“Luck Favors the Prepared” – LinkedIn Profile Tips

Why Bother?

Perhaps you’re really happy in your current job, still growing in and learning from your position, and you’re not really interested in a career switch. If so, then you’re probably not researching job vacancies—and that’s okay! You don’t have to. You love your job, so why bother?

We believe it’s always good to know what else is out there, and it’s important to know when interesting jobs open up at attractive companies. After all, in this dynamic and fast-changing industry there are always new discoveries and innovations—and therefore there are always new jobs. And who knows, maybe there is something even BETTER for you around the bend. At the very least, job openings are a good barometer of what’s going on in your field.

However, it can seem like a chore to find the time and energy to poke around the job market when you’re happy where you are. It seems like an amazing new piece of biotech or niche CRO is popping up every day. Who can keep up? Well, what if we told you that you could bring these opportunities to you without having to do any searching yourself? Don’t hide from recruiters! They’re your best way to stay up to date on the job market with little to no personal effort. The key is to create a magnet that attracts recruiters as well as a wider network of clients, colleagues and even potential future employers. That magnet is your LinkedIn profile.

How to be prepared: LinkedIn Profile Tips

There are a few quick and easy ways to make your profile more searchable for the jobs you want to hear about—the more people who can find you, the more information you’ll get delivered straight to your door. (Not to mention the more other contacts you’ll make in your field.) The three simple steps below will help you find out about cool opportunities without doing any work yourself, ensuring that the interesting opportunities don’t pass you by.

Tip 1

Make sure your LinkedIn profile picture is a good one. We can’t stress this enough. LinkedIn is where most recruiters and hiring managers begin their search for new talent. The first thing they look at is the same thing everyone (including newborn babies) looks at: faces. You don’t need to hire a professional photographer, but you yourself need to look professional in your picture. Spend a few minutes getting this right. (But first check out these tips).

Tip 2

Definitely post your job title, but also make sure it’s phrased so that most people will understand what it is you do. For example, if you are a CRO Business Developer, don’t write your job title as “Clinical Trial Sales Guru.” You can put that in the description and explain what it means and why, but to help yourself be found make sure your job title is clear, and written as someone in your industry would search.

Tip 3

Include your last few jobs (same thing goes for the titles) in your profile, too. You don’t need to write a detailed description for each job, although it will help; simply having a few job titles will make you easier to find, show your experience and help you hear about a wider variety of opportunities.

Maximize your Network

Remember: a (good) recruiter is there merely to give you information about new jobs and to see if you are interested. Not to pressure you. So use them: put yourself in a position where you can be kept up on new developments in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry without more than a few minutes of effort on your part. This can also help you open yourself up to an expanded professional network. See what kind of “luck” can favor you!