LinkedIn or Xing?

There are countless networking platforms, all with the same goal: professional networking and recruitment. 
The leading platforms in Switzerland are LinkedIn and Xing.

LinkedIn

• International network
• Used by corporations, industry and public sector organisations

Xing

• Primarily used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
• Popular among SMEs
• Ideal for freelancers

While Xing still plays a role in German-speaking regions, LinkedIn is the clear international standard. 

Know yourself.

It’s not easy to define your strengths and qualities clearly. Take time to reflect on how you act in key situations. 

• Relevant skills and strengths (technical, personal, methodological, etc.)
• Passions, interests, voluntary work, and extracurricular activities 

Stand out with substance, not buzzwords. Mention concrete examples such as work samples, publications, memberships or volunteer commitments. 
Use industry-relevant keywords (common job titles, skills, or software tools). 

Tip

Need inspiration for your self-assessment? Ask colleagues how they perceive you. 
The career diagnostics at ZHAW IAP also offer a range of free self-assessment questionnaires. 

The essentials

• Use a professional photo.
• Add a clear headline describing your field or expertise (sentence or keywords).
• Choose a banner photo that represents you well – for example, your interests, workplace or studies – but avoid selfies, partners, children or pets.
• In your work experience, write detailed descriptions that explain your journey and current role. Include keywords to improve visibility in searches. 

Additional elements

• Add volunteer work, side projects, or other activities.
• Enrich your profile with media – relevant links, downloads, articles, videos or images.
• Ask for recommendations and endorsements from your network.
• Link your profile to former employers and educational institutions.
• Make your public profile visible so it can be found via search engines.
• Activate job alert functions.

Tips

• The average attention span online is short – make sure key information is visible within eight seconds.
• Create a personalised Vanity URL for your profile.
• Reorder your career stages or projects so your most relevant experiences appear first.
• Analyse your profile with LinkedIn’s Social Selling Index: www.linkedin.com/sales/ssi

 Double-check your profile.

• Ask someone external to review it – a fresh perspective is invaluable.
• Make sure all your social media channels reflect the same professional image.
• Monitor your online reputation, for example with www.google.com/alerts. 
  Search your name regularly and ask website owners to remove unfavourable content if necessary.

Maintain your connections.

Networking doesn’t mean adding as many people as possible. 
Start with classmates, colleagues, supervisors, acquaintances and friends. 
Connect with people you would also approach in person. 

• Ideal sind Konferenzen und Netzwerktreffen. Kontaktiere ein bis zwei Tage im Anschluss die interessanten Leute, aber nur wenn ihr euch auch persönlich kennengelernt habt.
• Lade niemals ohne Text ein, erwähne ggf. woher ihr euch kennt.
• Sag nicht gedankenlos allen zu.
• Attend conferences and networking events. Contact interesting people within a few days – but only if you met in person.
• Never send connection requests without a short message. Mention how you know each other.
• Don’t accept all invitations automatically. 

Tip

Follow companies, recruiters, professional associations or job trend pages – but focus on quality, not quantity. 
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