A solid recruiting tool, your LinkedIn profile is your first point of contact with a recruiter or potential employer..the sky is the limit!

Rachel Sandler for Business Insider shares her top tips and tricks to help you become a LinkedIn power user and search out the best job to help you up the career ladder.

1.Scan your profile
Ensure your profile is easy and clear to read, has a professional picture, your current position or education, location, industry, and skills.

Be sure to include:
• A professional photo
• Your current position or education
• Your location is especially important because recruiters will often search for candidates by location.
• The industry you’re currently working in
• Skills

Having these things included makes you easier to find. According to LinkedIn, just by including your location, users are 23 times more likely to show up in searches.

2. Create a custom URL
When you first create a LinkedIn profile, the url you receive consists of a long string of letters and numbers. In order for people to easily find you via Google or LinkedIn search, making a clean and simple URL will do the trick. It’ll look like this: http://www.linkedin.com/in/yourname
To change your url, go to your profile and click on “Edit Public Profile and URL.”

3. Make yourself an “Open Candidate”
If you’re looking for a job, turning on the “Open Candidates” feature is one of the most important things you can do. It’s a secret switch that quietly tells recruiters you’re actively seeking a job — and it’ll hide it from your current employer or any recruiter affiliated with them.
According to LinkedIn, profiles with the Open Candidates setting on get twice as many messages from relevant recruiters.

4. Set some search alerts
Search alerts are handy if you’re looking to keep track of new hires at a company — maybe a competitor, or maybe someone in a similar role as you at another company. Simply click the People filter before you search for a particular company, put on any additional filters, and select “create search alert.” After doing this, you’ll get an email whenever someone new fits the search criteria you set.

5. Set job alerts
When you search for a job in LinkedIn’s “Jobs” section, you can set up custom alerts that go straight to your inbox when a particular job is available. You can access the site’s Jobs section by clicking the suitcase icon at the top of the homepage.

6. Don’t be shy to ask for referrals
If you know someone at a particular company where you want a job, it might be a good idea ask them for a referral. Knowing someone there can boost your chances of getting a job and make you stand out. Luckily, LinkedIn has a handy built-in tool that’ll do just that.

When you search for a job, turn on the “in your network” filter to see which connections are employed at that particular company. You’ll then see a button that says “Ask for a Referral.” Try and fill in your own, personalised request. Here’s what LinkedIn suggests you should do:
Remind them how they know you. Jog their memory of where you met if you haven’t been in touch recently. Mention things you have in common, like if you went to the same school.

Explain why you’re a good fit for the role and the company, including your skills and relevant experience. This will make it easier for the person you know to recommend you to the hiring manager or recruiter.

Highlight why you’re interested. Stand out by telling them why you’re interested in this role. This can be anything from being a fan of the company’s product or service, to wanting to move to the city their office is located in.

By having a clear, concise, updated profile you’re sure to stand out in the searches and help the perfect job to come straight to your inbox.