If you’re in the HR industry, you’ve probably used LinkedIn, but you may not know how to make the most of your profile. A LinkedIn profile with the right content will help you stand out from the crowd. One way to do this is by creating a well-rounded, informative profile. This includes a well-designed résumé, a headshot, and an overview of your career to date. When creating a LinkedIn profile for an HR position, it’s important to highlight your relevant experience and skills in the field.
Creating an amazing LinkedIn profile for an HR position involves a few key elements:
1. A strong headline. The headline is the most important part of your profile. It is often the first thing recruiters see when they go to your LinkedIn profile. Your goal is to catch their attention and keep them on your profile. Use a headline that clearly communicates your professional brand and the value you can bring to an organization. First, consider your target audience. This will determine the type of information you should include in your headline. You should also use specific keywords related to your industry.
For example: “Experienced Human Resources Professional Specializing in Talent Acquisition and Employee Retention”
2. A professional photo. Use a headshot that is professional, well lit, and in focus. Your photo should be a close-up of your face, with a neutral background.
3. Add professional summary. Your summary should be brief, to the point, and personal. Highlight your relevant experience in HR, such as recruitment, employee relations, and performance management, and incorporate keywords in your LinkedIn profile that are relevant to the HR profession, such as “talent acquisition,” “employee retention,” “performance management,” etc. This will help your profile be easily discoverable by potential employers that are searching for candidates with specific skills.
Use the summary to demonstrate the value you can bring to an organization, such as your ability to improve employee retention rates or your experience with developing and implementing HR policies. Also, use a professional and formal tone throughout the summary, and avoid using slang or informal language.
An Example of an Effective Summary for an HR LinkedIn Profile Could Be:
As a Senior Professional in Human Resourceswith more than 17 years of experience leading and aligning the HR strategy with organizational needs and objectives, I deliver optimum organizational effectiveness by attracting, building, and retaining a diverse, engaged, productive workforce.
As a trusted advisor and partner to business leaders, I consult with colleagues to design, modify, support, and maintain an effective HR infrastructure comprising comprehensive, long-term, cost-efficient solutions that are aligned with the overall enterprise strategy.
A strong workforce planner, I boost leadership capabilities, employee competency, and candidate pool quality through attractive compensation plans and training while reducing expenses related to placement, salaries, and overtime expenses and instituting performance management programs.
I mitigate risk and ensure compliance with employment law by educating all levels of supervisors through group presentations and individual consultation on handling complex employee issues such as discipline, performance improvement, and documentation.
My career history illustrates my ability to deliver organizational wins across the board. A few notable achievements include:
► At Greenberg Traurig, LLP, I transitioned the Atlanta office from a unit that focused solely on regulatory compliance into a complete HR infrastructure that bolstered leadership capability and support, minimized dependence on temporary staff, streamlined recruitment strategies, and reduced employee grievances.
► I overhauled and instituted key recruitment programs that cut staff placement expenses by 80%; built bench strength for internal promotions; and afforded a pipeline of ongoing, diverse candidates with the talent to satisfy business needs.
I am always happy to lend my HR management expertise to challenging new initiatives, and I look forward to connecting with you!
Regularly update your summary to reflect your latest experience and achievements. This will help to keep your profile fresh and relevant.
4. Relevant experience. Use the work experience section to highlight your most relevant experience in HR. Use specific examples and quantifiable metrics to demonstrate your accomplishments and the impact you had in your previous roles.
The summary of your work experience should not be overly long. LinkedIn only allows up to 2,000 characters for this section, so don’t overdo it. It should be easy to read, concise, and clear to any potential employer or client. You can also upload your résumé to LinkedIn for potential employers.
Here is an Example to Showcase Your Experience Section on Your HR LinkedIn Profile:
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES
McKenna Long & Aldridge, LLP, is a U.S.-based international law and public policy firm with more than 575 attorneys and public policy advisors in 15 offices and 13 markets. It is also the oldest government contracts practice in the United States and represents the top 5 and 10 of the top 15 largest defense contractors based on total contracting dollars.
My role encompassed leading all aspects of the provision of HR services, policies, and programs.
►Effectively strengthening risk management and performance management at all levels of supervision, I delivered multiple presentations at “Munch & Learn for Managers” to all functional-area managers firmwide. Presentation topics included:
✔Overview of Progressive Discipline
✔Turning Performance Problems Around
✔Effective Employee Coaching
✔Proper Documentation
✔Why Documentation Is Important
✔Adverse Action
✔Avoid Retaliation and Prevent Complaints
►I advanced the process of disseminating total compensation knowledge to new employees by updating and extending an outdated PowerPoint® orientation, adopted organization-wide, for new employees. I added slides covering 2015 benefits, costs, and supplemental insurance.
5. Skills and endorsements. Add relevant skills that are specific to the HR profession, such as recruitment, employee relations, and performance management, and ask your colleagues, supervisors, and other professional connections to endorse your skills.
One way to get started writing a skills section is to list the most important skill keywords that you are familiar with. These keywords will be prioritized by the applicant tracking system and will help you get a leg up on the competition.
6. Recommendations. Ask for recommendations from colleagues, supervisors, and other professional connections. These recommendations will provide valuable insight into your skills and abilities from the perspective of someone who has worked with you.
The first thing to keep in mind when requesting recommendations is to make it clear what you are looking for. Set calendar reminders, and use talking points to explain what you are hoping to achieve. As you begin generating your recommendations, make sure you put the most useful ones in the headline. If you don’t, your recommendation might go unnoticed by a potential employer.
7. Keep your profile updated. Regularly update your profile with new information about your experience, skills, and accomplishments. Make sure to update your work experience section with your current job and any recent promotions or accomplishments. You should also share articles, blog posts, or other content regularly that demonstrates your expertise and accomplishments in the HR field. This will help keep your profile fresh and relevant. Don’t forget to include contact information. Recruiters will receive invitations to connect with you, and you’ll want to ensure they know how to reach you.
By following these tips, you can create a LinkedIn profile that effectively showcases your skills and experience as an HR professional and help you stand out to potential employers.
Arno Markus, BA, MSc., CPRW, CEO and Founder of iCareerSolutions, is a multi-award-winning certified professional résumé writer, a powerful LinkedIn profile writer, and a personal brand and job search strategist with global experience. Markus has done recruitment consulting in Helsinki, Amsterdam, and Toronto and worked in nuclear power for the federal government before switching full time to empowering professionals to achieve their ambitious career goals. Markus is an expert at dissecting job descriptions and marketing his clients to ensure they get where they want to be in their career.