We are delighted to welcome a guest post from Jack J Collins, Editor of AllAboutFinanceCareers.com

Something that’s absolutely key in the finance industry is building your own personal brand, and one of the foremost ways of doing so is through your use of Social Media. Here at AllAboutFinanceCareers, we’ve put together a checklist of how you can make sure that your LinkedIn profile (perhaps the most important weapon in your social media arsenal) is consistent with what you’re trying to convey.  With more than 300 million users on the site, you need to do something special in order to stand out. Here’s our top tips on how to do just that.

Buzzwords in Useful Places

One of the most utilised features of LinkedIn that employers use when looking for the right people to employ in their firm, is the specialised search function. This search function allows employers to locate profiles which contain keywords related to the industry they are a part of, in order to sift quickly through large numbers of candidates and identify those that they will be taking further in the employment process – after all, they’re looking for the people who have the skills to move the company forward.  What this means is that you need to have industry-specific keywords scattered around your profile.

Your headline, personal summary, job descriptions and skills are all prime spots to list your abilities and relevant skills, so make sure that you don’t sell yourself short.

Headline

Your headline is the first (and sometimes the only) thing that employers read, so you need to make sure that it does you justice as a candidate. Decide where you’re going to focus your applications and then fit as much industry or job-related information into your headline.

Get your most relevant current position in first, and then follow it with some skills and perhaps a key achievement, in order to make sure you cannot be overlooked.

Filling Out The Gaps

LinkedIn offers numerous different sections to your profile in order that you can add as much information as possible – this is so you can show what you’re capable of and what you have achieved to employers who are on the lookout for fresh blood. You need to utilise this as fully as you can – if you have qualifications, put them in the qualifications section! If you’ve won awards for any particular reason, and an employer might be impressed, get them in the awards part of your profile.

There’s no point hiding anything that might make you stand out from the crowd, so spend some time filling out as much of your profile as possible. Some employers will have a soft spot for those who have participated in a particular sport or were part of a particular society, so it’s worth sticking them in just in case – you never know who it is that is looking and what they are looking for!

Endorsements and Testimonials

In the search function, LinkedIn scans your testimonials for keywords and uses this data to rank you in their listings, so it’s worth requesting industry-focused testimonials that add to your personal brand. If you’ve highlighted the parts of your character that you think are relevant to the industry and will impress employers, ask the people recommending you if they could include these key words within their testimonials.

There’s no shame in asking those recommending you to focus their praise on a specific part of your work or a particularly impressive project that you worked on together. It’s worth it because getting those specific, brand-focused testimonials will do wonders in improving your ranking and therefore, your employability!