Are you simply sitting back and WAITING for LinkedIn magic to happen?

Maybe you’ve updated your LinkedIn Profile, made sure to avoid common LinkedIn mistakes – yet, you’re still wondering when you’ll get results.

Do any of these sound familiar?

• You see others posting and commenting, but you just don’t see the value in doing it
• Your LinkedIn headshot is outdated (or you’ve used a family photo), but you’d rather not change it
• You’re using LinkedIn’s default Headline (your current job)
• You’re waiting for the right moment to add more detail to your Profile
• You can’t figure out why employers ignore you, but you haven’t checked out your competition

This type of waiting will nearly guarantee your job search will take longer.

Instead, try these fixes to avoid “magic” LinkedIn thinking (and the lackluster results that come with it):

1 – Get active and make yourself known on LinkedIn.

You may not realize it, but LinkedIn rewards highly active users by showing your Profile more often in search results.

Use this trend to your advantage by posting on LinkedIn regularly, commenting on other user’s posts, and tagging (referencing) industry peers when doing so.

Even doing this once per week should produce a noticeable uptick in your traffic and connections.

What should you share on LinkedIn? Hannah Morgan of Career Sherpa has compiled a list for you! In 25 Inspiring Ideas for What to Post on LinkedIn, you’ll find a wealth of ideas to help you generate content relevant to your personal brand and profession.

Don’t just hit Like on posts! Instead, use a commenting strategy for best results. You’ll quickly see increased interest and engagement from other users (including employers!).

2 – Research your competition to gauge your fit for that dream job.

If you’re not already checking out your competition for top jobs by using LinkedIn, you’re missing out on valuable career intelligence.

Start reviewing Profiles of candidates with similar credentials to you – and you might realize you’re aiming too high or too low in your job search. Many people are openly transparent on social media, so use this data to your advantage!

3 – Update your LinkedIn Profile using keyword strategy.

These steps to a best-in-class LinkedIn Profile will help you boost traffic and interest, even if you’re in the midst of a stealth job search.

Employers search for candidates on LinkedIn using terms such as job titles and core skills. 

If your Profile lacks keywords, you’re making it more difficult for them to locate you!

There are numerous tools such as Wordle that can help locate the top keywords in job descriptions. You can then use these terms throughout your Profile to demonstrate the right credentials for your target job.

4 – Jazz up your LinkedIn Headline.

The Headline is the first data point others will see about you – make it count! Remove redundant and worthless phrases, and write a job-specific, keyword-rich Headline instead, using this simple formula.

A powerful LinkedIn Headline isn’t difficult to build; it simply takes an understanding of your job target and the keywords (as mentioned above) important to your field. Then, you’ll need to incorporate these words into a 120-character phrase that expresses your value.

5 – Look at your LinkedIn Photo with a critical eye.

LinkedIn Profiles with photos get 14 times more Profile views!

If you haven’t carefully selected a LinkedIn photo reflective of your leadership brand and career goals, now’s the time to do it.

By having a professional headshot taken or asking a friend to take a series of photos for you, you’ll have a better array of choices when it comes to your photo.

You can also rely on Photofeeler.com to get an idea of how well your LinkedIn headshot is working. This site allows you to get independently sourced feedback on your credibility and other factors conveyed by your photo.

So don’t wait for LinkedIn magic to happen!

If you want to be taken seriously by employers as a visible, professionally engaged candidate, it pays to strategically build your LinkedIn presence.