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Mon 11th Mar 2019

Social media for pleasure may not be a top priority for you but embracing LinkedIn and what it has to offer a contractor or small business owner can be extremely powerful.

LinkedIn has a highly effective search engine, the perfect tool for recruiters and contractors alike, to discover and reach more people than ever before and showcasing job skills or job opportunities.

Why LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is the professional social network where like-minded individuals can come to network, socialise, gain advice or provide expertise. And the more you use the platform, the more opportunities can come your way.

Think of your CV; career history, qualifications, skills, references, experience - LinkedIn is where all this can be put into one place online for others to see.

Many companies will search for applicants or clients on LinkedIn prior any job opportunity or offer and therefore can make you stand out from the crowd if your profile is glowing with everything that person is looking for.

How to make the most of LinkedIn?

The secret to getting ahead with LinkedIn is to be visible and to have a complete profile. This may sound a little simple, but it’s true. Many people fail to complete their profile which leaves gaps in work history or omits skills that a particular recruiter could be looking for. They also fail to make their profiles public which again, does not do well if you’re looking for clients or work!

In order to gain a 100% profile, complete these sections:

• Current Position - and title• At least two past positions• Education• Summary• Specialities• Profile Picture• At least three to four recommendations

You can use the summary and specialities sections to describe your industry expertise along with skills or relevant experience that you’ve gained to get to where you are now.

When writing, try to use keywords that people will be searching for when looking to hire people like yourself. Include things that you’re passionate about (business related) and areas that you’ve focused your career on.

Your profile is your chance to showcase your personality and your selling points. It’s your online CV where other business owners can learn more about your skills and attributes while getting a feel for who you are and what you represent.

Network within LinkedIn

If you’re looking to gain more clients, or build on your business relationships, get stuck in with networking. There are groups for anything that you can think of! So search for groups that are related to your work industry and start providing value within those groups. By answering other people’s questions, you can be seen as an industry expert and become more widely recognised. This will help with any B2B relationships you may be trying to grow. And it doesn’t have to be all business, you can also utilise groups for personal hobbies or interests too if you so wish!

When you know that a contract is coming to an end, or you’re simply trying to build a business with new clients, LinkedIn is a perfect place to find new life. By engaging with potential clients and providing value in all that you post or write, you’re showcasing your business and allowing others to see what you have to offer.

Set up a business page

If you own a limited company or small business, you could go a step further and set up a Business page. This will be a storefront for your business and can be a way to connect with people who are purely interested in your services, whereas your profile can be mixed between everyone that you want to network with.

Just like you did with your personal profile, ensure that a business profile is complete including address and contact details. The idea is to make your customer journey as easy as possible. If they can get in touch with you by a click of a website link, you are more likely to attract that client than if they have to go and search for your business on Google.

Here at 2020, we love LinkedIn and value connecting with our clients through the platform. If you’re on LinkedIn, come over and follow us to keep up to date with our industry tips, tricks and updates.

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