Core Talent Blog

LinkedIn is the world’s biggest career networking site, with over 500 million users. Many of these are blue/gray-collar workers and the companies that hire them - a simple search for “project manager” on the site turns up over 20,000 results in Australia.

This abundance of users is why recruiters often turn to LinkedIn first when searching for new candidates. Being a member gives construction professionals the chance to connect with talent scouts, managers, and other professionals who can open the door to promising career opportunities.

So what can construction professionals do to ensure that they can get noticed? In this quick guide, we’ll show you how to build an attention-grabbing profile and maximise your success on LinkedIn.

Creating a High-Impact Profile

Completing and optimising your profile is the key way to stand out among the competition. Members with completed profiles receive 40% more business opportunities. That’s because recruiters prefer them: complete profiles provide enough information for recruiters to assess your suitability as a candidate.

To achieve “all-star” status, your LinkedIn profile must include:

• A clear, high-quality, and up-to-date photograph of yourself
• Your industry and location
• Current position, including description
• Two past positions
• Education
• A minimum of three skills
• At least 50 connections

Headline

Your profile headline is the first thing people see after your name. It’s your place to make a powerful first impression. The headline will default to your current or last position, but we recommend that you customise it.

Your headline should not be a mere descriptor, but signal your unique value as a professional.

• Include your current job title
• Use keywords that define your key skills or achievements
• Highlight what sets you apart from your peers
• Avoid buzzwords like “guru”, “ninja”, etc.

Example:

Chief Estimator at XYZ Company | Tenders of $15M+ | Infrastructure / Industrial focus | Estimation & Project Management

Summary

Your profile summary is where you’ll tell recruiters more about yourself and your qualities as a candidate. As you write, be sure to address the questions that a recruiter would typically have when looking for someone like you.

For example, estimators, project managers and contract administrators may like to highlight the type, size, and value of projects they have worked on. Hirers are not looking for a long list of every task you do in your job, rather, they are looking to see where you’ve exceeded expectations, achieved great results, and find motivation.

• Use value-signaling terms if applicable (ex: “award-winning”)
• Highlight projects that you are most proud of
• List the industries in which you have expertise
• Add a “specialties” or “areas of expertise” section to incorporate relevant keywords that describe your skill set
• Support what your headline says throughout your profile

Tip: Don’t forget to show your personality. As many as 87% of recruiters say they are looking for personality in a candidate’s LinkedIn profile. Write in the first person, share your interests, and express yourself. It will help you make a positive and memorable impression.

Experience & Skills

Demonstrating your capabilities is essential to proving that you are a quality candidate. Use the projects section and upload files to showcase your best work and provide more information about the most noteworthy things you’ve worked on. These can include photos of finished work, design sketches, or even marketing sheets that outline project scopes.

You can also select a variety of skills to add to your profile and get endorsed for each of your skills by the people you connect with. Your profile will be pushed to the top of the list of candidates if you have more endorsements than others. The fastest way to grow the number of endorsements you have is to endorse the skills of people you know.

Getting the Most Out of LinkedIn

Once your profile is complete, there are a number of ways you can use LinkedIn to get noticed.

• Join Groups related to your industry in order to be able to give and gain advice.
• Actively connect with relevant people in your industry.
• Follow profiles of companies and organisations that are influential or desired employers.
• Seek recommendations from colleagues and superiors.

Step Up in Your Construction Career

Now that your LinkedIn is optimised, find out about the most in demand roles and salaries that they command with our 2019 Salary Survey.

Find the next big opportunity with Core Talent.