A lot of Fashion people miss out on finding perhaps the perfect job just because their professional side is not visible enough in the online environment. While Instagram and Facebook accounts may receive a lot of likes and followers, they will still most likely be out of reach from the eyes of the recruiters. The best professional network to use in this case is LinkedIn – with 500 million users, recruiters are actively using the platform to find talented professionals for some incredible positions. Mind that often, the best jobs are confidential and hidden from the public so the only way to reach these jobs is to create a strong LinkedIn profile. At G&M Fashion Career, we put our heads together and came up with useful suggestions to help you achieve it:
Use the summary space effectively
There is no right or wrong way to do a summary. However, it is important not miss out on the opportunity to show your authentic self and tell your story. You can highlight your approach to work in a concise but personal way and differentiate yourself from others.
LinkedIn profile photo is not the same as Facebook profile photo
Imagine your photo being seen by people who do not know you personally and potentially want you to work with them. In the Fashion industry, we like to see professional but casual photos that give us a glimpse of who we are talking to. Also, you might want to try to avoid having dogs, other people or distracting elements in the photo.
Add keywords you want to be found for
For instance, if you are a Fashion Designer, make sure to add the main categories you work with – woven, jersey, denim or others, and if you are a Pattern Maker, you could add the systems you are able to use like Investronica, Gerber etc. In case you are unsure of which keywords are most relevant, look for someone on LinkedIn who works in the position as you see yourself in the future. Investigate their profile and see which keywords you can add to yours. This way, you are more visible to the people who use search engine to find you.
Let the right people know that you are available for a new job
LinkedIn has a new smart feature, which allows you to show recruiters that you are looking for a new job, without your employer finding out – because this information will be hidden from the public and is only visible for recruiters. It is also a good idea to specify what exactly you are looking for and where.
Demonstrate what you have achieved at work
When you fill in the job experience part, make sure to take full advantage of this space. If you solely fill in the Company name and the time period you worked there for, you are sleeping out on an opportunity to give recruiters more reasons to contact you. Perhaps not many know about the company you work at or the responsibilities you have but if they read that you have been incredibly beneficial to the team and driven the business ahead, your profile is just so much more attractive!
Find alternative methods to reveal your creative side
It is true that LinkedIn profile has been built so that you cannot personalize your profile’s layout, however, this is for the purpose of helping recruiters to find the necessary information faster. Nevertheless, you have the option to share the link of your website and portfolio for everyone to see! Once the recruiters know you have the right experience, they will definitely want to see if your style matches with the clients’.
Show to the recruiters that you are not the only one who thinks well of your experience
Did you know endorsements also help you increase your overall ranking when someone searches for your profile on LinkedIn? Recommendations from your colleagues prove that you have impressed them enough to share their experience of working with you.
Do your job targeting through language skills
In case your native language is not English but you are looking for international jobs, write the whole profile in English. Moreover, it is smart to be honest with adding other language skills to your profile, the recruiters will talk to you in the language of the work environment during the interview.
Express your interests by liking relevant groups and companies
Keep yourself updated with the latest news and job opportunities of your favourite companies by liking their page. Moreover, working in Fashion, seeing the brands you like helps the HR/Recruiters anticipate your taste and preferences in terms of companies and style.
Once you have made the changes to your own LinkedIn profile, you are one significant step closer to having some of the most incredible job opportunities reach your inbox. For more career tips from us and other industry professionals, check out our weekly-updated blog:
5 FASHION EXHIBITIONS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2017