Why Alberta Oil & Gas Engineers Should Review and Update Their LinkedIn Skills in 2024

Introduction

In the ever-evolving landscape of professional networking in Alberta’s oil & gas industry, LinkedIn remains the go-to platform for connecting with colleagues, potential employers, and industry leaders. Your LinkedIn profile is more than just a digital resume—it’s your professional brand. It’s important to revisit our LinkedIn profiles and ensure they reflect our current skill section. Staying relevant and showcasing your expertise is crucial, and you only get to list 100 skills. Let’s explore why you should review your skills section and how to make it impactful. 50 % to 75% of recruiters rely (weighted to some degree) on matching their highlighted skills to your list, and potential connections rely on skills for LinkedIn to recommend matches to people who have high relevance to yourself.

The Autocomplete Trap: Beyond Generic Skills

LinkedIn’s autocomplete feature is handy when adding skills to your profile. However, it often suggests generic terms that lack specificity. For an oil & gas project manager or project engineer, “management” might be a common suggestion, but its generic. Instead, consider manually typing skills like “upstream brownfield project management” or “downstream process optimization manager.” These tailored skills demonstrate your industry knowledge and set you apart.

The Endorsement Dilemma: Quality Over Quantity

Endorsements validate your skills, but having numerous endorsements for outdated abilities can mislead potential employers. Having numerous endorsements for a skill you no longer use can misrepresent your talents. Here’s your action plan:

1. Assess Underendorsed Skills: Look at your skills list. Which ones have minimal endorsements? These are your focus areas.
2. Relevance Check: Ask yourself, “Do these skills align with my current role in Alberta’s oil & gas sector?” If not, it’s time for an update.
3. Precision Matters: Replace outdated skills with ones that reflect your expertise. For instance, if you excel in reservoir simulation, highlight “Eclipse” or “CMG.”

The Specificity Advantage: Navigating Industry Jargon

Recruiters and hiring managers scan LinkedIn profiles for specific skills. When you list vague terms, you miss out on opportunities. Here’s how to be specific:

1. Industry Buzzwords: Read job descriptions for Alberta oil & gas roles. Incorporate industry buzzwords like “SAGD” (Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage) or “HSE” (Health, Safety, and Environment).
2. Delete Duplicates: Instead of having “Oil”, “Gas”, and “Oil/Gas”, all automatically inserted by LinkedIn, replace them with “Upstream Oil & Gas” and utilize the two free spots for additional skills.
3. Industry Jargon: Use industry-specific jargon. If you’re an electrical engineer, mention “circuit design” or “embedded systems.”

The Alberta & Canada Focus

As an engineer in Alberta’s oil & gas industry, tailor your skills section:

1. Technical Skills: Emphasize skills relevant to your field.
2. Project Management: Highlight your ability to lead projects, manage stakeholders, and deliver results.
3. Soft Skills: Don’t overlook communication, negotiation, and adaptability. Showcase them alongside technical prowess.

Leave Wiggle Room to Customize Current Applications or Connections to Industry

Filling all 100 skills is great. If you observe your LinkedIn top job picks you’ll see that their preferred skills are either absent in your list, or are similar to something else you already listed. Leaving room in your skills area to tailor around 20 skills give you the flexibility to match highly desirable postings. Don’t touch your core skills, and keep your primary skills sorted at the top so that they remain visible when your profile is viewed.

Conclusion: Elevate Your LinkedIn Skills Profile

In 2024, let’s elevate our LinkedIn profiles from generic to industry-specific. Alberta’s oil & gas sector thrives on expertise, and your skills matter. Review, refine, repeat. Remember, it’s not just about endorsements; it’s about relevance. Happy updating!

Connect with me on paulturk.ca and LinkedIn.

Note: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not represent any official endorsement or opinion by LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.