You should always set up your LinkedIn profile or CV to be as effective as possible. The whole point in creating profiles and documents such as these are that people will take notice of them, so who wouldn’t love some information on what recruiters spend the most time looking at? TheLadders have compiled their research to show users what hiring managers spend time looking at on your profile.
On average recruiters spend just 6 seconds looking at your CV or your LinkedIn profile before deciding whether you are a worthy candidate. Your profile picture is essential, as the research has revealed that recruiters spend 19% of their time looking at your image. What does your image say about you? Does it give out the right message? Does it portray you as professional and approachable? Making the right first impression is absolutely essential and whether it is right or wrong the image that accompanies your profile counts for a lot. Having professional headshots taken could be the difference between getting your next job and an employer moving onto the next profile.
Another key point that TheLadders found was that recruiters spend the majority of their time looking at:
– Your name
– Your job title
– The company you work for
– Your previous titles
– The previous companies that you’ve worked for
– Start dates and end dates
– Your education.
The research indicates that they scan the rest of your profile for keywords that they are interested in. It’s important to be clear and concise with your LinkedIn profile – always keep in mind the people that will be reading your profile and the key points that they will be looking for and tailor your profile to this. Keep your profile basic and simple so that users can find the information they are looking for easily and timely.
Layout and the way that you present the information is crucial so make sure you get your profile right. Make your profile as effective as you possibly can to start seeing results and remember you never get a second chance at a first impression.
