Networking has gotten much easier thanks to social media and professional platforms like LinkedIn. If you have a professional online presence, then you should already be highlighting your skills and experience. But your future career growth depends on improving your professional profiles and keeping them up to date. Here are some reasons why you should focus on improving your LinkedIn profile and tips that can help you stand out from the competition.
Profile Must-Haves
It’s hard to argue with the career experts about what should and should not be included in your profile. There are at least five essential items that successful profiles always have:
- Education – Your profile is more likely to appear in searches when it includes your full education and credentials.
- Location – Don’t forget to inform recruiters and hiring managers where you are located.
- Photo – Profiles with professional photos receive more hits and messages than those without.
- Summary Statement – An easy way to catch a hiring manager’s attention is with a brief elevator pitch.
- Headline – Avoid using a generic headline like “Experienced Interior Designer.” Try something like “Award-Winning Residential Designs.”
Group Curation
It’s also important to join and follow key leaders and influencers that will help grow your career and delete those that aren’t relevant. Some recommended architecture and design groups on LinkedIn include:
- American Institute of Architects – Provides licensed architects with continuing education experiences, web-based resources, and market research.
- American Society of Interior Designers – The ASID community is dedicated to advancing the design profession through education and community outreach.
- Interior Architecture – An effective resource for practicing interior designers or those looking for new opportunities in the industry.
- Death by Architecture – A fun and informative global community of architects and designers.
Keep it Fresh
There are some ongoing responsibilities that come with having a professional online presence. Keeping your social media collection up to date can be overwhelming. But if you want to be found by interior design recruiters and hiring managers on sites like LinkedIn, then you really need to update your profile on a regular basis. Stay active by highlighting recently completed projects, and liking, sharing, and commenting on content posted on the groups you’ve joined. You can even connect on the go by downloading the mobile app.
Add Some Personality
Social media can be an effective way to showcase your personality in both your personal and professional lives. When it comes to looking for design jobs or having the design job of your dreams connect with you, it is critical to make a positive impression by tailoring your message to recruiters and hiring managers. Always use first-person point of view when highlighting your experience so that hiring managers are able to see you as a real person outside of your profile.
Are you looking for top talent in architecture or interior design?
Contact us to discuss how we can bring top leadership talent to your firm. David Brown International is s a global leader in executive recruiting and placement of top tier talent in Architecture, Design, and Technology. Our mission is to create a lasting legacy of success, growth, and profitability for our clients, candidates, and employees.
Are you a professional looking for a new opportunity?
Contact us to discuss your career options or browse our open positions.
