One Phrase Can Change Your Entire Job Search
The past few months have seen a dramatic change in the workforce of America. With more Americans out of work today than at any time since the Great Depression, it is more important than ever to make sure that your job search is as efficient as possible. One of the best resources available to you when searching for jobs is LinkedIn. However, it is important to make sure that you make your profile as easy as possible to find, and one common phrase can drastically reduce your chances getting an interview.
“Actively seeking opportunities”
You may be asking how this common phrase, which thousands of us have been told to add to our online presence, could be negatively affecting your job prospects. Here are three reasons you never want to use this phrase on your LinkedIn headline.
#1 It hurts your keyword optimization. Recruiters will always search for talent on LinkedIn by searching for specific keywords that relate to the job they’re trying to fill. For example, if a recruiter was trying to fill an IT Support position, he or she might search for keywords like “desktop support,” “troubleshooting,” “server experience,” and so on. All these keywords are relevant skill sets that an IT Support specialist would need to have on their profile. So, when you’re saying “actively seeking opportunities” in your headline, you’re missing the opportunity to keyword optimize and you’re decreasing your chances of being found by recruiters.
#2 Waste of valuable real estate. It has been proven that recruiters only spend a few seconds reviewing resumes of potential candidates, much less online profiles. You want to make sure you’re showcasing the best, most important information at the top of your profile. Not to mention that you only get 120 characters, and your headline carries the most weight when recruiters are searching for relevant candidates on LinkedIn.
If you opt to use generally meaningless phrases like “looking for opportunities,” specifically in your headline, you’re wasting a valuable real estate on the most important part of your profile. You’re choosing to use “fluff” phrases instead of being intentional and strategic with what you add to your profile. Phrases like that add nothing to your profile because they don’t help you brand yourself for a specific job and they don’t help you increase your keyword density on your profile.
#3 It can make you appear desperate. When you add phrases on your profile like “seeking new opportunities,” it can severely damage your personal brand, and ultimately, your chances of landing an interview. This phrase could make you look desperate for a job, and employers aren’t usually going to move forward if you’re essentially begging for employment. Why? It’s a huge risk. If you’ll do anything to get a job right now, even if it’s not the right fit for you, the organization might feel you have a higher possibility to leave that company within a few months when you find a better opportunity. It costs employers a lot of time and money when employees leave, so it’s a big risk.
There you have it, three reasons why you most likely want to leave “actively seeking employment” out of your LinkedIn headline. But, LinkedIn was founded to be a job search and recruitment tool. There must be a better way to let recruiters know you are searching. Spoiler Alert. THERE IS!
LinkedIn has added a tool to allow you to do just this! If you go to your LinkedIn profile, you should see a box which asks you to “show recruiters you’re open.” If you do not see it there, simply go into settings – privacy – job seeking preferences. There will be a setting for “let recruiters know you are open to opportunities.” This setting is much more efficient at putting you in front of decision makers and gives you the best shot at landing your next interview.
If you are looking for the absolute most efficient way to find a new job, consider partnering with Visium Resources. We are a well-established staffing company with open positions in various fields all over the US. Contact us today to see how we can help you!
1 thought on “The Phrase You Should Never Use on LinkedIn”
This article really provides a great tip for candidates seeking new employment. By just simply adjusting your settings to allow recruiters to know that you are open to new opportunities, it saves the space on your headline to identify your specific knowledge and experience, which in turn will allow recruiter to quickly assess your candidacy for any particular position.