Most Expert Networks associates spend days on LinkedIn searching for the most suitable experts for their clients’ projects to engage in consulting calls.
If you receive a text message from an Expert Network (via email or LinkedIn), do not ignore it since it might just be your gateway to a lucrative career in consulting.
At RightAngle Global, our team of associates wants to help you to increase your chances of being found by Expert Networks. Here are several important tips that will increase your visibility.
Avoid narratives, use keywords instead
If your goal is to find new opportunities, sharing information about your achievements will highlight your talents and experiences. Don’t forget to use keywords that will help you get noticed easier.
Here’s what you should feature:
- Technical talents
- Non-technical qualities
- Previous job responsibilities
Is your list ready? If the answer is yes, then move on to the “About” section of your LinkedIn profile as well as those sections describing each position you have held. This is your first huge first step towards becoming more visible to associates.
Be explicit about your background
Keywords are good, but it’s also crucial to emphasize experience. Associates looking for experts are interested in learning more about your degree of competence. Add the information required for each job title and don’t forget that headline!
It’s also recommended to keep your job title list up-to-date. Ideally, you should describe your job instead of simply stating the title of your former or current position.
Make sure your headline explains what you actually do!
Make yourself stand out from the rest
Note that if you type the term “Consultant” in the LinkedIn search box, you will be presented with a myriad of results. Even if you are (or were) employed at a sizable, well-known company, this term might still not be enough to describe what you do or did because “Consultant” is an ambiguous role. You could compose a lengthy paragraph outlining your daily tasks or a short list of bullet points detailing the tasks you worked on.
Some people want a ‘clean-looking’ profile as they believe this will make them look more professional. This is why they opt for the minimum amount of information on their page.
The reality, however, is that recruiters want to match specific keywords to a person’s expertise. Without sufficient information, there’s a risk you will either remain invisible to them or if they do come across your profile, they’ll promptly switch to the next one if they fail to find the information they seek.
Refine your profile
Going beyond aesthetic appearance is a must. This will facilitate an associate’s job by allowing them to instantly scan your background and determine whether you are a good fit. To ensure a tidy and appealing profile, concentrate on the following areas:
Organizations listed
Ensure you’re using the organization tag that has previously been featured on LinkedIn. Associates make use of these tags to identify experts. If you use a different version of the organization name, there is a chance that associates won’t discover your profile or, if they do, the connection might seem dubious.
Grammar and spelling
Meticulously review your profile to check your spelling. Misspelled keywords, even with minor typos, increase the chances of your profile not appearing in search results.
Chronological employment history
Avoid listing numerous organizations as being your current employers on your LinkedIn account. Associates need to know about your current work in addition to the organizations you’ve previously been employed by so everything relevant should be listed in chronological order.
There’s also a risk of being unsuitable for certain projects since Expert Networks must follow strict compliance requirements. No one wants to waste their time making guesses about a person’s current place of employment.
Updated contacts
Make it easy for people to contact you. In addition, make sure that you answer messages as promptly as possible. It is important that your profile features your email and phone number and that this is made public. If for whatever reason you don’t answer messages sent via LinkedIn, associates will then still be able to contact you directly.
At the end of your description consider adding information regarding your openness for people to get in touch. For example: “Feel free to contact me at: […]” or: “I’ll be happy to assist you, please contact me at: […]” etc.
If you want to increase your chances of being recruited by RightAngle associates register here. When registering, be as specific as possible, offering information on subject matter areas, specific market(s), and geography(ies). You can also attach your CV.
Final word:
Having a profile that is easy to find and analyze considerably increases the chances of being recruited by Expert Networks for one or even several projects. Unfortunately, not everyone who might be a perfect fit is aware of how to set up their profile, making it more visible.
Some of the key areas to pay attention to include using keywords, having a clear description of your previous and current work as well as your skills and expertise and, of course, providing contact information.
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