Your LinkedIn profile can be a powerful tool when job hunting. It allows hiring managers to quickly learn about your background and skills. However, simply having a LinkedIn profile isn’t enough. You also need to properly share it with recruiters and hiring managers to maximize its impact. Here are some tips on how to effectively share your LinkedIn profile with a hiring manager.
Make Your Profile Discoverable
The first step is ensuring your LinkedIn profile can be found by recruiters and hiring managers searching the platform. Go to your profile settings and under “Discovery,” make sure the options to be found via search engines and for your profile to appear in search results are enabled. This makes it easy for hiring managers to find and view your full profile.
Customize Your Profile URL
LinkedIn automatically assigns your profile a random URL with a string of numbers. Customize this to make it easier to share and remember. Go to your profile settings and edit the URL to include your name and other identifying keywords related to your profession.
For example:
www.linkedin.com/in/firstname-lastname-profession
Showcase Your Profile
Make sure your LinkedIn profile accurately highlights your background, accomplishments, skills, and goals. Treat it like an interactive resume hiring managers can browse. Include rich media like photos, videos, presentations, and documents to showcase your work.
The more compelling and complete your profile is, the more hiring managers will be engaged when viewing it.
Use the Open Profile Setting
By default, your LinkedIn profile isn’t fully visible to those who aren’t LinkedIn members. Enable the “Open Profile” setting to allow hiring managers to access your full profile without needing to log in or join LinkedIn. This removes friction from viewing your profile.
Proactively Share a Profile Link
Don’t just wait and hope recruiters stumble upon your LinkedIn profile. When applying for jobs, proactively share a link to your profile in your resume and cover letters. This gives hiring managers instant access to learn more about your candidacy.
Ways to share your profile:
- Include the link in your contact information section of resumes and cover letters.
- Mention your profile and share the link when networking and speaking with recruiters.
- Direct hiring managers to your profile link at the end of job interviews.
- Share the link via email when submitting job applications or following up on applications.
Personalize Connection Requests
When sending connection requests to recruiters or hiring managers, take the time to personalize the message. Briefly explain who you are, which company you are interested in, and why you’d like to connect.
This gives context for the connection and shows extra effort on your part.
For example:
“Hi [name],
I noticed you are the head of recruitment for [company]. I have applied for [position] and would love to connect so you can view my LinkedIn profile and background. I am extremely interested in opportunities at [company] because [reasons you’re interested]. I hope we can keep in touch!
Thank you,
[Your name]”
Follow Company Pages
Follow the LinkedIn company pages of employers you are interested in. This allows you to stay up to date on new job postings, company news, and events. It also signals to the company that you are interested and engaged with their content.
Join Industry and Alumni Groups
Join LinkedIn groups related to the industries and roles you are interested in as well as alumni groups from your university. This expands your connections and keeps you connected to insights from these communities. It also gives hiring managers another place to potentially find and engage with you on the platform.
Give Recommendations
Profile recommendations from previous managers, colleagues, professors, or classmates can give great credibility. Take the time to provide thoughtful recommendations for your connections highlighting their skills and accomplishments.
This will encourage them to reciprocate with a recommendation for you that hiring managers can see.
Request a Recommendation
Don’t be shy about asking former bosses, colleagues, professors, or others who can vouch for you to provide a LinkedIn recommendation. Most people are happy to help out if you graciously ask.
Make the process easy by sending them a reminder of projects you worked on together and accomplishments they could highlight.
Follow Up After Connecting
Following up after connecting provides another touchpoint to engage with recruiters and hiring managers. Send them a message checking in, reiterating your interest in opportunities at their company, and inviting them to view your profile.
This shows proactive relationship-building beyond just sending an initial connection request.
Share Multimedia Content
LinkedIn allows you to share content in multiple formats to showcase your talents beyond just a profile summary. Post examples of your work including images, videos, slide decks, pdfs, and more.
This multimedia content can capture a hiring manager’s interest in your qualifications.
Types of content to share:
- Images of projects, products, artwork, reports, etc you helped develop
- Videos demonstrating your public speaking, teaching skills, etc
- Slide decks from presentations you’ve delivered
- Infographics you’ve designed related to your industry
- Podcasts or other audio you’ve recorded
- PDFs of published papers, case studies from projects, certifications earned, etc
Use Hashtags
LinkedIn lets you add hashtags to your profile, posts, content shares, and more. Strategically add hashtags related to your industry, location, skills, company names, etc.
This makes it easier for hiring managers to find your profile and content when searching those keywords and hashtags.
Share Career Updates
Build your professional brand by regularly sharing career updates on your LinkedIn profile. Post when launching new projects, achieving milestones, speaking at events, volunteering, getting published, earning media coverage, or receiving awards and honors.
This shows off your accomplishments to hiring managers in real-time.
Examples of things to share:
- Starting a new initiative or project at work
- Being promoted or taking on new responsibilities
- Publishing articles, papers, or other written works
- Presenting at a conference or event
- Winning awards or being featured in a news article
- Taking on a leadership role in a professional organization
- Volunteering for a cause or community program
Showcase Ongoing Learning
Demonstrate curiosity and commitment to growth by sharing new skills and knowledge you’re gaining. Post whenever you complete continuing education courses, certifications, training programs, conferences, seminars, workshops, and more.
This shows hiring managers your dedication to continuous learning and expanding your capabilities.
Examples of learning activities to share:
- Completing an online course in a new skill
- Attending a professional development seminar or training
- Earning a new professional certificate or designation
- Participating in a hackathon or skills bootcamp
- Learning a new language for business
- Taking a technical course to stay up-to-date on the latest advancements
Customize Your Public Profile URL
Create a customized URL for your public profile on LinkedIn. This public profile offers a condensed snapshot of your background, skills, and interests for those who aren’t LinkedIn members to view.
A customized URL makes your public profile link more memorable and searchable for hiring managers checking you out.
Update Location Settings
Keep your LinkedIn location settings accurate and up-to-date. This includes your city, country, postal code, and willingness to relocate.
Hiring managers often filter candidate searches by geographic location. The right location details will ensure you show up.
Showcase Volunteering
Volunteer work and community engagement can further impress hiring managers. Add details on your volunteer roles, organizations you support, and causes that matter to you.
This highlights your values, teamwork skills, and commitment to making a difference.
Ways to highlight volunteering:
- Listing volunteer roles like organization, title, duration, etc under your Experience section
- Giving recommendations to fellow volunteers
- Sharing updates and photos from volunteering events
- Joining LinkedIn Groups for causes you care about
Demonstrate Leadership
If you hold leadership positions in professional associations, nonprofit organizations, alumni groups, or community programs, showcase this on your profile. Being in leadership roles illustrates excellent interpersonal abilities.
Examples of leadership positions to highlight include:
- Board member for a professional organization
- Alumni chapter president
- Founder of a nonprofit or community group
- Organizer for a volunteer program
- Coach of a sports team
Be Responsive
Always maintain your LinkedIn profile and be responsive on the platform. This means promptly replying to messages, accepting connection requests, saying thanks for recommendations, and staying active in groups.
Hiring managers will be impressed by your level of engagement and responsiveness on the platform.
Research the Company
When applying for roles or connecting with company insiders, first thoroughly research the company on LinkedIn. Follow their company page, learn about their culture, and connect with employees.
This shows your interest goes deeper than just wanting any job, but wanting a job specifically at that company.
Conclusion
Your LinkedIn profile can make a huge impact on hiring managers evaluating you for job opportunities. But simply creating a profile isn’t enough. You need to strategically optimize and share your profile to stand out from other candidates.
Follow these best practices to properly showcase your background, skills, and professional brand to recruiters and hiring managers on LinkedIn. Proactively connecting and sharing your profile makes their job easier in learning about and contacting you.
Maintain an updated, comprehensive profile that clearly communicates your value. Then purposefully use LinkedIn features to increase the visibility of your profile. With the right strategy, your LinkedIn presence can demonstrate to hiring managers that you are their ideal candidate.
| Best Practice | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Customize your profile URL | Makes your profile link memorable and searchable |
| Personalize connection requests | Provides context beyond just sending a generic invite |
| Follow company pages | Signals your interest in roles at the company |
| Join industry groups | Broadens connections in your professional domain |
| Share multimedia content | Showcases your skills and accomplishments |
| Give and request recommendations | Builds third-party credibility |
| Share career updates | Displays your achievements in real-time |
When job hunting, your LinkedIn profile is one of the first places hiring managers will look. Make sure to put your best professional footprint forward by optimizing and sharing your profile using these tactics. This will ensure your LinkedIn presence makes the fantastic first impression needed to advance your candidacy during the recruiting process.