3 Ways Agency Recruiters Can Improve Their Use of LinkedIn

I recently listened to a LinkedIn webinar discussing common mistakes agency recruiters make on LinkedIn, and thought I would recap the salient points here.

Make sure you have a recruiting profile. Yes, of course you already have a LinkedIn profile. But is it a RECRUITING profile? If you’re trying to attract candidates, make sure your profile is written for candidates. If your primary goal is client development, make sure your profile is geared towards new clients. Maybe you need to write for both audiences. Here are a few tips to help agency recruiters create a RECRUITING profile:

• Add a picture to your profile. It’s been said time and again, but it’s still amazes me how many agency recruiters do NOT have a picture on their profile. Your picture should be friendly & professional.
• Write a creative headline – this shows up in search results within LinkedIn and will help clients and candidates figure out if you’re a good connection.
• Use the Summary section to write your elevator speech – focus on what you do and why it matters to candidates or clients. Include skills and take advantage of the ‘rich media’ feature that allows you to attach PowerPoint, video, etc. to your summary.
• Ask for recommendations from satisfied clients and candidates.
• Be sure to claim your ‘vanity’ URL – the one that shows your name, not just a series of numbers and letters

Remember to ‘stay in touch.’ It’s not enough for agency recruiters to create a profile and think candidates will come knocking on your virtual door. You have to be social, which means:

• Sharing or commenting on news articles
• Updating your status
• Joining groups, and PARTICIPATING in them – start a discussion, comment on a discussion, ask a question, whatever.
• Following some companies – your clients are a good place to start. You might also consider following their competitors, or companies you WISH were clients.
• Positioning yourself as a subject matter expert, not just an agency recruiter. People will be more receptive to your connection requests if they see evidence that there is value in the connection.
• Remember the Rule of 3’s … 1/3 of your comments can be personal, 1/3 industry-related, and 1/3 recruiting-related. Don’t be “that” agency recruiter who does nothing except blast out job openings!

Create a Company Page. This is something agency recruiters often overlook on LinkedIn. According to LinkedIn’s research, more than 70% of LinkedIn members would be receptive to job opportunities. from companies they are following. 64% of members say they would follow a company “indefinitely” and most importantly, 78% of LinkedIn members are MORE LIKELY to accept Recruiter InMail when they follow your company! When it comes to your Company Page, do the following:

• Add your company logo and a cover picture.
• Describe what your recruitment agency does. Differentiate your firm from your competitors.
• Consider creating Showcase pages that address different audiences (one for candidates, one for employers perhaps).
• Add status updates! Designate a ‘page admin’ who will be in charge of getting this done.

What’s your best LinkedIn tip?