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Tip One: Turn Your LinkedIn Profile Into Your Marketing Tool.

Without a doubt a professional recruiter, a search consultant, an HR person or a line manager involved in the recruitment process – if not all four – will check out your LinkedIn profile. Very often it’s the first point of contact with you and will definitely influence whether you are asked for your CV. A few simple actions will increase the likelihood of that happening:

• Use a close-up headshot for your profile photo that presents you in a professional way. That means no sunglasses (not even on your head), no family shots, no party shots, a photograph that is fairly recent and with you wearing clothing that you would wear to go to work. It’s not necessary to go to a professional photographer, a photo from your phone will suffice, but make sure it’s clear and preferably smiling.

• Make sure that your LinkedIn profile and your CV align. The wording doesn’t have to be identical, but the two documents should not be contradictory.

• Use generic job titles for the roles you have worked in rather than ‘special’ job titles that are only used by your organisations. This is especially important if you are looking for a job or would like to come up in searches to hear what is out there. Generic job titles increase the chances that your profile will come up in searches.

• Complete the skills section when you put your profile together and keep it updated because very often recruiters search for skills rather than job titles when they are recruiting a position.

• Describe what the companies you have worked at do before you describe the role you worked in at the company. This is particularly important if the company is not widely known or the recruiter searching the database can’t identify what the company does from its name.

Tip Two: Present Your Credentials In A World Class CV.

Your next key marketing tool is your CV. And your CV will be the deciding factor whether you will be called for an interview. It’s worth spending time on it and you can create an edge for yourself just by working through this action list.

• Make sure your CV is up to date with the latest information. This is particularly important if you have posted your CV on a site like LinkedIn. If you change jobs, make sure the CV you have posted for answering ads is accurate.

• Lay out your CV in a professional manner with a consistent font. This means checking that there are no untidy gaps on the pages or headings at the bottom of the page. If you are not going to use a professional CV service, then the easiest way to format your CV for visual appeal and presentation is to use a template. You can find many free templates online. Canva is just one resource https://www.canva.com/resumes/templates/.

• Customize your CV to reflect evidence of the experience and skills that relate to the job ad or job specification. Despite how easy it is to digitally update or change a CV, most people don’t. They have one generic CV to fit all occasions. Your chances improve immensely if the Recruiter can quickly see how your background and experience matches the brief.

Tip Three: Take Interviewing With A Recruiter Seriously.

Your LinkedIn profile triggers sufficient interest to review your CV. Your CV triggers an interview. Now you are on the long list and your aim must be to get onto the shortlist. This invariably happens via the interviewing process, which is where candidates often blunder. Even a brief discussion with the recruiter is an ‘interview’, it’s not a chat. You can fall down right at this point by not taking the first encounter seriously. If you do not impress the recruiter, it’s unlikely that you will get in front of the client, let alone on to the shortlist.

Tip Four: Prepare For An Online Interview.

• Practice using your technology. If you are not used to having online meetings from the place you will have the interview, practice with someone beforehand and get some feedback.

• Check that your technology is working properly before the meeting – connection, camera, mic.

• Frame yourself in the centre of the image when you are facing the camera.

• Think about the background. Use either a plain wall background, one of the backgrounds provided on Teams or blur your background. Cluttered backgrounds are distracting and do not put across a professional image. Check what is behind you. If you are in a bedroom, turn the camera so that the bed is out of sight and there is nothing lying on the floor.

• Make sure you are well lit and not in shadow or, alternatively, that there is no glare.

Tip Five: Set Yourself Up To Succeed.

• Dress up rather than down because you do not know what the dress code of the company will be. Collared shirts are the most appropriate for men although ties are generally unnecessary. Wear a jacket and shoes not sneakers. No t-shirts unless under a jacket. For women, smart tops and skirts or pants, but no jeans; dresses or jackets with shoes not sneakers. No revealing necklines and check how you look when you lean forward.

• Prepare for the interview in relation to the candidate brief you have received so that you can give examples that relate to the requirements. We cannot emphasise this enough. Many a candidate has fallen because they cannot articulate their experience or give actual examples.

• If you have to give a presentation make sure you have the technology to present via your laptop or you have checked that a data stick is sufficient. Do not assume.

• Research the company and know what services and products they provide and be careful that you don’t quote competitor products in the discussion.

• Have your own questions ready. Interviews are a two-way conversation. It’s important that you are perfectly clear on what the job entails in practice and that you believe you will fit the environment and culture.

You want to give yourself the best chance and following these simple steps will help you achieve that.

Connect with Pam at pam@careerconversations.co.za.