Standout LinkedIn Profiles for Effective Job Searching

LinkedIn profiles are professional calling cards and the resume du jour. They provide a platform to tell the world who you are, what you do, and why people should hire you. It is also your chance to make a first impression with the people who matter most in your professional life — recruiters and hiring managers.

With 830 million members, LinkedIn is the most popular social media platform for professionals, and even the free tier is packed full of value for job seekers, recruiters, salespeople, and companies alike. LinkedIn is a wonderful place to network, find jobs and keep up with what is going on in your industry.

What’s the secret to a Standout LinkedIn profile?

Keep it simple, reflective of your work, and, of course, professional. The key is to make sure that every word in your LinkedIn profile counts. Here are some tips for doing just that:

Professionalism

Professionalism is an evolving concept that today means something quite different to what it did in the 1950s, just search the #iamprofessional hashtag on LinkedIn to see the conversation unfolding. Much like with resumes, there is no single way to present yourself on LinkedIn. In fact, the beauty of it is each profile reflects the individual behind it, so feel confident adding a touch of your own personality while also making a few professional considerations.

Select a Profile Picture.

Use a current picture that best reflects yourself at work. This will differ depending on the industry and environment you work in, your team, and how open your colleagues are with their personal lives at work.

If you live in San Francisco and are most confident at work with pink hair and tie-dye print from head to toe, go for it! Yay #pride!

Eye-level angles with your eyes facing towards the camera are first prize. Oh, and try smiling, although I realize it is not for everyone. 😊

Questions I ask myself when selecting a LinkedIn profile picture are:

• Would I feel comfortable showing this picture to my boss?
• Does this picture look like me?

Create an Impactful Headline.

Sure, you could choose to use Position at Company and call it a job well done — that truly is sufficient for all. There are, however, instances where using an impactful headline can help to communicate your personal brand. In the past, I have used Recruiting Exceptional Talent for Company, which is reflective of my brand as a recruiter. Consider your individual mission and craft a short statement around it that can help you communicate your personal value proposition and stand out from the crowd of 830 million members.

Write an Awesome Summary.

Your summary is the first thing people will see when they visit your profile, so it must make a good impression right away. The best way to do that is by writing a short bio that sums up who you are as a person and what you can offer professionally. That way, when someone reads all their search results on LinkedIn and comes across yours, they will know immediately whether they want to connect with you.

Fill Out Your Work Experience.

Make sure that the first few lines of your professional summary convey why someone should care about you professionally — not just what you have done in the past, but what value you can add to their business now and in the future. It’s a good idea to include accomplishments for each position you list.

Build Your Network.

The more connections you have on LinkedIn, the more opportunities there will be for people to see your profile and decide whether they want to connect with you. To build your network quickly, start by connecting with people who already know you. These connections will help drive traffic to your profile when they endorse or recommend you in their bio updates on their own profiles.

Keep It Up to Date.

Make sure that all the information in your profile is accurate and up to date so that people can learn more about who you are, what you do and what makes you special as an individual. Keep in mind that many recruiters use LinkedIn as part of their hiring process so make sure everything checks out before someone else does!

When in Doubt.

You can always look to your LinkedIn influencers for ideas on how to present your professional profile. I particularly like the profile of Bozoma Saint John, recent Marketing Hall of Fame inductee, and have used its inspiration for my LinkedIn summary.

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About the Author

Scott Swan is a Technical Recruiting Specialist based in San Francisco with expertise in talent acquisition, sales, marketing, and leadership, as well as a wealth of experience from working in the Technology, Education, Healthcare, Media, Logistics, and Space sectors. Scott has fulfilled contracts for Amazon, Deutsche Post DHL, Meta, Microsoft, NASA, and startups in the Bay Area, Beijing, and South Africa. He is the author of Diary of a San Francisco Recruiter, a biweekly LinkedIn newsletter demystifying the facets of job searching and a cat dad to an American Longhair rescue named Tokyo.