LinkedIn: Confessions of 5 Recruiters
18 May 2015
Read by 3817 persons
“Someone viewed your profile!” This type of notification often arrives when you have a LinkedIn account, but for this to translate into a concrete job offer, some aspects of our profile in particular require our attention. Five pros of the question tell us which ones.
The photo
It attracts the first glance... it is therefore essential! And be careful, everyone agrees that unless you are pursuing a career in the circus industry, the photo must be sober, professional, even corporate-style.
The summary accompanying the photo
Recruiters want to see the title, current and previous position. As they search by keywords, the use of broad terms (or synonyms) is important. If you were a supervisor and recruiters are looking for “director”, your profile will go unnoticed.
This short description should be updated frequently, warns François Matte of Groupe Perspective: “A person who was looking for new challenges two years ago and who forgot to refresh their profile is unlikely to seduce me as a recruiter.”
The summary
With the photo, it is the showcase of your application, of your professional profile. Recruiters like to see a few words to attract attention. Recruiters agree on this: the way a person describes themselves in this summary space (people of few words, humorous style, practiced writing and other) tells them a lot about the personality and the suitability with a field and a work environment.
Precision and keywords are very important here. For Isabelle Munger of Jump Recruiters, “you must quickly see the specialization(s), the important certifications in the field, the significant achievements”.
The experiences
The LinkedIn web page may not have an end, but you must select the relevant experiences. Some advocate going back to the last 15 years maximum (as for the traditional CV) and even only the last three positions held, as Isabelle Munger prefers.
Furthermore, some prefer the succinct description of responsibilities, others prefer to read the person's achievements, like Sonia Riverin, of St-Amour et associés. Make sure you have a bit of both, without unnecessarily weighing down the page.
For younger people, do not hesitate to detail and explain your academic achievements (scholarships, leader, academic competition, class leader, etc.) and extracurricular activities (sports and leisure). Recruiters will be able to detect personality traits and... worker.
The training
It goes without saying, it must be complete and detailed, in order to quickly see if the requirements in terms of schooling and training are met. Do not forget any relevant additional training (software, service, etc.), attestation, certification related to the professional field.
The skills
This section where contacts can check a person's skills (selected from a list) is not really popular with recruiters. “It doesn't require effort, and sometimes, we don't even know the people who check on our profile,” says Renée Fortin of L'Entremetteuse.
Recommendations and testimonials
On the other hand, the few lines written by a former employer or colleague are highly prized. If someone takes the time to think and write a word, recruiters believe, it is probably significant.
Contacts and relationships
LinkedIn is not a professional Facebook, and recruiters will consult your contact list to learn about your professional relationships. “In the field of sales and representation, explains Sonia Riverin, a candidate's contacts represent performance potential for the future employer.” Keep your friendly relationships for Facebook.
The groups to which the person belongs also reflect their personality and professional commitment. Provided you show a little activity!
Social involvement and volunteering
All recruiters said they read and pay attention to this section. For François Matte, of Groupe Perspective, this section makes it possible to link the candidate to the work environment where there is a position to be filled or to define his interests. A computer scientist who has accumulated years of volunteering in several hospitals would certainly be happy to work in the health sector.
The style and organization of information
The quality of the language is paramount. Because it is the Internet, some people pay less attention to the quality of the language than on the traditional CV. For several recruiters, there is no second chance: at the slightest mistake, the profile is rejected.
Short sentences and the right words will favor your selection. “A well-presented profile that shows originality and creativity will quickly catch my attention,” says Éliane Trudel, of Groupe Perspective.
Other advice...
The LinkedIn profile is a personal brand image, according to several. “We don't sell ourselves with this profile, we get bought!” says Renée Fortin.
It should also be used as a professional network: “It's a question of credibility... LinkedIn is the world of work,” warns François Matte. Be careful with less professional relationships and activity on your profile.
Éliane Trudel recommends frequently updating your profile to take advantage of new sections and categories and new possibilities and to enrich your profile.
The five recruiters believe that the LinkedIn profile complements the traditional curriculum vitae. If the search by LinkedIn is the first step for them, the results are a gateway to a more detailed approach... to the famous CV!
Thank you to the recruiters interviewed:
Renée Fortin (L'Entremetteuse); Sonia Riverin (St-Amour et ass.); Éliane Trudel (Groupe Perspective); Isabelle Munger (Jump Recruiters) and François Matte (Groupe Perspective).
Louise Bouchard.
Workopolis.com
Published on May 14, 2015.
Posted online on May 18, 2015.
The photo
It attracts the first glance... it is therefore essential! And be careful, everyone agrees that unless you are pursuing a career in the circus industry, the photo must be sober, professional, even corporate-style.
The summary accompanying the photo
Recruiters want to see the title, current and previous position. As they search by keywords, the use of broad terms (or synonyms) is important. If you were a supervisor and recruiters are looking for “director”, your profile will go unnoticed.
This short description should be updated frequently, warns François Matte of Groupe Perspective: “A person who was looking for new challenges two years ago and who forgot to refresh their profile is unlikely to seduce me as a recruiter.”
The summary
With the photo, it is the showcase of your application, of your professional profile. Recruiters like to see a few words to attract attention. Recruiters agree on this: the way a person describes themselves in this summary space (people of few words, humorous style, practiced writing and other) tells them a lot about the personality and the suitability with a field and a work environment.
Precision and keywords are very important here. For Isabelle Munger of Jump Recruiters, “you must quickly see the specialization(s), the important certifications in the field, the significant achievements”.
The experiences
The LinkedIn web page may not have an end, but you must select the relevant experiences. Some advocate going back to the last 15 years maximum (as for the traditional CV) and even only the last three positions held, as Isabelle Munger prefers.
Furthermore, some prefer the succinct description of responsibilities, others prefer to read the person's achievements, like Sonia Riverin, of St-Amour et associés. Make sure you have a bit of both, without unnecessarily weighing down the page.
For younger people, do not hesitate to detail and explain your academic achievements (scholarships, leader, academic competition, class leader, etc.) and extracurricular activities (sports and leisure). Recruiters will be able to detect personality traits and... worker.
The training
It goes without saying, it must be complete and detailed, in order to quickly see if the requirements in terms of schooling and training are met. Do not forget any relevant additional training (software, service, etc.), attestation, certification related to the professional field.
The skills
This section where contacts can check a person's skills (selected from a list) is not really popular with recruiters. “It doesn't require effort, and sometimes, we don't even know the people who check on our profile,” says Renée Fortin of L'Entremetteuse.
Recommendations and testimonials
On the other hand, the few lines written by a former employer or colleague are highly prized. If someone takes the time to think and write a word, recruiters believe, it is probably significant.
Contacts and relationships
LinkedIn is not a professional Facebook, and recruiters will consult your contact list to learn about your professional relationships. “In the field of sales and representation, explains Sonia Riverin, a candidate's contacts represent performance potential for the future employer.” Keep your friendly relationships for Facebook.
The groups to which the person belongs also reflect their personality and professional commitment. Provided you show a little activity!
Social involvement and volunteering
All recruiters said they read and pay attention to this section. For François Matte, of Groupe Perspective, this section makes it possible to link the candidate to the work environment where there is a position to be filled or to define his interests. A computer scientist who has accumulated years of volunteering in several hospitals would certainly be happy to work in the health sector.
The style and organization of information
The quality of the language is paramount. Because it is the Internet, some people pay less attention to the quality of the language than on the traditional CV. For several recruiters, there is no second chance: at the slightest mistake, the profile is rejected.
Short sentences and the right words will favor your selection. “A well-presented profile that shows originality and creativity will quickly catch my attention,” says Éliane Trudel, of Groupe Perspective.
Other advice...
The LinkedIn profile is a personal brand image, according to several. “We don't sell ourselves with this profile, we get bought!” says Renée Fortin.
It should also be used as a professional network: “It's a question of credibility... LinkedIn is the world of work,” warns François Matte. Be careful with less professional relationships and activity on your profile.
Éliane Trudel recommends frequently updating your profile to take advantage of new sections and categories and new possibilities and to enrich your profile.
The five recruiters believe that the LinkedIn profile complements the traditional curriculum vitae. If the search by LinkedIn is the first step for them, the results are a gateway to a more detailed approach... to the famous CV!
Thank you to the recruiters interviewed:
Renée Fortin (L'Entremetteuse); Sonia Riverin (St-Amour et ass.); Éliane Trudel (Groupe Perspective); Isabelle Munger (Jump Recruiters) and François Matte (Groupe Perspective).
Louise Bouchard.
Workopolis.com
Published on May 14, 2015.
Posted online on May 18, 2015.
