Everyone knows today’s pharmacy job market is ultra competitive. Yet many pharmacists I meet have bad LinkedIn profiles. Even worse, some pharmacists don’t even have a LinkedIn account. That’s a huge career mistake!
I don’t get it. Pharmacists spend thousands of dollars on their education to start their career. But I see little effort going into basic career maintenance like keeping a LinkedIn profile up-to-date.
LinkedIn is the biggest professional networking tool on the planet. So if you’re serious about your career, you need to have a stellar LinkedIn profile.
Today I’m going to show you six reasons why LinkedIn is so important for pharmacists. Then I’m going to show you three powerful tips to improve your LinkedIn profile.
And here’s the best part of LinkedIn: It’s FREE! It’s also an easy way to keep your career on the right path and running smoothly.
Download this cheat sheet of Top LinkedIn Tips for Pharmacists
Let’s get to it!
LinkedIn: An Important Branding Tool for Pharmacists
Sure, it’s not as fun as Facebook or Instagram. But LinkedIn is vital when it comes to your career. With over 450 million users, LinkedIn is the largest professional network in the world.
Most employers today just assume you have a LinkedIn profile. So you’re at a big disadvantage if you don’t have an account.
If you haven’t logged into LinkedIn for awhile, you’ve missed some important changes. That’s because over the last few years, LinkedIn has grown from from a resume site to a comprehensive personal branding tool.
You may be wondering: “What’s personal branding?” According to entrepreneur and author Glenn Llopis, “Your personal brand should represent the value you are able to consistently deliver to those whom you are serving.”
Like all professionals, pharmacists need to communicate their value to the people they serve. For example, say you’re a community pharmacist who specializes in diabetes management during pregnancy. A LinkedIn profile will allow you to broadcast your unique value to a massive audience.
Personal branding is especially important for pharmacists because everyone has the same credentials. Think about it: All pharmacists have the same degree. So you need to differential yourself. A well crafted branding statement is a great way to help you stand out from the crowd.
Before we get into how to build your personal brand statement, let’s look at why LinkedIn is so important for pharmacists.
The Incredible Facts About LinkedIn
LinkedIn has a lot of things going for it. Here are six big reasons why pharmacists need to update their LinkedIn profile today.
1. It has millions of members.
Again, LinkedIn has over 450 million members. In fact, professionals are joining LinkedIn at a rate of more than two new members per second. And that’s just the beginning of LinkedIn’s potential.
2. It’s easy to meet new colleagues.
Most professionals connect with people in their field to gain new insights and knowledge. But most pharmacists today are incredibly busy. So there’s little time for things like conferences or seminars.
LinkedIn is the perfect solution for pharmacists because it makes establishing new connections easy.
Have a pharmacy question? Ask someone on LinkedIn. Want to learn more about acquiring a new skill? Send a message to someone who specializes in that area. LinkedIn is all about making new connections. And your connections are the ones who can help you accelerate your career.
3. People are researching you.
Like it or not, people are searching for you online. Your boss, co-workers, patients and friends are all likely to look you up at some point.
Job seekers should pay special attention. A recent survey says a whopping 87 percent of recruiters use LinkedIn to vet candidates.
Wouldn’t it be great if you can control what people see when they search for you online? Well you can!
LinkedIn is one of the best ways to manage your name and personal brand online. Why? Because Google loves LinkedIn.
When someone Googles you, your LinkedIn profile will likely show up in the first or second spot. That’s important because according to one study, 94 percent of users only see the first page of search results. Fifty percent of users will click on either the first or second position.
A good LinkedIn profile will help you rank high in online searches. This will increase the chance of someone seeing your profile first and clicking on it. It’s a great to tilt online searches in your favor.
5. It’s easy to stay current.
One way to stay current is to follow thought-leaders and companies in your industry. LinkedIn has hundreds of leaders and companies in the pharmaceutical industry that you can follow. There are also several pharmacy groups you can join.
Also, the leaders and groups you follow can help you shape your personal brand.
Here’s an example: Say you’re a hospital pharmacist specializing in senior oncology. On LinkedIn, you’ll probably follow leading doctors, researchers and societies in senior oncology. Those names will influence how people view your profile; they’ll begin to associate you as a leader in that area, too.
6. It’s easy to stay connected.
Keeping track of your network is hard work. There’s always someone getting promoted, switching jobs or moving to a new city.
LinkedIn automatically keeps track of these changes in your network. You’ll get an alert when someone changes jobs. You’ll also get an alert when someone celebrates a milestone, like a work anniversary.
LinkedIn alerts are pop-ups on your screen with a “Say Congrats” button. This feature allows you to send your regards with just one click. It’s a great way to stay connected and top of mind within your network.
Get Ready to Update Your LinkedIn Profile
If you’ve read this far, you’re probably convinced that your LinkedIn profile could use a quick makeover.
A word of caution before you start: As mentioned, LinkedIn sends out alerts anytime there’s a change in your network. That also includes small tweaks you make to your profile.
You should turn off notifications before you make any changes to your profile. Otherwise your network will be notified of all your small changes.
It’s not the end of the world if you leave notifications on while making changes. But it’s more professional not to pester your network every time you correct a typo or change a photo.
Don’t worry.
It’s super easy to turn notifications on and off. Just follow these three steps:
How To Turn Off LinkedIn Edit Notification:
1. Log into your LinkedIn account.
2. Hover over your name on the upper-right corner of your profile. A drop-down menu should appear. Click on the “Privacy & Settings” option.
3. In the middle of the page click on the “Privacy” tab. Scroll to “Sharing Profile Edits” and click on “No”.
Top Three LinkedIn Tips for Pharmacists
Okay.
Have you turned off your LinkedIn notifications? (If you haven’t, re-read the section above. Don’t worry, I’ll wait.)
Great! Now you’re ready to make some changes that will help your profile zoom ahead of the competition.
Here are my top three LinkedIn tips for pharmacists:
Tip #1: Have a Professional Profile Picture.
When asked if you need a photo on your profile, Sarah Santacroce, a LinkedIn Consultant & Trainer says “Yes you absolutely do!”
Your picture is key to your branding because it’s the first thing people see. Ms. Santacroce also says you’ll have a hard time expanding your network if you hide behind the “grey mask’ (the default picture).
Here’s more proof: According to LinkedIn data, a picture alone makes a profile 14 times more likely to be viewed. So you’re just shooting yourself in the foot if you don’t have a good photo of yourself.
Now I know some of you are camera shy. And some of you worry about your privacy. My advice: Get over it.
As a pharmacist, you’re a leader in the healthcare community. Patients look to you for advice. Doctors ask for your opinion. You need to show confidence in everything you do. And that includes your LinkedIn profile.
At the very least, you should snap a photo of yourself with a high quality camera. Remember, LinkedIn is for your professional network. Leave the pictures of you and your friends at the beach for Facebook.
Here are some tips for a top notch LinkedIn photo:
- Make sure your face takes up at least 60% of the frame.
- Choose a warm and friendly expression.
- Wear what you’d wear to work.
- Choose a background that isn’t distracting.
Of course, a professional photographer is your best option. It’ll cost you around a hundred dollars, but it’s definitely worth the money. I see it this way: You’ve spent thousands of dollars on your pharmacy degree. You should expect to pay some maintenance fees to keep your career in top shape.
If you use a professional, make sure you get a hard copy of the picture(s) and full copyrights. Then you can use the picture for other things, like author bios, media articles or personal websites.
Tip #2: Complete Your Profile.
In LinkedIn, a detailed profile is a strong profile. Make sure to fill in all the sections of your profile. LinkedIn has Profile Completion Tips to help you along.
If you finish 100% of the Completion Tips, you’ll have a strong profile. But keep in mind, most of your competition will be complete this list, too.
If you want to take your profile to the next level, you need to focus on two key areas: your headline and your keywords.
Your Headline:
In LinkedIn, your “headline” is the area directly under your name. By default, LinkedIn uses your current job title as the headline.
But the headline area occupies some prime real-estate. It’s one of the first items people see in your profile. Here’s a trick to maximize the impact of this space.
LinkedIn allows you to edit your headline (up to 120 characters). So instead of going with the default option, I recommend you insert a personal brand statement in this space.
A personal brand statement is a short sentence about the value you deliver to those your serve. It’s also a powerful way to differentiate yourself from your competitors.
When I scan LinkedIn, I often see headlines like these:
- Pharmacist at Walmart
- Oncology Pharmacist
- Pharmacy Student
All the headlines above are 100% ME focused (i.e. what I do). By comparison, a personal brand statement is 100% YOU focused (i.e. what I can do for you).
Here are some alternative headlines:
- Community Pharmacist with a Specialty in Smoking Cessation
- Hospital Pharmacist Focused on Oncology
- Future Pharmacist with a Passion for Diabetes Management
See how these headline focus on the patient? In today’s “what’s in it for me” world, a tailored LinkedIn headline will help you stand out.
Your Keywords:
Remember, people are searching for you online. One way to increase the chances of being found is by using keywords in your profile.
Keywords are specific words and phrases that people search for online. For example, you might Google the keywords “adult mountain bike” if you are in the market for a new bicycle.
You should select keywords that tie into your personal brand. Then sprinkle those keywords into your headline and other parts of your LinkedIn profile.
Here are some keywords related to pharmacy:
- Smoking cessation
- Diabetes management
- Injection specialist
Important note on keywords: The competition for some words is high. So the keywords you choose should not be too broad, or too specific either.
Let me explain.
The keyword “pharmacist” won’t help you differentiate yourself. That’s because ALL pharmacists will have this word in their profile. Just Google the word “pharmacist” and you’ll get over 148 million results!
But keywords like “diabetes specialist” or “smoking cessation expert” are more specific and less competitive. It’s keywords like these that will help you stand out from the crowd.
Tip #3: Join Groups…Strategically.
As mentioned, following certain leaders and groups in LinkedIn will help shape your personal brand. Here what you need to know.
There are three types of groups in LinkedIn: high profile companies, familiar local groups and big industry influencers. Each groups offers a unique opportunity to support your own brand.
Companies: Many companies spend billions of dollars to build and maintain their corporate brands. Your personal brand can benefit by following these companies on LinkedIn.
When you follow a company on LinkedIn, the company’s logo will show on your profile. By following companies with similar values to you, your LinkedIn viewers will see the logos and begin to associate you with the corporate branding.
Local Groups: Most search engines will factor in your location when you search online. Establishing yourself as a local leader will improve your rank and visibility in search results.
Your profile automatically picks a location for you based on your current job (you can edit this in your profile settings). But another way to localize yourself is by following local companies and societies.
For example, if you are in the Toronto area, you can follow Sick Kids Hospital and the Ontario College of Pharmacy. This will better position yourself as a pharmacy leader in the Toronto area.
Influencers: The third group you should follow are the influencers. These are the high-profile thought leaders in your field. Like big corporations, influencers also have unique brands built up over many years. Again, you can tap into this brand equity by following leaders with similar values to yours.
To get the most out of LinkedIn groups, you need to be active. You should start discussions by sharing content and asking people’s opinions about the article or content. This help you expand your network, and cement yourself as a true leader in your field.
Now It’s Your Turn…
The job market is tough, so everyone is looking for an edge. A top notch LinkedIn profile makes it easy for pharmacists to differentiate themselves from the competition. LinkedIn is also a great way to expand your network and career opportunities.
So what do you think? Do you have any other LinkedIn tips for pharmacists? Feel free to share them in the comments section below.
