LinkedIn is your home base for your personal brand. It is where recruiters, hiring managers, and networking contacts come first to learn about you. This is how you can define yourself on your own terms. You give people a glimpse into your competency, your experience, and your personality.
Give some thought to how you want to present yourself holistically. Think of three descriptive words that you want to be associated with. And then, ensure your LinkedIn profile thoroughly reflects your chosen descriptive words.
Here’s an example of three descriptive words:
detailed, easy-going, reliable
Recommended profile updates
Pro tip:
Keep your LinkedIn updates private so your contacts do not see all your changes as you work through this update process. Link to this setting.
Settings & Privacy > Visibility > Visibility of your LinkedIn activity > Share profile updates with your network > No
Use a custom LinkedIn profile URL
By default LinkedIn assigns your account a random string of numbers as your LinkedIn profile site URL (e.g. linkedin.com/in/170048834). But you have the option to customize yours with your name (e.g. linkedin.com/in/christinasomerville). If you have a more common name, make use of hyphens or your middle initial (e.g. john-t-smith). Update your URL by going to your profile (profile icon > “View profile”) then click “Public profile & URL” and then “Edit your custom URL.”
Professional headshot
Your headshot is the number one item people look at when visiting your profile. In less than three seconds your visitor will size you up. Are you friendly, open, competent? This is not the time for dimly-lit selfies. Take a photo that lights your face. Make sure your features don’t compete with a distracting background. You can also use an inexpensive service to enhance a photo into a headshot that looks professional. Here’s one that uses AI » aragon.ai.
Profile banner
Show a LinkedIn banner that reflects the kind of work you do. Keep it simple and clear. If you don’t want to claim any expertise in your profession, pick a design that showcases something about your personality. Go to Canva for free LinkedIn banner templates. Modify them so that yours doesn’t look like everyone else’s. Here is an example of a creative professional showcasing some of his work:
Check out this link for other examples. The recommended cover photo size is 1584 x 396. The maximum cover photo file size is 8MB. LinkedIn accepts PNG, JPG, and GIF file types for cover photos.
Keyword-rich headline
Many don’t understand that LinkedIn is primarily a search engine used by recruiters to find talent. LinkedIn relies on keywords tied to profiles. Your headline should clearly state who you are and the value you bring. Make it succinct and inclusive of keywords related to your field and targeted role.
For example a “Senior Patient Care Project Manager” is better than simply identifying yourself as a “Project Manager.”
There is a 200 character limit for the headline.
To find these keywords, identify 15-20 target positions you would be interested in applying to. Copy/paste the core job descriptions (all of them at the same time) into ChatGPT and ask it to identify the top 15 keywords. These are the keywords likely used by recruiters in their searches.
A tool that can help is the headline analyzer. This tool allows you to put in your LinkedIn headline and then scores it based on factors that influence visibility, recruiter engagement, and keyword optimization.
The best LinkedIn headline depends on your role and goals, but it should include:
- Your present job title or target title
- Keywords relevant to your industry
- A specific result or value proposition
- Optional: social proof (e.g. the name of a big-name client or employer)
Here’s an example of an optimized headline.
About section
This is the second most important section of your profile. This is where your past accomplishments can shine through. This could be a good space for storytelling using the STAR method (situation-task-action-result).
A good writing format to follow is to talk about overcoming work or project challenges. The “About” section allows 2600 characters which is about 500 words. An example structure for a compelling “About” section includes:
- An opening statement that summarizes your experience and value while including relevant keywords you’ve identified
- A few “case study” bullets which highlight your biggest accomplishments and completed projects (including quantifiable metrics)
- A line or two about your non-work experiences, hobbies, or interests that makes you more memorable
- Examples of opportunities that would most appeal to you including job titles that match your keywords
- The best way to get in touch with you. Make sure to include an email address where people can reach you!
Pro tip:
Include good formatting in your About section. Include white space, short paragraphs, and bullets so it’s easy to read.
Featured section
This is a key area where you can showcase some of your best work or proudest achievements. It’s perfect to showcase an online project portfolio or personal website related to your professional activities. Further, you can share articles you’ve published on LinkedIn. This is a great way to showcase professional expertise.
This section supports external media like images, documents, and links.
Experience section
Here are some guidelines to follow when crafting your experience section:
- Keep your experience current to the last 15 years at most.
- Make each position succinct with what you did in the role and what you accomplished.
- Avoid jargon or ill-defined buzzwords.
- Include quantifiable metrics in your bullets showcasing the results you achieved.
- if it’s not clear what the company sells or delivers, add a bullet to explain it. This will help give context to the work you do or did.
Here’s an example of a well-crafted experience role:
Recommendations
Recommendations are social proof that you are as good as you say you are. Get at least three recommendations from current or prior colleagues, managers, and/or vendors. The more you have and the more current, the better. Ask each person to highlight something specific about what makes you valuable in your work. Ask them to use examples.
And don’t just get recommendations, give them too. This helps people see how you articulate your opinion of others. Here is an article on how to give and request recommendations on LinkedIn.
Skills and endorsements
Update your Skills sections with the ones you’re most proficient in. Consider them additional keywords attached to your profile. Consider using up all the available skills slots if you have enough skills to list. Just make sure to rearrange them so that your best skills are higher up.
Ask colleagues to endorse you for your top skills. There is evidence that you will rank more highly in LinkedIn search results if you have a greater number of endorsements for the skills recruiters are seeking. Here is more about the LinkedIn Skills section.
Projects
If your job requires any kind of project work, be sure to include some on your LinkedIn profile. Include projects that best illustrate your work and the results you achieve. Keep the project description short and concise; no more than 2-3 paragraphs. Describe the highlights of the work you did by using the STAR method (situation-task-action-result.) And use quantifiable metrics whenever possible.
LinkedIn activity: Create or respond to content
How you participate on LinkedIn will give others clues about your expertise, results, and personality. If your work is in a particular discipline, share your relevant insights and contributions. Consistently share posts or write articles showcasing your expertise and point of view.
Additionally, make insightful comments on others’ posts related to your area of expertise. This will broaden your reach more than what you’d get from just publishing your own content. Whether writing your own or engaging with others’ posts, keep the tone positive and professional.
Wrap-up
When you invest in these areas of your LinkedIn profile, contacts and hiring managers can get a sense of who you are as a person and a potential hire. Your accomplishments are well presented. This makes you more distinct, attractive, and approachable. It invites connection. This is the first step in setting your reputation and increasing the chances of bigger opportunities coming your way.
You can check out this LinkedIn profile to see a good example of one that is well optimized incorporating many of these suggestions.