Revealed: The worst LinkedIn mistake recruiters make and how to fix it

While employers researching candidates online is not unheard of, new research reveals that the other way around is true as well. And there is one mistake that may cost recruiters top talent.

70% of candidates check out prospective hiring managers’ profile before interviews, according to Social Media Search’s latest survey.

Adam Gordon is the Managing Director at Social Media Search. Speaking exclusively to Recruitment Grapevine, he reveals that there is one severe mistake that may cost employers the best recruits.

Gordon says: “The biggest mistake that hiring managers make is not having any social media presence at all. For those that are online, a key error that they make is having restricted or limited profiles. To address this, best practice is to have a profile which shows that the hiring manager is a great person to work for and represents a business as a desirable employer.”

Social Media Search is a Norman Broadbent Plc company. The company, which recently announced the name of their new CEO, polled 344 people for the survey. The respondents were executive professionals from different sectors and levels.

In response to the results, Social Media Search offers five top tips for hiring managers looking to improve their LinkedIn profiles.

Structure your profile

Make sure your profile is structured so that you can be found quickly. Fill it with key words that your target’s audience would search for to find you.

Strong summary

A strong summary that tells potential candidates who you are and what drives you and your company is instantly engaging.

Content is key

Think about what collateral you could use to demonstrate your (and your company’s) expertise. Examples could include links to videos, white papers, and thought-leadership documents.

 Join in

The more relevant LinkedIn groups you join, the more likely it is that you’ll share groups with prospective hires.

Get visible

Make sure that you are easily visible. Share your content as part of your status update. This way, you can share your most useful industry insight with all of these people on a regular basis.