Throughout the past several years, the challenging job market and growing acceptance for working virtually have led to a boom in freelancing and contract positions. Many job seekers eagerly took on these roles and thrived in them. If you’ve been a freelancer, consultant or contractor and are now ready to work full time again, here are some ways LinkedIn can help you make your move. The key is to address the main concern a potential employer will have (i.e., that you don’t want a boss or that you aren’t ready to return to corporate life) and to demonstrate that the skills and experience you built as a freelancer will greatly benefit your next employer.
Here are five specific strategies:
1. Make Your Headline Shine
Your LinkedIn profile headline is prime real estate for two reasons. First, it’s the first phrase people will see about you when they click on your profile, and those first impressions stick. Second, it’s a keyword hot spot for anyone, recruiters especially, conducting searches on LinkedIn. Freelancers seeking full-time work should keep three things in mind when writing headlines:
- Use your headline to communicate your value to an employer.
- Include keywords and phrases relevant to you and what you seek. This will help you appear in the right kinds of search results.
- Target your desired industries. If you have a niche, make sure your headline communicates it clearly and specifically.
Putting it all together, here’s one example: “Client-winning marketing specialist with 10 years experience in the healthcare and medical device industries”
Note that it is fine to include your time freelancing in your years of experience. Just be sure to remove words like “freelancer,” “contractor” or “consultant” from your headline and use them sparingly in your profile if you are now seeking full-time work. Instead, use more general words like “experienced in,” “expert” and “professional.”
2. If You Seek Something, Say Something
For job seekers, think of your profile Summary as a cross between a professional bio and a cover letter. For making the transition from freelance to full-time, I suggest you announce your career goal in your opening sentence so it is totally clear that you are now seeking a full-time job. Then you can summarize your previous work—freelance or otherwise—that has provided you with the experience and skills an employer might be looking for.
Here’s an example: “I am a project manager with 10 years of experience in the technology industry, with a special focus on developing mobile products and services. Through a variety of full-time and freelance roles, I have demonstrated skills including time management, risk management, communication, organization and calm under pressure. I am an expert user of Microsoft Project and other project management software.
After an opening paragraph like this, you should concisely explain your qualifications (remember, you are writing on a website, not in an academic paper) and highlight specific experiences that qualify you for the jobs to which you are now applying.
