There is a lot of advice on how candidates should optimize their LinkedIn profile so they can be found by recruiters. I recently came across this post 5 Reasons Recruiters Don't Click Through Your LinkedIn Profile which inspired me for this post.
Over the summer months of 2013 I have done some research how recruiters in Belgium present themselves on LinkedIn (750 profiles of recruitment professionals reviewed) and here are my conclusions (and also the reasons why candidates do not click on recruiter's profiles).
Reason #1: 50% have NO profile picture. Recruiters want to see what candidates look like, but so do candidates want to know what recruiters look like.
Reason #2: They have no contact information. And yes, only the 1st degree contacts can see you email/phone number but still as a recruiter you want to have the "good" candidates find you easily. Only 1 in 8 has their email/phone number visible somewhere in their profile! Only 50% mention their website!
BTW. Few job seekers are not using the Inmail functions.
Reason #3: Only 33% have a personalized Vanity URL. This could suggest a newbie or someone who does not care about their image or profile.
Reason #4: Few contact (Less than 250). I understand you are careful with who you let into your network but less than 500 contacts does not foster any confidence that the recruiter is "well connected". It is also unlikely they will connect with you, even if they do not share who they are connected to..
Reason #5: About 50% have completed their summary information (your elevator pitch). When it comes to their work history it seems they are not willing to provide much detail about it other than their title. Less than 10% have discovered the multi-media possibilities of LinkedIn. It seems the motto is "less is better". Again not fostering confidence.
Reason #6: Recruiters do not seems to share much which groups they belong to. Most are part of 8 to 12 groups mostly general or peer groups. So again, it makes it difficult for candidates to get in touch with them. (Tip: remember, you can send free emails to all group members). Additionally, recruiters do not seem to follow any companies. Most follow their own only.
Reason #7: Few recruiters are active on other networks such as Twitter, Facebook or Google+. So Twitter handles can barely be found on their LinkedIn profile.
Reason #8: You have "Select what others see when you've viewed their profile" set to anonymous or semi-anonymous. The candidate is not able to click back.
Reason #9: Recruiters barely use Status Update to inform their network they are looking for candidates or even better sharing valuable information about the recruitment business or processes.
Reason #10: Most recruiters have few endorsements (sign of unhappy candidates?). And recommendations are even more hard to find.
When it comes down to company profile, recruitment companies do not stand out an example. Here are some examples:
- 76% have their logo on the company profile
- 33% have a cover picture
- 41% have Products and Services filled in
- 22% have recommendations for these Products and Services
- 33% use Company Status updates to inform their followers about new opportunities or to share information with their contacts.
- 97% of all company updates NEVER get shared, liked or commented on
- Less than 50% mention on their website they can be found on Social Media!
.I would like to end with 2 conclusions:
- Recruiters still social media (and LinkedIn in particular) as a one-way street where they control the drive direction. However, social media is a two-way street with a lot of opportunities. Most recruiters are aware they need to have a professional profile but they have a long way to go.
- Recruiters seem to forget they need to find new clients and opportunities to fill too, but their profile does not appeal to future clients.
What reasons do you have not to visit recruiter's profile? Love to hear from you!
If you are interested in getting a copy of the results of my survey (200 companies and 750 profiles reviewed), please mail me at [email protected] .