you to send messages to group members who aren’t in your direct network and also reinforce your own personal image. They also demonstrate to potential employers that you are interested in staying up to date on industry trends and topics important to you.

7. Ask your colleagues to endorse you. Something so quick and simple can really contribute to the credibility of your profile and your skills.

8. Share your voluntary experience. You may think it’s cliché, but listing your volunteer work can add a sense of character to your profile that goes beyond your work experience and education. It also gives a great starting point for interviews.

9. Adjust your privacy settings. We suggest turning off your activity feed when you’re enhancing your profile as not to bombard the newsfeed of your colleagues with irrelevant information; they will greatly appreciate it.

10. Put your best skills forward. Reordering your profile to display your most important content first will help grab the attention of hiring managers upon first glance.

Applying these tips won’t cost you any serious time, but it could really benefit your career in the future! Lead off your LinkedIn profile with a declaration of what’s the most persuasive reason you are better than anyone else in your chosen field. Selling your skills to an employer is no different than selling anything else. Given numerous choices, do you buy anything that doesn’t promise unique satisfaction?

Do it now!

If you have Pharma, Biotech or Medical Device experience, apply some or all of these tips to your LinkedIn profile. Then before doing anything else, come back to our JOIN MTS page and copy/paste your new profile link in our EMP application form. Still have questions? Contact us to learn more about how we can help you in your career to find work in a job you love.

Kelly Brändli, Founder and Managing Director of MTS Talent services has over 15 years of experience in the life sciences industry. Since 2010, she has grown MTS Talent into Switzerland’s leading Life Science interim staffing provider, supplying high-caliber Marketing & Medical Affairs Talent on an interim and contract basis.