How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile to Support Your Career Goals

Almost 95% of recruiters use LinkedIn to search for candidates, but most job seekers are overlooking this valuable opportunity. 

If you’re like many professionals, you probably created a profile and occasionally go back to add more connections. However, there is so much more you can do with this platform to advance your career.

Take charge of your future and attract more attention from potential employers. Try these tips for designing and using your LinkedIn profile.

Designing your LinkedIn Profile:

1. Edit your headline. Start by writing a specific headline. Tell employers what value you add and make them want to learn more. Keep your audience in mind and avoid technical terms that may be unfamiliar to them. Can you do this in 5 words and 50 characters or LESS?
2. Update your About Summary. Your summary is where you can add more details and showcase your achievements. Provide statistics to describe your impact. Make sure it’s in the First Person voice. For example, “I or Me.” Add multimedia attachments like videos and work samples to help you stand out.
3. Choose your photo. Pick an image that looks professional and clear. Focus on your face, SMILE (let’s see those teeth!) and use flattering natural light.
4. Add keywords. Help recruiters and automated search tools to find you. Browse through job descriptions and resumes for keywords that are popular in your field and include them in your profile, including the headline and summary.
5. Choose your URL. LinkedIn gives your profile a URL, but you can change it to something that you like better or might work more effectively for you. If your name is already taken, use a slight variation with your middle initial or your state’s abbreviation.
6. Welcome recruiters. Is your profile visible to recruiters? Go into your privacy settings to be sure that you’ve opted to let them know that you want to hear from them. You’ll need to reset this switch every few months if you’re still looking.
7. Be consistent. Your resume is usually written for a specific and targeted job opening while your profile is a more general statement of every job you’ve held. Still, you want them to be similar enough to avoid causing any confusion.
8. Check the meter. LinkedIn provides a profile strength meter to help you rate yourself. It will give you helpful recommendations about additional steps you can take, such as adding more information about volunteer work and foreign languages.

Using your LinkedIn Profile:

1. Gather recommendations and endorsements. Recruiters want to know what others say about you. Ask former employers and other contacts for recommendations. Use your endorsements to advertise skills that are in high demand. If you’re generous about helping others, they’ll be more likely to return the favor.
2. Write and publish. Share your knowledge and insights on the LinkedIn publishing platform. Develop a content strategy and use a calendar that will remind you to publish regularly. As of the time of this writing’s update (June 2021, only 3% of LinkedIn’s total use base of 765 million ACTUALLY create posts or write articles.
3. Join groups. Look for groups in your subject area and participate actively. Post articles and answer questions. Avoid any temptation to over-promote yourself.
4. Monitor your connections. Stay on the lookout for valuable connections to add to your network. Send them personal invitations that will make a positive impression.
5. Encourage others. Think of LinkedIn as a community where you can exchange ideas and support. Comment on posts from other users and share them with your own connections.
6. Be discreet. While you’re working to raise your visibility, keep in mind that there may be times when you want to keep your job-hunting activities off view from your current boss and HR department. Change your privacy settings so you can control what information you want to make public.

Optimizing your LinkedIn profile can make it easier for others to find you and help you reach your professional goals. You’ll increase your job satisfaction, and you’ll probably spend less time on the unemployment line.

Need DFY Help Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile?

GET CLEAR.

Strategic Clarity Coaching for Life and Career. Stop the merry go round applying for job after job online, using a broad and wide approach. This is merely mimicking what your competition is doing! As a result, doing this guarantees you will remain stuck in continual search mode for longer than necessary. Don’t give in to the temptation to shoot a bow and arrow and draw your target around the arrow wherever it landed on the wood fence!

We help you start by connecting you to Your Life Plan, creating your Personal Preferences Roadmap^TM, and crafting your Elevator Pitch.

Your job search begins with WHO you are and WHERE you want to go. How would YOU answer: “tell me about yourself?” in a way that’s relevant to the potential employer in front of you?

GET NOTICED.

Job Search Tools upgrade: In this phase, we consider job search tools as Resume writing, LinkedIn profile updates and optimization, cover letters and thank you letters. Firstly, there are no forms, templates or resume-mill here. Secondly, you work directly with us. Thirdly, our resumes are targeted and include your elevator pitch with three of your strongest career highlighted bullets. As a result, your work experience on your resume will be easier to read if it has three to six achievements-based bullets with quantifiable data focused on your accomplishments, rather than 10-12 bullets that read like a job description. 

Job Search Strategy upgrade: In this next phase, we examine your current Goals, Habits, and Networking tactics and upgrade them so you’re more strategic, less stressed and productive. Additionally, we help you become a subject matter expert in your field on LinkedIn so recruiters come to YOU rather than having to knock on THEIR door all the time!

GET HIRED!

Job Support Services: Now that your strategy and tools are in place, we advocate on your behalf to decision-makers as your recruiting headhunter. Our goal is to get you to the interview, equipped with all the necessary skills developed from our interview, follow up and salary negotiation coaching in order to help you get hired.

THRIVE! 

Our journey together doesn’t end once you accept a job offer and get hired. Moreover, our framework helps you transform into a better version of yourself! Firstly, we upgrade your Self-Care protocol and daily habits of personal development. Secondly, we create a successful Onboarding Cadence of a 30-60-90 Day Plan. As a result, we build upon your plans so you begin to live a Portfolio Life, which is the art of living semi-retired, now.

Your future self will THANK YOU for it! What are you waiting for? Be a Career Upgrader… your journey starts now.

Invest in YOU today by Scheduling a No-Cost Clarity Call Today!

© 2020, updated 6/2021. Neil Schultz for Career Upgrader, LLC.