Any excellent mentor will tell you that you should always be open to hearing about the next best thing. Looking for the next job before you feel yourself running from a dysfunctional environment is best. (All of that goes out the door, of course, when there are layoffs.) The point is, whether you're content and in a stable job or on the job market, there are right and wrong ways to operate on LinkedIn.
If you're in revenue operations, these pro tips are tailored to your domain – although they may push you outside your comfort zone. As with any advice, the list won't resonate with everyone. Ignore what you will, but remember that LinkedIn is one of the first places future employers will search when you're a potential new hire.
There are an elite handful of #revops influencers on LinkedIn. Unless you've been willfully avoiding social media, you know who I'm talking about. They post frequently, give solid advice, and sometimes rely on quirky humor to appeal to their audience.
They've developed a brand, and they're doing that work whether they're looking for their next gig or not.
We all want to believe that people will accept us for who we are at our worst moments, but humans rely on first impressions when hiring. You shouldn't show up to your interview in a bathrobe, as memorable as that would make you for all of the wrong reasons, and you shouldn't put comments and opinions for everyone to see if you wouldn't say them to that person's face.
Showing your personality is a good thing. Alienating people or bullying others is never a good thing. Pictures of you drinking beer in a boat shirtless also won't get you a job. Hiring managers search for people they trust in front of their executive team and customers. Keep it professional, from your summary and job experience to your profile picture.
Use common sense and assume your next employer will find the most embarrassing content possible–on and off LinkedIn.
I know quite a few RevOps folks who avoid LinkedIn. As long as they keep their profile up to date and take the time to ask for references, that's okay. You don't have to have a personal brand on social to get a job. Having references, however, can make a huge difference to hiring managers.
I know it always did when I was hiring. I'd prioritize the people with glowing references, and never regretted that choice. People who didn't have references may have been stellar, but those with references had an edge.
Don't be afraid to go through your network and ask people for a reference. Offer to provide one for them in exchange. Of course, use discretion and only ask those familiar with your work.
Your profile headline is considered in the search algorithm recruiters use for skilled professionals. So don't be afraid to show off a certification. Also, remember what your employers will value most about your skill sets.
And that's usually not a killer instinct with flows and configuration documentation.
Instead of focusing on the tactical things you do, showcase how they positively impact the business. For example, are you excellent at aligning executives through core KPIs? Do your processes make the customer experience as efficient as possible?
Who would you rather hire:
Bert Fizzy, Director of Revenue Operations, or
Bert Fizzy, Revenue Operations Pro | Uniter of Siloed Teams | Scaler of Revenue | Certified Salesforce Admin
A little personality can be a good thing, but showing you're focused on what matters to the business is even better.
There's a strategy for writing a compelling summary. First, decide which position you would like to report to in a company (or are most likely to report to) and think about their core objectives. Google or ChatGPT or query TikTok if you need to understand what they care the most about. Then write your summary in a way that highlights how you'll help them.
If you want to report to the CRO, focus on funnel efficiency, making the sales team's life easier, and how you've positively impacted the bottom line. If you want to report to a CFO or COO, focus on profitability, increasing margins, and increasing efficiency.
Be bold and honest about what you're passionate about, and include some personal facts people can relate to.
When looking for inspiration, check out the people you admire in the RevOps Co-Op community and how their profile summaries are structured. It's also worth checking out the top influencer on LinkedIn for the #revops tag.
If you have a long resume, it's okay to use shorthand for the early jobs in your career that aren't as relevant to your current position. When the positions are relevant, highlight the skillsets you think will be most important to the job you're looking for.
Did you enjoy systems configuration but hate enablement? Focus on the projects involving the systems and stats that help prove you made the company more efficient. For example, research whether a change positively impacted bookings or saved people time (and the company money as a result).
Did you love enablement? Highlight those adult education classes you took and the tools you used to build on-demand training.
There is one word of caution. Hiring managers have noticed that ChatGPT is popular for resume building. They've also seen that it will provide fictitious statistics and achievements. You'll be asked to prove you know what's on your resume, and they will ask your references to back up your statements. Even though a statistic looks good, people will still need reassurance to trust the numbers.
If you have to prioritize one of these two categories, prioritize skills. LinkedIn has some assessments to help round out your skills, and remember to list your certifications.
Endorsements were popular in the past but are less meaningful now. If you have a certification, it proves you went to some work to achieve an acknowledgment. But don't be offended if they still quiz you. I've known quite a few people who lied about their certification or rigged the test.
Do you enjoy racing in 5Ks? Have you volunteered at your local animal shelter? List these things.
It shows you have interests outside of work and allows people to relate to your hobbies. Depending on what you list, it can display a degree of empathy, commitment to personal improvement, or a relatable passion.
Most of us rely on content to help us do our jobs better. So when you see something that helps you, please share it with your network. It shows that you're engaged on LinkedIn, gives you a boost with search algorithms, and could help someone out there struggling with the same problem.
Going through past posts is something your future employer will do. If they see a good amount of best practice advice or articles on relevant topics, it certainly won't hurt your chances of getting the position. Remember that your comments and other interactions are also visible to hiring managers, so use common sense.
If you attend a webinar and enjoy what the speakers have to say, follow them on LinkedIn. You may even want to send a connection request with a note. People rarely turn down an opportunity to connect with someone who appreciates their views.
It's also a good practice to connect with people you meet at networking events and with whom you work. I've even connected with vendors if they had something interesting to say. It sometimes increased the spammy emails, but usually, it was professionally beneficial.
Keeping your LinkedIn profile up to date is always a smart move. Making your boss a little bit nervous can be a good thing. But toggling on that "Open to Work" button will make you visible to hiring managers and human resources. And having sat next to human resources on multiple occasions, they will pass that information along.
Being open to different opportunities shouldn't impact your current job and cause retaliation, but it can. Use the toggle when you're unemployed or okay with leaving your current position today.
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Your LinkedIn profile should be a dynamic representation of your professional brand. So regularly update and refine your profile, stay active within the LinkedIn community, and leverage the platform's job search features to maximize your network–and chances of landing that next job.
