Did you know that 60% of employers are using social networking sites to screen candidates? It’s quite a scary thought if you don’t know what they’re looking for.

While attaching a photo to your CV is frowned upon, the opposite is the case on LinkedIn. If a recruiter can’t immediately see a professional photo they far less likely to read about your skills and experience. A professional photo will have great posture and a friendly smile, and include work appropriate clothing, no extras and no friends in the picture!

Keep it up to date, having a correctly filled out LinkedIn profile is great, but if you’re not updating it, you could look a little lazy! You must remember that LinkedIn is not like Facebook or Twitter and using it to let everyone know that you had for breakfast is a huge faux pas. Post things such as articles you have written, recent work that you have been involved with or industry news that has caught your interest, use it as an opportunity to be engaging and show your character but in a professional manner.

You should treat your career history like your CV – you never know who could be reading it. Make sure you fill out those all important job roles, and include your duties and titles. I’d also recommend that you connect with people on LinkedIn that you have had good relationships with and are well regarded in the industry, they could be your next recommendation.

These are just a few generic tips but if you like me to review your own personal LinkedIn profile and tailor it to what recruiters are looking for then please do get in touch.