A social media presence is important for more than just influencers and teenagers. According to Harvard Business Review, up to 70% of recruiters look at a candidate’s social media pages before an interview. 54% have rejected candidates because of what was posted on their social media pages.
Even though sites like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are meant for personal use only, many healthcare employers still browse these sites if they have access to them. It is a good idea to keep settings on these pages private if they contain anything you wouldn’t want a future employer to see.
On the other hand, LinkedIn is meant to be used for professional networking. Creating a professional nursing LinkedIn page and keeping it up to date may increase your chances of finding good opportunities and landing your dream job.
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Add a professional photo
Your profile photo is the first thing that recruiters and your colleagues will see when they search for your page. A professional-looking photo will send a message to others that you take your career seriously and that you would be comfortable in a professional setting. While pictures of you meeting an elephant or exploring a different country are great for other social sites, they don’t usually have a place on LinkedIn.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a professional-looking photo for your profile. The following ideas can help you get a great photo on a budget:
- Dress professionally.
- Take your picture in a well-lit area. Soft, natural lighting works best.
- Have someone else take your picture and avoid “selfies.”
- Choose a solid background for your photo.
- Don’t include anyone else in your picture, including pets, partners, and kids.
LinkedIn has some great tips for taking a professional-looking profile photo.
Create a good headline
LinkedIn automatically creates a headline for you when you add work and school experience. You can leave it as it is, but your professional nursing LinkedIn page will get more positive attention if you edit your headline to reflect your strengths and personality.
A headline should include a brief description of your role, a summary of your expertise, and keywords that will guide recruiters to your page. This is not a place to be quirky or make jokes. It’s a place to create interest and get people curious about you and your accomplishments.
If you are unsure of where to start, try checking out other profiles for ideas, or look up a few examples.
Keep your summary concise
Your summary is in the section below your picture and headline. If people are interested in your skills and experience, they may read your summary to get an idea of your specialty skills, unique experiences, and personality.
It is easy to get carried away in your summary, especially if you have many years of experience. If you can, limit your summary to a paragraph or two, or use bullet points to keep things easier to read.
Related: Nursing Leadership Course Bundle – 15 Hours
Add relevant work, skills, and education
Your professional nursing LinkedIn page should be more than a compilation of odd jobs and random skills. When you build your page, having a career-focused profile is much more effective than a generic one.
While many companies strive to hire a diverse workforce, recruiters want to know that your skills fit a particular career field. For example, if you are hoping to land a job as a nurse, listing things like healthcare experience, emergency medicine certifications, or nursing degrees are all relevant. Service projects that involve working with at-risk populations or health-related research projects can also be part of a good nursing profile.
Adding irrelevant experience, like working as a tour guide or being an excellent cook, just clogs up your profile. It also makes it more difficult for recruiters to find the important information. A clean profile with only a few examples of relevant work experiences is better than a cluttered one full of random facts.
You may want to edit your profile and eliminate or add different projects or shorter-term jobs each time you find yourself looking for new opportunities.
Look for connections
LinkedIn is more than just a place to post your resume online. It is a place to network with others, and share experiences and ideas.
If there is a company you are particularly interested in, try to connect with some of their employees or upper-level managers. Showing interest in the articles they share or information they post may give you an advantage over other applicants. As you interact more, you may be able to build relationships or at least be a recognizable face when you apply for your dream job.
You may also find old friends and acquaintances through LinkedIn connections. Often, when people are looking for someone to fill a role in their organization, they will look to their trusted circle before hiring strangers from a pool of applicants. Saying hello or just connecting through LinkedIn is a good way to let your community know that you are open to new opportunities.
Ask for recommendations and endorsements
In addition to building relationships, a professional nursing LinkedIn page helps build connections. It also allows you to ask for recommendations and endorsements. An endorsement from a colleague or coworker is one of the most powerful tools that LinkedIn has to offer.
A coworker’s recommendation is another great way to show potential employers that they can trust you to get the job done. Similarly to how you might choose someone to help you with a home project or photograph your family, a recommendation tells others that you are trustworthy and good at your job.
Asking for an endorsement or recommendation is similar to asking someone to be a reference for you. If you ask for an endorsement or recommendation, make sure that you have a good working relationship with the person you ask.
Check out the profile strength meter
After you finish putting your professional nursing LinkedIn page together, use the profile strength meter to gauge the strength of your profile.
The LinkedIn strength meter will tell you what areas of your page will help you stand out in a positive way, and what areas are lacking. The strength meter can guide you through profile edits that you may not have thought about.
In addition to the strength meter, enlist a trusted friend or mentor to look over your page and give you feedback. Even better, if you can find someone who is an expert in your chosen career path.
Stay active on the website
Setting up a great profile, finding connections, and asking for endorsements is just the beginning. If you really want to attract attention and gain traction on your page, you’ll need to engage and stay active on the site.
You may choose to simply comment on other people’s articles or videos, or take it a step further and start writing your own articles, publishing your own research, and giving career advice to others.
Whether or not you are actively looking for a new job, it’s a good idea to keep your page up to date and information current.
