With so many different social networks, it’s no wonder that one popped up that focuses on connecting a wide group of professionals and assisting companies in hiring their staff. As one of the leading social networks, LinkedIn can make or break it when it comes time to land your dream job and for careers in the tech world even more so. But before we dive in headfirst into the deep end of LinkedIn and concentrate on AI professionals in particular, let’s clear up some of the basics.
LinkedIn: Why Does it Matter?
So, you’ve started the job hunt and maybe even sent your CV and resume to some companies that catch your eye. What’s next? LinkedIn is the answer; LinkedIn is a great tool for professionals on the hunt for a new job. Some of the reasons why it’s such an essential tool include the following:
Job listings: many companies are actively searching for new professionals in over 600 job titles and thanks to the jobs search feature, professionals can also look for positions across several companies and careers. You can even set up alerts that will notify you of new jobs in whatever field you want to explore.
Networking: the power of networking is beyond what most believe it to be and LinkedIn is one of the most well-known and widely used social networking websites for professionals wanting to approach companies and vice-versa. Professionals can make contact with not only businesses, but also mentors and peers who may be able to provide support in their work endeavors.
Branding and visibility: since you create a profile page for your account, LinkedIn provides professionals with the opportunity to share who they are and what they do with anyone who’s interested and it's important to show companies that you’re the right choice. When people search your name on Google, LinkedIn is normally the first page, which means that your profile page is the first contact that people will have with your personal brand.
Information: Do you have a question about a company’s office locations? Or do you want to discover more about a hiring manager? There is a lot of available information that you can use for your job hunt right at your fingertips.
Tips and Tricks for All LinkedIn Profiles
Now that we have seen the importance that LinkedIn can be for professionals in their job hunt and their career, let’s check out the ways to truly stand out and make a splash on anyone who visits your page. It may be tempting to just take a smiling picture of yourself and copy and paste your resume onto the page, but we both know that you can do better than that.
Profile pictures
This is the first thing that people will see when they look at your profile since it's the visual representation of who you are and you may want to choose that picture of you from an anniversary where you’re wearing a suit and tie. There’s one problem with that: it has to be professional. The best profile photos are:
Workplace shots
Professional headshots with the right attire
Any other photos where you are doing your job
In addition to a focus on the professional aspect of the shot, we also implore you to keep the following in mind:
High quality shots: choose a high-quality picture that shows your face and proves that you want them to give this picture more than a glance.
Simplicity: you want them to see your face at the very least, but you also don’t want to have much else distracting from that. Avoid using any filters or backgrounds since they make the picture look less professional.
Another photo that you should add is the header where you can express more of your personal brand. This picture can reflect the tools you use, the people you serve, your why, or even just you working. Remember that it should be both high quality and simple like your profile picture.
Headline
After taking a look at your pictures, the next thing that visitors to your page will see is the headline, where you provide a brief 220 character description about yourself. This is a crucial part of your profile because it appears in various parts of the website, including when users search for profiles. When you’re writing this short tagline, ensure you remember the following tips:
Include your current position or job title.
Detail what you add to your team with your soft and hard skills.
Use powerful action verbs that will catch people’s attention.
Avoid using common trending words like critical thinking and problem solving skills.
LinkedIn Profiles for AI Professionals
As AI professionals become more in demand, artificial intelligence LinkedIn profiles are the best way to be seen and hired. In this section, we want to ensure that your profile matches up with what those companies are latching onto in the hiring process. Let’s dive in.
Summary
This section gives you even more space to elaborate about your story of becoming an AI professional; with 2600 characters at your disposal, you have the opportunity to provide more information about your career. Although you have more space, you also don’t want to make it too long winded, but you should answer the following questions:
How did you become an AI professional?
What are your current career goals?
What most excites you about AI?
What do you bring to the table for artificial intelligence?
What kind of projects do you want to work on?
Do you have experience with specific AI techniques or methodologies?
The answer to these questions provide hiring managers and recruiters with if you are the right fit for the job.
Tip: it can be difficult to be concise in this section, but asking a fellow AI professional to take a look at your summary and give you feedback can benefit greatly.
Education and certifications
Since an artificial intelligence job profile is a relatively new concept, the education that people bring to the table varies. When it comes to educational experiences, include your university education, in addition to other courses you’ve completed, and update your resume regularly to include new experiences you’ve acquired. It’s likely that you didn’t start your career wanting to be an AI professional and because artificial intelligence is evolving exponentially, you will need to have certification programs and complementary courses included on your LinkedIn profile.
Tip: make sure you link the programs, certifications, tech bootcamps, and courses you’ve completed with an accredited school on your page.
Work experience
All your work experience should be included in this section since it provides details about your complete journey. Working at a school as a teacher can demonstrate how you excel at providing feedback on projects or working as a web developer proves you have expertise with several programming languages. Positions in other fields can indicate soft and hard skills that holistically make you the right choice for the position, so make sure to include them all.
Tip: AI professionals must be creative and be able to think outside of the box, so showcasing this aspect in your past work experience is essential.
Achievements and projects
Achievements that you have worked for are fantastic in proving that you are going to make another shining member of the team since they show your ambition, effort, and value. Any individual projects that you’ve been working on such as algorithms and applications are of interest for hiring managers and recruiters too.
Tip: include real data and action verbs to ensure that your achievements and project information really stand out.
Other tips
Groups and networking
By joining artificial intelligence career groups on LinkedIn, you can increase your networking possibilities and meet more peers working as AI professionals and potential hiring managers and recruiters.
Recommendations and endorsements
Your past and current coworkers have the option to leave comments and endorsements on your skills, and in doing so, they can give you the credit you deserve and prove your value. Hiring managers and recruiters love to see evidence like this! So, talk to your peers and mentors from your workplaces and ask them if they can give you a helping hand.
You may be feeling like the stakes are high when using LinkedIn; professional life can have that effect, but we want you to know that LinkedIn is a tool that is there to support you. By making it an ally, you can not only meet new like-minded people, but also land the job of your dreams. If you’re thinking of becoming an AI professional or working in the tech world, Ironhack offers several bootcamps that will help you on your journey and our Data Analytics Bootcamp now includes artificial intelligence as an integrated part of the curriculum. Check it out below!
