LinkedIn remains the go-to platform for job seekers in 2023. Recruiters and hiring managers energetically search for candidates, saving you time and effort as they come to you with job offers. The abundance of recommendations on LinkedIn means you’re likely to receive numerous opportunities, and these offers align with your experience and preferences. However, if you have yet to be contacted by potential employers on LinkedIn, it might be due to an improperly optimised profile. Please read and follow our best LinkedIn profile tips to change your LinkedIn profile into a powerful job offer-generating tool.
Tips to Change Your LinkedIn Profile
1. Select the Perfect LinkedIn Profile Picture
Your profile picture is the first thing people notice on LinkedIn, shaping their initial impression of you. Ensure that your photo is recent and a true likeness of yourself. Aim to occupy about 60% of the frame with your face, avoiding distant shots. Dress professionally, reflecting your work attire, and remember to convey warmth and approachability with a genuine smile.
2. Include an Engaging Background Photo
The background photo on your profile is an opportunity to capture attention and convey more about your interests and personality. Opt for an image that aligns with your professional identity and adds visual appeal to your profile. A well-chosen background photo can leave a lasting impression.
3. Elevate Your Headline
Limit your headline to your job title. Utilise this space to provide insights into your role, passion, and professional essence. Craft a headline that captivates and engages. Consider browsing profiles of successful social sellers or other professionals for creative headline inspiration.
4. Craft a Compelling Summary
Leaving your LinkedIn summary blank is a missed opportunity. Your summary is a canvas to narrate your professional journey and showcase your unique personality. Instead of merely listing skills or job titles, use this section to elucidate why your skills are valuable and how they positively impact your colleagues or clients. Dedicate time to create an engaging summary, revise it iteratively, and seek feedback from your network to make it impactful. Your summary is your content marketing tool, so make it memorable.
5. Eliminate Overused Buzzwords
Buzzwords such as ‘specialised,’ ‘leadership,’ ‘focused,’ ‘strategic,’ ‘experienced,’ ‘passionate,’ ‘expert,’ ‘creative,’ ‘innovative,’ and ‘certified’ have become excessively common on LinkedIn profiles, rendering them ineffective. While you may use these terms to describe yourself, using them alone won’t convince others of your qualities. To make a lasting impression, you must demonstrate these attributes through your profile content and actions on LinkedIn.
6. Expand Your Network Strategically
Maximise your LinkedIn network by syncing your profile with your email address book. This enables LinkedIn to suggest relevant connections for you. Sending connection requests after meetings or conversations is an effective way to keep your network active and up-to-date. Rest assured, no connection requests are sent without your approval.
7. Highlight Your Relevant Skills
Scrolling through the skills list and selecting those relevant to you is a quick win on LinkedIn. This bolsters your Headline and Summary descriptions and provides opportunities for endorsements. However, focus on maintaining relevance; an extensive list of skills unrelated to your core competencies can become overwhelming. Periodically review and refine your skills list.
8. Showcase Your Offered Services
Utilise LinkedIn’s Services feature to display the range of services you provide, particularly if you’re a consultant, freelancer, or work for a small business. Completing this section can enhance your visibility in search results.
9. Reciprocate Endorsements
Endorsements from connections validate your skills and enhance your credibility. Offer blessings to those in your network who genuinely deserve them, prompting them to reciprocate. Politely request endorsements for critical skills when necessary, prioritising relevance.
10. Manage Endorsements Proactively
As endorsements accumulate, they may skew the focus of your LinkedIn profile in unexpected ways. Take a proactive approach by editing your acceptance in the Skills section. Choose which endorsements to display and which to hide, ensuring your profile accurately reflects your expertise.
11. Validate Your Skills with Assessments
Taking advantage of skills assessments and online tests showcasing your skill levels is excellent. The best part is if you pass the test, you can earn a Verified Skills badge for your profile. According to data, candidates with confirmed skills have a 30% better chance of being hired for their desired roles. Displaying these results on your profile can reinforce your brand. Remember that disclosing your skills assessment results is entirely voluntary, and you can retake the test as often as you need to before displaying your passing scores.
12. Request Personal Recommendations
While endorsements quickly glimpse your valued skills, recommendations offer more profound insights. These testimonials illustrate what it’s like to work with you. In the Recommendations section of your profile, there’s a convenient drop-down menu for reaching out to specific contacts and requesting recommendations. Take the time to identify individuals from whom you’d appreciate an offer and craft personalised requests. The extra effort is worthwhile.
13. Demonstrate a Commitment to Learning
After finishing a course on LinkedIn Learning, you can easily showcase your achievement by adding a course certificate to your LinkedIn profile. Navigate to the Learning History section of your LinkedIn Learning account and share updates about your newly acquired knowledge with your network.
14. Showcase Business Marketing Collateral
Elevate your profile by sharing marketing collateral created for your business. Sharing case studies, white papers, and other brand-related content provides insight into your company’s ethos and your passion. It demonstrates dedication and commitment to your field.
15. Highlight Thought Leadership with Publications
The Publications section on LinkedIn profiles should be more noticed. However, it can be a valuable tool to highlight your thought leadership content and help you stand out. If you have contributed to an eBook white paper or composed a blog post for your company, you can use the Publications section to link your profile to these valuable assets. It’s a great way to showcase your expertise and make it easy for others to find your content.
16. Share Valuable Content in Your LinkedIn Feed
Building a network of connections on LinkedIn is essential, but actively engaging with that network is even more valuable. To make a meaningful impact, appear in your contacts’ LinkedIn feeds by sharing pertinent content that adds value. Start by closely monitoring your LinkedIn feed and sharing content that piques your interest and aligns with your perspectives.
17. Engage Through Comments
While sharing is beneficial, it’s just the initial step. Adding insightful comments to your shares enhances your visibility within the feed and communicates why a specific piece of content holds significance to you. Well-crafted statements also enable you to share a broader range of content. You might encounter viewpoints you don’t necessarily agree with but still find interesting. Crafting a comment articulating your perspective establishes your opinion and thought leadership. Additionally, it’s more likely to attract further comments, raising your LinkedIn profile. Remember this as you compose your comments, ensuring they align with your professional image.
18. Follow Industry-Relevant Influencers
Following influential figures in your industry on LinkedIn exposes you to a diverse array of compelling content you can subsequently share with others when it provides value. This practice also contextualises your LinkedIn profile, illustrating your genuine enthusiasm for your field.
19. Activate Creator Mode
Creator mode is a profile setting that empowers you to expand your reach and influence on LinkedIn. By enabling creator mode, you gain access to supplementary tools and features designed to facilitate content creation and the growth of your LinkedIn audience.
20. Publish Comprehensive Content and Initiate Conversations
As you actively engage with content by sharing and commenting, you enhance your reputation as an expert and a thought leader on LinkedIn. Taking the next logical step involves publishing long-form posts. Begin by monitoring the feedback you receive on your comments and shares. Are there specific topics and perspectives that strongly resonate with your network? Have you shared comments that could be expanded into a full post? Nurturing your thought leadership in this manner keeps it authentic and keeps you attuned to the discussions taking place among your connections. Be prepared for your long-form posts to spark fresh dialogues as well. Keep a watchful eye on the comments and remain prepared to participate in these conversations.
Optimising your LinkedIn profile for better results doesn’t have to be time-consuming. You can work through these strategies gradually, step by step, and see noticeable improvements even if you can only spare a few minutes during your lunch break or in the evenings. Once you fully harness the potential of your LinkedIn profile, you’ll be astonished by its positive impact on your brand and your business.
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