The helpful LinkedIn tactics to get employers to come to you

Whether you’re looking for a new job or are open to new opportunities, an Australian careers expert has revealed how to attract employers by using ‘primary and secondary keywords’ on your LinkedIn profile.

LinkedIn specialist Sue Ellson said the ‘most important thing’ to do is find and use the right keywords to ensure your profile is seen when an employer or recruiter is searching for potential employees.

Speaking to FEMAIL, Sue said it’s vital to remember that LinkedIn is a major search engine database, and so it relies on words and connections to monitor your online activity and give you priority.

Further to using keywords, Sue said it’s also important to network, use the specific words to outline current or previous occupations and qualifications to make your profile stand out. 

On TikTok, another career advisor from the US explained the helpful points in a 40-second video which has gone viral and received more than 165,000 views.

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Identify the right primary keywords to insert into your profile

Sue told FEMAIL job seekers must use the correct primary keywords in the title and text on their profile to allow recruiters to discover their page.

‘Find and identify these words by looking at job titles and job descriptions of the occupation you are seeking,’ Sue said.

‘For instance, if you’re looking for veterinary jobs insert specific words into the title of your LinkedIn profile such as “Veterinary Nurse” or “Horse Vet”.’

Sue explained job seekers must be specific but not too niche with their choice of wording to ensure the algorithm finds their profile.

‘Also remind everyone you know that you are looking for “x” type of work and ask for referrals – they are often the first to know about new jobs as up to 90 per cent of jobs are never advertised,’ Sue said in a LinkedIn article.

‘But never say you are “open to opportunities” because employers don’t use these words,’ she said. 

Choose secondary keywords to use throughout your profile

‘Secondary keywords are designed to complement your Primary Keywords – they fall into various categories and have different purposes,’ Sue said on LinkedIn.

‘Search algorithms work on multiple factors so ensuring that you have these Secondary Keywords in your profile will give you the best chance for coming up in search results that are aligned with your Primary Keywords.’

These secondary keywords correlate to the primary set of words as they discuss your area of expertise in detail by elaborating on previous jobs and experiences.

‘What is absolutely most important is that you always consider the target audience you are trying to attract and what search terms they will use to find you,’ Sue said.

Use these primary and secondary keywords in previous job descriptions – if applicable

By including previous experiences this will not only show the employer how you are employable, but the LinkedIn algorithm will push your profile higher within the platform so it can easily be found.

‘Even if you’re just worked at McDonald’s, still put this experience on your profile because the algorithm wants you to have previous jobs,’ Sue said.

‘But the algorithm also expects you to be in a current position – so never say you are not working because this will hide your profile, simply say you are “career researching”.’

Ensure the keywords are working by checking the number of profile views

Sue said a great way to know whether the keywords are working is to check the number of views your profile is receiving.

‘Aim to achieve 100 views of your profile per 90 days (or more), or 50 appearances in search results per 7 days (or more) to know that your profile is keyword optimised,’ She said.

‘If number of views is much higher – you are busy applying and people are checking you out. If number of search results is low, you are not attracting opportunities.’