How to Write a LinkedIn Profile that Gets You Noticed

Do you want to get noticed by hiring managers, recruiters, and potential clients? A good place to start in your LinkedIn profile. Here are some tips on how to write a profile that gets you noticed.

When was It Written?

Chances are you created your LinkedIn profile a while back – the photo is a selfie several years old and there’s other pieces of information that need updating. To be useful to you in landing a better job or connecting with new clients, your profile shouldn’t resemble an outdated resume. When someone searches your name, one of the first things that they will see is your LinkedIn profile.

The Profile Picture

Once a person clicks on the profile link, they will see a picture of you. You want to look professional, approachable, and like someone people want to work with.

You don’t have to hire a pro photographer; just use your phone. Make sure you’re centred in the frame, you’re smiling, and your face is clearly visible. The background should not be cluttered or busy. Select a photo that isn’t a group shot, vacation spot, or company party.

LinkedIn gives you the option to add a cover image behind the profile picture. Many people leave this blank. The banner or cover image is an ideal place to showcase a successful marketing campaign you worked on or a picture of you at the conference you were a speaker. It can even be a simple, lightly textured background in your favoruite colour or your company’s logo. Don’t pass up the opportunity to display your personality or a noteworthy accomplishment.

Make the Most of the Headline

Another opportunity to take advantage of is the headline. LinkedIn allots 220 characters for this section and most of us type our name and job title. In addition to your name (Jane Black) and role (Copywriter and Editor Extraordinaire), demonstrate your key accomplishment (Producing copy with broad appeal, proven conversion rates, and consistent rankings) and who you do it for (Elegant Writing Services).

Who You Are

“About” in LinkedIn is the place where you tell people about who you are and what you do. Tips to make this section help you stand out and get noticed include:

• Don’t skip it

• Use corporate jargon or business buzzwords sparingly

• Make the tone conversational

• Write a concise but attention-grabbing opener; only the first 300 characters are visible to a viewer before it cuts off to a “see more” or “more” prompt

• Give a brief description of your work

• Tell people why you love doing what you do

Show Don’t Tell

Resist the temptation to turn the Experience section into a shopping list. Just as in a resume, while it’s important to document your experiences, it is more important to emphasize the impact you made while in that role.

Don’t tell people what you have done; demonstrate clearly how your role and what you did during your time in that position positively impacted the company or your clients. Write a description for each of your roles, not just the most recent one.

Unlike a resume, however, it should highlight your major accomplishments while being brief. You can choose to do this in one of two ways: a one-paragraph summary or two to three bullet points. Bullet points make the information easier to read and helps potential clients or recruiters see at a glance if you have the experience they are looking for.

Skills, Endorsements, and Recommendations

Skills, endorsements, and recommendations might not seem particularly important or worth the effort. However, they are the most efficient way of boosting your visibility and setting you apart from the crowd.

For each experience, there is the option to add up to five skills. In addition to being attached to a specific experience, they will also appear in the dedicated Skills section at the bottom of your profile. The skills in you profile are indexed by LinkedIn and allow your connections to endorse you.

After adding skill to each work experience description, you will get the opportunity to ask people you worked with for an endorsement. Endorsements from managers, colleagues, and clients lend “weight” or credence to your experience, providing proof you are actually good at what you do.

Recommendations go a step further than endorsements by building trust, allowing a partner, a client, a customer, or a co-worker to share with the LinkedIn community what it is like to work with you. To ask for a recommendation, in the Recommendations section, click on the + icon and select “Ask for a recommendation.”

Tweaks for More Visibility

Your default LinkedIn address is a combination of your name and a long string of numbers. Make it easier for people to find you by customizing your URL in edit mode, on your profile page.

Post regularly. Posting updates lets others know your invested in keeping current within your industry. Every time you post, people see what you are working on, and more significantly, your name.

Keyword placement is important in search ranking (and getting you noticed). The common indexed areas are the headline, About section, and the Experience section. Ensure terms in these sections relate to your business and are ones that recruiters and clients will use to search for your services.

LinkedIn lets you add a section not part of the default profile. Add your volunteer experience or your most recent projects or your certifications to improve your chances of getting noticed.