Getting laid off can be an incredibly difficult and stressful experience. As you deal with the emotional impact, financial uncertainty, and sudden lack of routine and purpose, it’s easy to overlook small details that could help you land your next job. One of those small details is updating your LinkedIn profile.
LinkedIn has become a go-to resource for both job seekers and employers. With over 722 million members worldwide, it’s the world’s largest professional networking platform. This makes LinkedIn an essential tool in today’s job market.
Yet many job seekers don’t realize the importance of updating their LinkedIn profile after being laid off. They may feel too overwhelmed to even think about it. But taking the time to update your LinkedIn profile is absolutely vital if you want to find a new job quickly in today’s digital age.
Here we’ll explore why you should make updating your LinkedIn a top priority, and how to optimize your profile to attract new career opportunities.
Should You Bother Updating LinkedIn After Being Laid Off?
Being laid off leads to an abrupt and often stressful transition period. You’re likely grappling with complex emotions, financial worries, and the adjustment to a sudden lack of routine. Updating your LinkedIn can easily fall by the wayside.
But even if it feels trivial compared to everything else you’re dealing with, you should absolutely make updating your LinkedIn profile a priority after losing your job. Here are four key reasons why:
1. LinkedIn Is a Top Resource for Recruiters and Hiring Managers
According to LinkedIn’s 2022 Global Talent Trends report, over 80% of talent professionals rely on LinkedIn to find and vet candidates. This includes posting jobs, searching profiles, and looking at candidates’ digital footprints.
Essentially, LinkedIn has become a go-to talent database where employers actively search for their next hire. Having an up-to-date profile is vital for visibility and getting on recruiters’ radars.
2. You’ll Appear More Relevant in Searches
Think about what hiring managers or recruiters will see when looking for candidates in your industry and with your background. If your profile is outdated, you are at risk of appearing irrelevant.
For example, if your profile still lists your last position from 5 years ago, recruiters may wonder why you haven’t updated it. They may assume you haven’t been actively working since.
By updating your LinkedIn after being laid off, you can demonstrate that you are eager to continue building your career.
3. It Allows You to Expand Your Network
Reconnecting with your network is critical after a job loss. But rather than explaining your layoff to each contact individually, updating your LinkedIn allows you to efficiently broadcast your situation to your entire network.
Having an updated profile also makes it easier for contacts and potential employers to find and reach out to you. Expanding your connections is key to unlocking new opportunities.
4. You Can Refine Your Personal Brand
Unfortunately, being laid off can feel like a step backwards. Updating your LinkedIn profile presents an opportunity to take control of the narrative by refining your personal brand.
Rather than dwelling on the layoff, emphasize your strengths, accomplishments, and skills. With some strategic profile updates, you can craft an authentic, compelling personal brand story.
How Should You Update Your LinkedIn Profile After Being Laid Off?
Now that we’ve covered the “why”, let’s talk about the “how”. What are some specific ways to update your LinkedIn profile after losing your job?
Here are the 7 most important areas to focus on:
1. Headline
Your LinkedIn headline appears right below your name in search results and profiles. It’s prime real estate to communicate your value and stand out.
After being laid off, avoid headlines referencing your old job or company. Instead, use keywords showcasing your experience, skills, and areas of expertise.
For example:
Senior Product Marketing Manager | Audience Growth & Engagement Expert
This tells people exactly what you bring to the table. Tools like LinkedIn’s Profile Strength Meter can help improve your headline.
2. Location
If you’re open to opportunities in a new geographic area after your layoff, update your location on your profile. Recruiters often filter searches by location.
You can also include multiple locations if you’re able to work or relocate to different cities or regions.
3. Industry and Past Positions
Take the opportunity to refine the descriptions of your previous roles and companies you worked for. Be concise and use keywords relevant to the types of roles you’re targeting next.
For example, rather than:
Sales Associate at XYZ Fashion Retail Store (2015 – 2020)
Try:
Sales Associate | Business Development | Account Management
XYZ Fashion | Grew sales in the Midwest region by 25% | Managed and optimized 50+ customer accounts
This clearly communicates your achievements and expertise gained. Don’t be afraid to quantify results. Numbers help grab attention.
4. Skills
Make sure your skills section accurately represents your current abilities. Add any new skills you’ve developed, especially technical ones that may not have existed when you first made your profile.
It can also be helpful to take LinkedIn’s skills assessment quizzes. High scores will be added to your profile and can validate your expertise.
5. About Section
Recruiters often look at your about section to learn more about your background and personality.
Briefly explain your previous roles, biggest accomplishments, proudest career moments, and past companies. Use simple language that is easy to scan quickly.
You can also add a line noting you are exploring new opportunities after recently being laid off. This provides context for recruiters.
6. Recommendations
Ask past managers, colleagues, or clients to provide new LinkedIn recommendations highlighting your skills and work ethic. Recommendations carry a lot of weight.
When asking for them, be specific about which projects, accomplishments, or attributes you would like them to focus on. This results in more impactful and tailored recommendations.
7. Profile Photo
Update your profile photo so it is recent, high-quality, and portrays you as professional and approachable. Stay away from casual selfies. Your photo will be one of the first things a recruiter sees.
Best Practices For Updating Your Profile
Beyond the profile sections to focus on, here are some best practices to ensure your updates are as effective as possible:
Use Keywords Strategically
Incorporate relevant keywords into your profile, especially ones that are common in job postings you are targeting. This helps optimize for recruiter searches.
But avoid “keyword stuffing”. Make sure keywords flow naturally within concise sentences.
Quantify Achievements
Include measurable results and data associated with your accomplishments. For example, rather than “increased sales”, say “increased sales by 30% over 2 years.”
Metrics stand out and help convey the tangible value you delivered in roles.
Highlight Transferable Skills
Demonstrate how even if your exact job titles don’t match a role, you have transferable skills to succeed. For example, communication, project management, analytics, etc.
Be Authentic
While you want relevant keywords and achievements, avoid flooding your profile with buzzwords that feel canned. Write conversationally, while still being professional.
Proofread
Double check for any typos, formatting issues or repeated information. Being laid off is already frustrating – don’t let small mistakes detract from a polished profile.
Customize Your Public Profile URL
Claim a custom URL with your name (ex: linkedin.com/yourname). This is more professional than a random string of numbers and letters.
Should You Remove Your Layoff From Your Profile?
One important decision is whether to mention being laid off somewhere in your profile. Some job seekers choose to leave their profiles as-is and avoid mentioning a layoff at all. Others add a line to their about section or current position to provide context.
There are pros and cons to each approach.
Pros of mentioning your layoff:
- Explains employment gaps so they aren’t seen as red flags
- Shows you aren’t trying to “hide” anything
- Demonstrates active job search status
- Allows you to control the narrative about why you left
Cons of mentioning your layoff:
- Could project lack of confidence in your abilities
- Potentially invites discrimination or bias
- Overshadows your skills, accomplishments, and capabilities
There is no definitive right or wrong approach here. Consider your previous brand and reputation at your past employer, how new opportunities tend to perceive job stability, and whether your layoff may be public information regardless through former colleagues.
If in doubt, a simple statement such as “Exploring new opportunities after a recent layoff due to company restructuring” can work well. This maintains your privacy while still being transparent.
How Often Should You Update Your LinkedIn After Being Laid Off?
When first laid off, dedicate focused time to a full profile refresh optimizing all sections as outlined above. This establishes a strong foundation.
After that initial overhaul, set a reminder to revisit your profile weekly or bi-weekly. Look for opportunities to add new connections, join relevant groups, follow companies you’re interested in, and enhance your profile photo, headline, and about section.
Updating frequently ensures you remain active and engaged on the platform where recruiters are searching. It also allows you to customize your profile for each application you submit so keywords are tailored.
Can You Update Your Profile Too Much After Being Laid Off?
Is there such a thing as updating your profile too much? Generally, no. Especially if you were laid off, being highly engaged on LinkedIn is a smart move.
That said, avoid changing your headline and about section multiple times a week. This can look indecisive and frenzied.
Focus on one strong headline and narrative, while making minor tweaks or additions to previous positions and skills as relevant. Recruiters you previously viewed will notice if your profile changes drastically week to week.
Beyond profile edits, you can never be too active in terms of expanding your network, engaging with content, and joining groups. Use LinkedIn as a tool to get noticed, stay up-to-date on your industry, and build genuine connections.
How to Get the Most Value From LinkedIn After a Layoff
To maximize your odds of success on LinkedIn after losing your job, here are a few final tips:
- Follow relevant companies to see new job postings and insights about their culture
- Join industry and local alumni groups to expand your reach
- Like and comment on posts to increase engagement
- Attend virtual events and conferences to network
- Subscribe to LinkedIn Learning courses to build skills
- Check who viewed your profile to identify interested parties
- Use advanced search filters to find ideal roles and companies
The more active you are, the more LinkedIn’s algorithms will work in your favor and showcase your profile.
Conclusion
Losing your job can derail your career and shake your confidence. But staying on top of your LinkedIn presence is one proactive step you can control to get back on track quickly.
Resist the urge to neglect your profile. Instead, optimize it so you are visible, searchable, and demonstrating your professional capabilities and upside to new connections.
Make updating your LinkedIn profile after being laid off a priority. With a little time and strategic effort, it can open doors and empower you to own your career path despite an unexpected setback.
