7 Tips to Optimize LinkedIn for Job Seekers
Optimizing your LinkedIn profile can help you attract more attention from potential employers, recruiters, and business contacts. Skills lists, recommendations, endorsements, and engagement are the keys to getting found by your ideal opportunity.
1. Complete your profile (seems obvious, right?! But as recruiters, we've seen it all!)
Ensure your profile has a professional-looking photo, a compelling headline with your tax expertise, a summary highlighting your skills and experience, and a list of your education and work experience.
2. Skills! The relevant ones! Not the fluffy ones! And get them endorsed!
LinkedIn algorithms like endorsed skills. Ask co-workers, family, former employers, friends, your boss, etc., to "smash" that endorse button. The more you do it for others, the more they will do it for you too!
Please, for the love of landing a job, add skills from job descriptions that you would apply to, like:
Federal, Domestic, State
US-International Tax Compliance & Reporting
Tax Modeling
Process Automation
Special Projects
ASC 740
FIN 48
Current & deferred liability
NOL tracking
Tax credits
Valuation allowances
Corptax, OneSource, powerBI, excel, Alteryx, VantagePoint
10K/10Q
IFRS tax footnote disclosures,
tax MD&A
FIN 18
10K/10Q and IFRS tax footnote disclosures, including tax MD&A
Forms 1118, 5471, 8858
Global and international tax
Indirect tax
M&A
Sales & use
SALT
Compliance
Provision
(TCJA and FTC)
IRS audits
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Subpart F
GILTI
GAAP
SEC Filings
Wealth management, high net-worth
Property tax
Partnership tax
VAT tax
A cautionary note on listing soft skills:
These are essential skills (like hugely crucial for retention and success!), but when it comes to getting found on LinkedIn, focus on listing hard skills and getting those endorsed. Non-technical skills are critical, but anyone can self-report these. We recommend asking co-workers or former employees to write recommendations highlighting your interpersonal, leadership, teamwork, and other non-technical skills because this approach is much more trustworthy.
Time management
Strong work ethic
Team building
Organized
Teamwork
Communication
Dedication
Action-oriented
Strategic leadership
Public speaking
Non-violent communication
Task-oriented
3. Showcase your achievements:
Use specific examples to highlight your accomplishments in your work experience section. Use numbers, percentages, and other metrics to demonstrate your impact in your previous roles. If you have published articles (for example, on The Tax Advisor), ensure you have a link to them in your profile.
4. Customize your URL:
Create a custom URL for your LinkedIn profile that includes your name. This will make it easier for people to find your profile when they search for you on LinkedIn or via search engines.
5. Get recommendations:
As I mentioned before, this is a great place to add credibility and legitimacy to your skills and experience shared on your online resume. Ask former colleagues, managers, and other professional contacts to provide recommendations for you on LinkedIn.
6. Engage with others:
Share relevant content, participate in group discussions, and engage with others on LinkedIn to build your network and establish yourself as an expert in tax.
7. Keep your profile up to date:
Regularly update your profile with new experiences, skills, and achievements to accurately reflect your current professional status.
You've Got This! Let us know how we can help!