Having a strong LinkedIn profile is crucial for advancing your career and getting noticed by recruiters and hiring managers. But with so much you can include on your profile, it can be hard to know if you’re highlighting the right information and presenting it in an effective way. Here are some tips to evaluate if your LinkedIn profile is up to par.
Complete your profile
A complete LinkedIn profile has a much higher chance of appearing in search results and looking credible to viewers. Make sure you fill out all the key sections, including:
- A professional headshot photo
- An eye-catching headline
- A current position with a detailed description
- At least 2 past positions with descriptions
- An informative summary section
- Your education
- Your skills
- Links to any projects, publications, or other examples of your work
Having an incomplete profile signals that you’re not putting in effort or don’t understand how to leverage the platform. Taking the time to fully flesh out your profile will make you stand out.
Tailor your headline
Your headline is one of the first things people notice on your profile. It appears right under your name and photo. This space should be used strategically to summarize who you are professionally and grab attention. Some tips for an effective headline:
- Include your current job title and company
- Mention 2-3 of your top skills or areas of expertise
- Use keywords recruiters may search for
- Demonstrate your value clearly and concisely
Headlines like “Experienced product manager adept at leading agile teams in fast-paced startups” make a stronger impression than just your job title.
Showcase your experience
The experience section is where you can provide an overview of your career history and achievements. Follow these best practices:
- Include at least your last 2-3 roles
- Reverse chronological order
- Use bullet points to highlight 3-5 accomplishments for each position
- Emphasize transferable skills like leadership, problem-solving, and communication
- Quantify your impact with numbers when possible
This section paints a picture of how you’ve grown professionally. Make sure it’s detailed and results-driven.
Summarize who you are
A well-written summary at the top of your profile is crucial. This is often the first section people read after your name and photo. Use it strategically to:
- Explain your current role and industry in 1-2 sentences
- Share your biggest accomplishments and skills
- Spotlight what makes you unique as a professional
- Indicate the type of role or opportunity you’re seeking next
This is your elevator pitch – make it compelling and personable. Aim for at least 3-5 concise, impactful sentences.
Leverage keywords
Sprinkling in relevant keywords will boost your profile’s visibility in LinkedIn searches. Include keywords that recruiters may use to find candidates for your target roles. You can incorporate them organically in:
- Your headline
- Your summary
- Your skills section
- Any other profile sections
Do your research to find keywords commonly used in job descriptions for roles you want. This will help surface your profile.
Show off your skills
The skills section gives you a place to showcase your greatest hits. You have two options for formatting this section:
- A predefined skills list – Choose from LinkedIn’s list of common skills to add to your profile.
- A customizable skills section – Craft your own list from scratch using any skills you want.
Either way, include a mix of hard and soft skills. Back them up with real examples throughout your profile. List anywhere from 5-15 skills that represent you best.
Provide proof through projects
The projects section allows you to provide concrete evidence of skills and achievements you mention throughout your profile. This could include:
- A link to a key project in your current or previous role
- An open source application or tools you built outside work
- A thesis paper or capstone project from grad school
- A volunteer program you organized
Choose samples that represent your capabilities and areas of expertise. Take the time to explain the impact they had.
Show off your education
Highlighting your educational credentials, including any degrees, certificates, or specialized training, adds credibility. Make sure to include:
- Name of your school or institution
- Degree earned or program completed
- Field of study
- Time period attended
Listing your education gives people insight into your academic background and interests.
Get recommendations
Quality recommendations from past managers, professors, or colleagues carry a lot of weight. They help back up the claims you make about your skills and experience. To build up your recommendations:
- Add managers from current and previous jobs who can endorse you
- Connect with professors and ask for recommendations
- Request recommendations from colleagues who’ve worked closely with you
Aim for 5-10 recommendations. The more customized the content, the better.
Customize your URL
LinkedIn automatically assigns you a URL with a string of random numbers and letters. Customizing this to something memorable and professional makes your profile much easier to share. To change your profile URL on desktop:
- Go to your profile and click “Edit public profile & URL”
- Click the pencil icon next to your URL
- Type in the new custom URL you want
- Click “Save” to confirm the changes
Use some variation of your name to make it recognizable and on-brand.
Optimize with keywords
Optimizing your profile with relevant keywords can help boost your visibility in LinkedIn searches. Here are some tips:
- Research keywords – Identify terms recruiters and professionals in your industry use frequently.
- Check job descriptions – Look for common keywords in postings for your target roles.
- Review profiles – See which keywords competitors and leaders in your field use.
- Organically add keywords – Work them seamlessly into your profile sections.
- Include variations – Try plurals, synonyms, and related phrases too.
This will increase the chances recruiters can easily find you for open positions.
Showcase media and publications
The media section offers a place to showcase articles, videos, podcasts, presentations, and other material published by or featuring you. This adds credibility and authority to your profile. Types of media to include:
- Articles or blog posts you’ve written
- Interviews or quotes in industry publications
- Videos or podcasts you participated in
- Decks from presentations you’ve given
- Projects published or featured in media
Make sure to provide context on your role and key highlights for each piece of media content.
Expand your connections
Who you’re connected with on LinkedIn matters. Building out your network boosts your credibility and opens up new opportunities. Some ways to expand your connections:
- Connect with colleagues from current and past jobs
- Reach out to people you’ve worked with indirectly on projects
- Follow and connect with leaders in your industry
- Connect with recruiters at companies you’re interested in
- Join relevant LinkedIn Groups to connect with those communities
Aim for 500+ connections to maximize your reach and visibility.
Engage with content and conversations
Being an active participant on LinkedIn reinforces your professional brand and credibility. Ways to engage more on the platform include:
- Commenting on posts from your connections
- Sharing and reacting to content from influencers and brands
- Posting updates about projects and accomplishments
- Publishing your own content as posts or articles
- Joining Groups related to your industry
- Following relevant hashtags and topics
Being proactive with engaging content makes you more visible vs just having a static profile.
Attend events and conferences
Leverage your LinkedIn network both online and offline. Ways to do this include:
- Attending conferences related to your industry
- Following up with connections you meet at events
- Connecting with speakers and leaders you see at events
- Joining LinkedIn Groups for specific conferences
- Giving and receiving recommendations from new connections
Conferences and events allow you to expand your network quickly if you maximize the opportunity.
Follow companies
Following companies you want to work for or are interested in is a strategic move. Benefits include:
- Seeing inside their company culture from their posts
- Learning about new positions as soon as they’re posted
- Gaining visibility with their recruiters
- Discovering employees to connect with
- Staying on top of company news and developments
Following relevant companies keeps you in the loop on potential job openings and networking contacts.
Craft an eye-catching photo
Your LinkedIn profile photo is one of the first things people will notice about your profile. Follow these best practices for a professional, appealing headshot:
- High-resolution image
- Well-lit with good contrast
- Head and shoulders framing
- Neutral or friendly facial expression
- Business attire in a workplace setting
Avoid casual selfies, cropped views, or group shots. Your photo represents your brand.
Keep your profile updated
The best LinkedIn profiles reflect all the latest details of someone’s career. Be diligent about keeping your profile current by:
- Updating your position when you start a new job
- Adding new skills you’ve developed
- Including additional responsibilities and achievements
- Sharing new projects and accomplishments
- Building out your connections as your network grows
An outdated profile sends the wrong signal to viewers. Stay on top of keeping your profile fresh.
Remove irrelevant extras
Resist the urge to overstuff your LinkedIn profile with unnecessary elements. Stick to highlighting content relevant to showcasing your capabilities and career. Remove:
- Irrelevant skills or hobbies
- Cards or certifications no longer valid
- Old positions not important for your current career path
- Outdated projects or accomplishments
- Recommendations from people you no longer work with
Clutter and outdated material dilute your profile. Streamline it to the essentials.
Proofread carefully
Typos, grammar issues, and confusing or vague language will undermine your credibility. Before finalizing your profile, be sure to:
- Check for spelling and grammar errors
- Read everything out loud to catch awkward phrasing
- Simplify overwordy or confusing sections
- Remove industry jargon or uncommon acronyms
- Clarify any quantifiable facts and figures
A sloppy profile reflects poorly on your communication skills and attention to detail.
Personalize connection requests
When sending connection requests, customize them to improve your chances of acceptance. Steps to take:
- Mention how you are connected or your reason for reaching out
- Reference any common interests, groups, or experiences
- Keep your ask clear and specific
- Use a warm and personable tone
- Double check spelling of their name
Personalized requests show you took the time and are more relationship-focused.
Conclusion
Optimizing your LinkedIn profile is an ongoing effort as your career develops. But investing the time pays off exponentially in networking opportunities, recruiter interest, and showcasing your personal brand. Use the tips above to evaluate where your profile stands today and identify areas to improve. With a comprehensive, compelling profile, you’ll be leveraging LinkedIn to maximum effect.
