I can’t count the number of times I’ve been chatting with coworkers about the different events at SADA and it seems someone always mentions how envious their friends are abo
ut the culture and environment that SADAians get to live everyday. We even have neighboring companies drop into our office to check out what we are doing because there always seems to be something new with us- whether it’s a virtual reality experience, or our popular tea Tuesdays. I feel so fortunate to have a brag worthy job. Do you want to know how to land that hashtag-worthy career at a company you’ll actually enjoy working for?
Make your online presence stand out! LinkedIn is an essential platform to the hiring process and landing your dream career. At SADA, we take calls and emails throughout the day from candidates who are interested in working at SADA. Candidates ask us how to get noticed and what “edge” do they need to survive the battlefield of job applications (Ok, it’s really not that gruesome, but you want to stand out, right?!).
I met with SADA’s finest recruiters and scored some secret (and not so secret) advice on getting noticed on LinkedIn. These are the key items our recruiters look for in any potential candidate’s profile. Below are their top Dos and Definitely Don’ts of LinkedIn.
The Dos:
- Join groups related to your field to show interests and grow your network. With LinkedIn you cannot reach out to everyone- so groups create an access point to connect.
- List relevant certifications and awards.
- Have a good headline. This does not have to be your job. It can be something fun and catchy, but stay away from trendy or tacky.
- Put a link to your portfolio if, for example, you are a designer. Recruiters want to see your work!
- Add in a company description if your company is smaller/unknown so it’s easy to identify the industry you work in.
- Be very detailed in your profile so you come up in keyword searches.
- Have recommendations are very important. Focus on recommendations from current employers versus past employers.
- Include the month and year for dates of employment.
- Keep it high-level and industry related. No need to list high school and college jobs that have no relevance to your current career path.
The Don’ts:
- Don’t over exaggerate your experience or your title.
- No photo or a bad photo. *See photo tip below.
- Keep it PC- absolutely no profanity. This is your professional profile.
- Be careful with listing your skills (i.e. Don’t state you’re detail oriented and then have grammatical errors – you’ll lose credibility).
- Never do ALL CAPS.
- Stay away from buzzwords like ninja, rockstar, master, or Jedi.
- Don’t misspell the companies you worked for or tag the wrong companies on your profile.
- Big red flag for our recruiters? Listing multiple jobs during the same time. It makes you look unfocused and our recruiters won’t be able to tell what your interests are. Remember, you can always go back and change your profile as needed so keep it relevant to the position you want!
Photo Tip! If you aren’t fortunate to work at a company that offers professional headshots like we do here at SADA, you can still snap a great new LinkedIn-worthy photo. Make sure the photo is a headshot. It’s better to use your passport photo then the scenic vacation shot of you in Hawaii parasailing. If you don’t have a passport photo, find a solid colored wall and have someone take a snapshot of you. Leave the hats and sunglasses for IG. Let the recruiters see you!
“Remember your profile does not need to be formal, but it should showcase the value you would bring to a company,” Gary Gangi, Head of Talent Acquisition.
Final tip of the day: The one time stalking is allowed! View profiles of recruiters at companies you want to work for. Yes, use social media stalking to your favor in the job hunt. That way you catch their eye instead of waiting for them to find you. You can also search for people with the same title or positions you want to grow into. See profiles that stand out and incorporate those items into your profile.
If you are interested in putting these tips to the test, check out our career page!
Sakura Tekeda
People Operations Coordinator
