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The headhunter's tips for your LinkedIn
News
The headhunter's tips for your LinkedIn
About Trine Sangill and the job as headhunter
Trine is owner and consultant at Human Talent.
Her work consists of helping companies recruit new employees. She recruits for both the public and private sectors, and she recruits different profiles; from finance, sales, and marketing to specialised engineering or IT profiles.
This can happen in 2 ways:
1. Selection where the candidates themselves apply for an advertised job.
2. Search where she seeks out and headhunts candidates.
Furthermore, she also specialises in career counselling, and has a particular focus on the job interview, about which she has both written a book, ”Jobbet er DIT” (in Danish) and made a podcast: KarriereSpot (in Danish).
Get started on LinkedIn before you need it
LinkedIn is an important tool for Trine as a headhunter. She uses it to search for both experienced candidates as well as recent graduates and students. That is why she always recommends students to start using LinkedIn to maintain and expand their network, and to share and gain knowledge – already while they are studying:
"You tend to only think of networking when you need it yourself, but you have to put an effort into it beforehand."
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It is really important that you get started before you need help - and that you help others yourself. That's what networking is all about.
The 3 things recruiters can see about you in a search
"When you are searched for and found at LinkedIn, I can see your picture, your name and your headline. Make sure your headline says something about what you want and how you can contribute. Because then I might click on you”.
When Trine does a search on LinkedIn, her search term appears in the list of LinkedIn profiles:
"That means that I can see how many of the keywords I have used that you have used in your profile as well. If, for example, you can do something with C++ or Java, then of course you have to list them, because these are the kinds of things one searches for. It is the entire profile that the search is based on, so when I click on your profile, my keywords are highlighted.”
Trine says that in order for you to be found through searches, it is essential having completed as much of your profile as possible, and it is said that if you have over 300 connections, the algorithms highlight you. You can easily be searched and found without it, but it increases your chances.
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When you have a completed profile and several connections, you will rise higher in the search criteria. The algorithms find you more interesting.
Focus on interests, motivation, and spare time jobs if you don't have much experience
For students without that much experience, Trine recommends filling out the LinkedIn profile thoroughly:
"As a student, you have to think about how you can differentiate yourself from the others. You can do that by the extra things you do, e.g. your spare time job, semester projects, and your voluntary work. Include what is relevant and focus on what interests you. That way you can make your profile sharper. It must be clear who you are. It is the extra information that makes the difference.”
Trine says that she has, e.g., looked for candidates for a company specialising in agricultural machinery. Here, the profiles that have caught her attention have shown on their LinkedIn profiles that they, e.g., grew up on a farm or have knowledge of agricultural machinery. This means that they have domain knowledge and thus have some advantages over other candidates.
"I hear many students say 'My free-time job is not important,' but yes! It is! If I have to assess you on an education that a lot of other candidates have as well, I need to see what else you have to offer. If you have worked at a supermarket, you have had customer contact and you know something about service and communication. So everything is important to include.”
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Some want to be as broad as possible in order to keep many options open - but this can actually also mean that they are not chosen. Make your profile clearer by being focused.
Be proactive – and respond quickly!
According to Trine, being active on LinkedIn is really important. You can do that e.g. by following the companies you wish to join - perhaps you will be the first to see a job or a development that makes it relevant to apply unsolicited. When she searches, she says that she often pays attention to which companies people follow, and here it is a huge plus if you follow the company she is searching for.
"It is also important to like and comment on other people's posts. If one of your fellow students has made a post, like it and give it some positivity. When you comment, your network will become aware of you. It's about being top of mind – otherwise you will quickly be forgotten.”
Trine explains that an acquaintance wrote congratulations on her birthday, which led to a conversation that made Trine think that he might be suitable for a position she would soon have to fill.
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It's the little coincidences that make a difference sometimes. You just have to be active. Do something the others don't.
"You have to be where the opportunities are and be quick to react. This is what makes you get the chance instead of another person. So remember to set up your profile so you get a notification and can respond quickly.”
Trine's 5 tips for your LinkedIn profile
"Don't write too little - don't write too much, and make sure it's not too specialist-nerdy and text-heavy," says Trine. "The profile must be filled in with everything. Work experience, education, voluntary work."
"You can go and get inspiration from others – what do you consider a good profile and what can you adapt to your own profile?"
She highlights 5 important sections you can use to your advantage:
- 1
The headline
In the heading, it is a good idea to use the keywords you want to be found on.
"It is important that you are specific and professionally oriented. E.g., you shouldn't write 'looking for a job', 'creative', or 'flexible' - that tells me nothing." - 2
The picture
“The image is insanely important! Recuiters often look through profiles at a high speed. The image must reflect the profession in which you wish to contribute, and one must see who you are.”
Trine advises not to deselect a picture; not to have an indistinct picture; that the picture isn't in a strange situation; and not to have a picture with your head tilted - this signals insecurity. - 3
About
Trine recommends using the "About" section to highlight the things you are interested in and can contribute to. This may be where the company sees a good match between what you are interested in and what they do.
"Write something that reflects you and the direction you want to go in." - 4
Experience
Trine emphasises that it is important to elaborate on your jobs:
"If you haven't written anything about it, you can't use it for anything, because then it's up to the recipient to interpret it. You have to remember that those who recruit focus on their own needs. You have to familiarise yourself with what they need.”
Under experience, you have the opportunity to list skills. Here, Trine recommends that you write the most important ones that you would like to be found on. - 5
Recommendations
She also encourages using recommendations on LinkedIn:
“If you can get someone to write a recommendation, by all means do it! Also give some recommendations yourself. It is important that you must remember to give - don't think about your own needs solely."
