Have you ever wondered how to build a recruiter brand, especially in the era of social media? Since everyone has a personal brand, a strong recruiter brand could make the difference between attracting and losing talent.
If you’re not actively communicating your values, achievements and personality in a way that prospects can easily see, you’re losing candidates to recruiters who are profiting from them.
Consider this — before candidates call or message you back, they’re going to look you up. Likely, they’ll land on your LinkedIn profile. If you look like every other recruiter out there… well, you’re out of luck.
Here are the six steps to building recruiter brand on the most popular professional network, LinkedIn, from the site’s e-book. Remember, devoting time to building your personal brand will increase your response and referral rates and help you recruit better talent.
The first thing people look at is the picture of LinkedIn profile. In fact, having a picture makes anyone’s profile 14 times more likely to be viewed by others. It’s crucial to ensure your headshot is professional, as well as approachable and friendly.
Consider having a professional photograph as your profile photo. If that isn’t possible, make sure your photo is up-to-date, with your face taking up at least 60% of the frame. The right expression and clothes are also essential.
Your headline (i.e. the text right under your name) is your mission statement. Most people only use this space to list their job title. However, does a job title really encapsulate the impact you have at your company?
Start thinking of your headline as your opportunity to share the difference and impact you strive to make as a professional recruiter. It needs to be a short and catchy mission statement, reflecting your personal brand
Use your summary to showcase your passion. It is a chance to paint a picture of yourself and what you aspire to in your career. List your goals, passions, accomplishments, and your mission as a recruiter.
In other words, tell people why they should connect with you and why you are special. Make it about you, tell a story, and write in the first person. People are always attracted to an interesting story that’s presented well.
Engage your audience with useful content. The LinkedIn profile isn’t just a resume – it allows you to have a two-way dialogue with your network. A great way to start this conversation is by sharing content that you create or that you find interesting and relevant.
If you’re regularly sharing useful information, soon your prospects and fellow recruiters will see you as an expert in the field.
Use LinkedIn’s publishing platform to create content. It allows you to publish long-form blog posts on your profile. It’s one of many great methods to start voicing your opinion, sharing advice and content with your network. Moreover, you are able to build your own follower base and follow other LinkedIn members.
If you’re too busy to share content, try share content. It is less time-consuming, which means you can do it more often. Send relevant articles to candidates via InMail or email to keep conversations going. Use short updates to share interesting stories, news, and inspiration. Every status update that includes link or image generates higher engagement rates.
Let them know that you’re successful at what you do and that they’ll be in good hands working with you. Build your credibility by displaying positive feedback from previous hires and colleagues on your profile.
Get more LinkedIn recommendations reflecting your performance. The best recommendations come from candidates who have had positive experiences working with you and can write an authentic review.
Get endorsed on LinkedIn, too. Once you’ve filled out the skills section on your LinkedIn profile, your connections have the opportunity to endorse you for those skills. These endorsements confirm your specific talents and can help you establish your personal brand.
Personalised InMails receive a 37% higher response rates and increase the likelihood of a hire. If you want to be seen as a thoughtful recruiter who has done your research, you have to take some time to write a personal message.
Most likely, they respond to you in a timely manner and make you feel valued. To build your personal brand as a recruiter, you need to make prospects and candidates feel the same way. There are three helpful tips to create personalised messages: highlight mutual connections, tailor the conversation, and commit to responding within 24 hours.
If you follow the steps above, your personal brand on LinkedIn can help you take your recruiting game to the next level.
See: Recruiters, Embrace The Idea of Talent Brand
The original article first appeared on LinkedIn Talent Solutions.
