Every professional and jobseeker in the mining industry in South Africa knows by now that LinkedIn is practically a necessity these days. Many recruiters and prospective employers visit candidates' LinkedIn profiles to find out more about their experience and who they are, and some candidates even include their LinkedIn URL on their resumes. LinkedIn is not just a great tool for networking but also for securing a new job. Here are some tips to use LinkedIn to maximise your chance of getting a mining job in South Africa.
How to use LinkedIn to help you get hired
1. Add a professional-looking profile photo.
This is a must for job seekers on LinkedIn. Recruiters looking for candidates are more likely to visit LinkedIn profiles that have photos, according to studies. This means that just by having a photo on your profile, you’ve increased your chance of getting a mining job.
Including a photo on your profile can also help former colleagues, bosses, and classmates recognise you and add you to their network. This is useful because it means you become visible to the people in their networks and can in turn make new connections. And the more connections you have, the more likely you are to find opportunities.
The photo itself should be a close-up headshot of you facing the camera with your head and shoulders inside the frame. There should be no other people, animals, or distracting elements in the picture – a photo against a plain background is ideal. A genuine smile is said to make people look more competent, likable, and approachable on LinkedIn, so remember that when taking your LinkedIn photo! Finally, wear something for the photo that you would wear to an interview – you want to look like a professional.
2. Don’t forget the ‘About’ section.
The ‘About’ section on your profile is a space for you to write a short bio that briefly mentions your interests, skills, achievements, and work experience. It gives visitors to your profile a glimpse of who you are and your personality. It’s a lot like a cover letter you would write for a job application.
Although it’s important to talk a bit about your work experience, current job, and other information about who you are as a professional, it doesn’t hurt to include your personal hobbies and interests outside of work or education. You might end up connecting with other professionals or potential employees based on a shared interest.
3. Remember to include keywords!
Never underestimate the importance of having keywords in your bio and on your profile. Keywords to use would be words and phrases related to your role, your skills, the kind of work you’re interested in, and so on. This includes slang terms and abbreviations for these things. Using keywords will help you appear in searches on LinkedIn where recruiters, prospective employers, and other important connections can discover you.
4. Update your CV.
Your LinkedIn profile is essentially your online resume on view for the world. List your work experience, skills, and qualifications, and keep it up to date. Also, make sure your profile reflects your current employment details.
Do write a detailed description of the daily tasks involved in the positions listed in your work experience. Add as much detail as possible:
Companies worked for and the respective years that you worked in those positions.
Add your job titles and a full list of your duties and responsibilities. This is very important.
All relevant computer software packages and ERP systems that you are familiar with.
Any notable achievements.
Academic qualifications that you have completed and are currently studying.
Along with this, make sure that there are no spelling or punctuation mistakes anywhere on your profile – these don’t look professional. If you need to, ask someone else to read over your profile.
5. Do a lot of networking – but be selective.
LinkedIn was created for professionals to connect, so make the most of this and grow your network. Follow relevant groups, companies, brands, and connect with people you know – and some recruiters. Don’t just connect with any and every recruiter. Rather, look for recruiters in South Africa who specialise in recruiting for your field of expertise. They will have an understanding of your target industry and be better equipped to find appropriate placements for you.
6. Endorse other people’s skills and be an active user.
Take the time to visit former colleagues’ and bosses’ profiles and vouch for their skills and work ethic. Share people’s posts. Chances are, you’ll get something good out of being active on your LinkedIn and putting in a good word for others.
7. Enable the #OpenToWork feature
This is a very visible way for recruiters and prospective employers to see that you are a jobseeker. To enable this feature, go to your profile. Underneath your profile picture you will see a blue button labelled ‘Open to’. Click it and you’ll see a drop-down menu with a list of options to choose, with the first being ‘Finding a new job’. Click on this and LinkedIn will add an #OpenToWork frame to your profile photo that will be visible to other LinkedIn users.
You can later disable the #OpenToWork feature when you gain employment.
Want to further increase your chances of finding the right mining job for you? Visit CA Mining to view the latest mining jobs in South Africa and get in touch with or consultants for assistance.