Your online presence is becoming an increasingly important aspect of your job search. It can present your credentials to prospective employers and hiring managers and increase your chance of securing an interview. So, what does your LinkedIn profile say about you?

Does it present you as a qualified candidate who has the skills, ability and attention to detail to get the job done? Or, does it shout unprofessional because it is riddled with grammar, spelling and capitalization errors?

When someone searches for you on LinkedIn, they will see three things: Your name, your LinkedIn headline, and your location. In many cases, hiring managers and recruiters will make the decision to read your full LinkedIn profile based on just these three things. Would you read further if you saw the following?

franklin tahoma
Managment CONSULTANT
Tackling life’s challenges

Your profile should be polished and presented without typos or grammar issues. To make a great first impression, take the time to develop a profile that sets you apart and presents a clear picture of who you are and who you are not. Take a look at Franklin’s polished profile. Which makes the best impression — the unpolished or polished version?

Franklin Tahoma
Management Consultant | Rainmaker | Solutions Provider
Qualify Leads to Drive Forward Sales and Achieve Profitability

Your opening should be used to highlight your strongest qualifications, articulate what makes you unique and valuable and help you attract attention from prospective employers.

Proper capitalization and grammar is a must if you want to be taken seriously. Instead of an experience section that looks like this:

summit city sales corporation
source new prospects through cold calling. contact new vendors and design and impliment new sales strategies for new and existing territories.

It should look like this:
Summit City Sales Corporation
Develop innovative methods to source to prospects, perform cold calling and implement targeted outreach strategies to convert opportunities to loyal customers. Promote company visibility through active networking.

LinkedIn is a tool where you can expand your network. People join for various reasons – to develop their personal brand, establish expertise and credibility, to find job leads and opportunities or, recruiters use it to find qualified candidates The savvy job seeker uses it to convey their strengths, knowledge and expertise in a way that makes them unique and sets them apart from other professionals in the same field of work.

If you need help developing or polishing your Linkedin profile, find a qualified writer. Many résumé writers offer this service including Breakthrough Resume Writing Service — a virtual (online) business that offers assistance to people from around the globe. From the privacy of your own home, you can contact Tammy at awordpro@aol.com.

About the Author:

Tammy Shoup, Executive Director and Head Writer of Breakthrough Résumés, is among a small number of professional résumé writers in the U.S. who has earned the title of Certified Professional Résumé Writer from the Professional Association of Résumé Writers / Career Coaches.

Shoup is also a member of the National Résumé Writers’ Association and Career Directors International. Her activity in both organizations ensures that her knowledge of industry and employment trends remains current. It also indicates her dedication to continuing education in her industry. Her work is published in both JIST and Barron’s career books. Please review Shoup’s information at www.breakthroughrésumés.com or www.tammyshoup.com or inquire directly to Tammy Shoup at awordpro@aol.com
Wishing you the best in your job search campaign! †