2. Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile for the German Job Market

Your LinkedIn profile is your digital resume and business card (same counts for Xing/Onlyfy when you decide to have your profile there, too). To stand out, I highly recommend optimizing it strategically. Here, I present you some of the most frequent mistakes I see in my part-time job as a Recruiter as well as in mi entrepreneurship as Career and Job Coach for female expat:

• Professional Headline: Your headline should go beyond just stating your profession or that you are looking for a job. Instead, highlight your expertise and the value you bring. When you are in the process of career change, highlight transferable skills, new studies and outstanding talents.
• In your summary: If possible, clearly define your career goals. Use relevant keywords from the job profile you want to have or the industry you want to work for to ensure your profile becomes visible for Recruiters. For example, how do I as a Recruiter know when I check your profile you want to find a job as Personal Assistant besides your entrepreneurship as a Salsa Teacher when it is not written in your profile? So when I do a search with my Recruiter LinkedIn Tool looking for this job titel, your profile will not appear. It will only appear for „Salsa Teacher“ when this is the job information that is written in your profile. Drafting a tailored and engaging summary of around 40 words can demonstrate your personality, something that 87 percent of employers are looking for.
  LinkedIn members who l  ist current job positions receive up to 5x as many requests to connect. If you are new to the job market, highlight relevant coursework, projects, or volunteer experience and list them in the section of current Job.

• Language of your Profile: LinkedIn is available in 36 different languages.Very often, internationals have their profile written in their mother language. However, when searching for a job opportunity on the german market, it is vital that the profile language is German (when you have already german speaking skills and apply for german speaking jobs) or otherwise in english (when you target international companies in Germany or your German language skills are not yet fluent). For example, how do I know more about your professional profile when it is written only in Mandarin?
  Living in Germany, it’s highly recommended to have your profile updated in German (and / or english). Therefore you can use the multilingual language feature and add a second language.
• Experience & Skills: List your work experience with quantifiable achievements. It is vital for recrutiers, to get a clear idea of your experience that to assess if you are a good fit for the position they need to fill. As well this is vital when you want to change industries and you list transferable skills, meaning skills you applied in another job however are relevant for the industry or job you want to get in the future.Of course, this is the most challenging part when you are in the situaton of changing your career. However, highlight responsibilities and accomplishments and add key skills that align with your desired job roles in Germany. In case it becomes too difficult, ask for support from an expert or coach as this can really make a hughe difference.
  It is recommended to list at least five relevant skills, as doing so increases the chance that your profile will be discovered and someone will message you by more than 31 times what you would get if you didn’t. Keep as well in mind not to list too many very generic skills, it is better to list 5, 10 or 15 key skills as 30. Thus, I highly recommend to evaluate first what industry or job areas you want to work in the future, what are they key skills you bring and then start designing your Profile accordingly.
• Location & Languages: If you speak German, even at a basic level, include it in your profile. As well add every other language you speak as this can be important. Many companies prefer candidates who at least understand German (B2) and in some industries, it is important to speak English and other languages. As well it is important to know at which location you are based and where you look for a job. Having this information at first sight as Recruiter makes it easier tha your profile is found in job searches in the city, region our country you are looking for a job. As statistics show that 30 percent of recruiters prioritize location in their searches. From my personal experience, I would even say in the companies I worked, we even prioritize location with a much higher rate.
• Profile Picture: Use a high-quality, professional headshot (avoid casual or group pictures). Adding a professional photo will get you  14 times more views than other types of profile pictures. If you are unsure what to wear when taking a professional picture, do a small research checking websites from industries you want to work in and see how the employees are dressed: Is it more casual, business casual or what style do the people working in this potential future company you want to work in have on their company or profile pictures?