LinkedIn Profile Tips: How to Create an Impressive Profile That Gets Noticed

As AI technologies and social networks evolve, so do the Recruitment process and job markets.

A recent study on Talent Works says that "87% of recruiters use LinkedIn, but only 55% use Facebook."

While before the rise of LinkedIn, recruitment was more static, nowadays, it co-lives between sourcing, cross-checking, and attracting the best talents via multiple applications and social media. So, if you still don't have a LinkedIn, head fast to create one. Although it is not likely you would be looked up on Facebook, there is a 90% guarantee HR will trace you on LinkedIn.

However, having a profile doesn't automatically get you all the right HR "hits." Instead, you need to have the right one!

In this article, Enhancv will take you through the complete list of all the tips and tricks that will make every little detail on your LinkedIn spell one word - PRO. So get ready to be taken through the following insider topics, which you can apply immediately:

• Start from a Clean slate;
• Relatable Headshot and Cover photo;
• Are you easily contactable?;
• Location, location, location, and RElocation;
• Pronouns;
• Headline - your one-line Resume;
• Open to work status;
• Personalize your LinkedIn profile link;
• “About” section;
• “Featured” section - “Show me, and I will remember!”;
• Experience - Put your Storytelling talent to use;
• “Get your ducks, we mean.. - KEYWORDS - in order;”
• Let recommendations flow;
• Skills endorsements worth gold;
• Volunteering, serving the community and you;
• Courses, Honors & Awards;
• LinkedIn to your Resume and vice versa - the power of synergy;
• Interests and followed industries;
• Networking;

Research for 2021 shows that “31% of all hires were proactively sourced”. So let`s make you part of these lucky numbers. Ready to do your homework?

Start from a clean slate

There is one thing worse than having no LinkedIn profile. That is an unfinished or unprofessional-looking profile. So before hurrying to apply for attractive jobs - you must FIRST clean up your LinkedIn. Remove any links, likes, shares, or photos that would create a controversial impression or ruin it altogether.

Relatable headshot and cover photo

Visibility is key. Even if you think photos are unnecessary, do not go in anonymous Darth Vader. People want to see you and who they will work with. An excellent image will help them get a glimpse of your incredible personality. So invest in a professional headshot that reflects well your professional persona and makes you relatable to the jobs you apply for. It will quickly pay off.

Did you know that “members with profile photos receive up to 21x more profile views”?

As to the cover photo - choose an image representative of your professional interests, aspirations, and causes. However, beware when using stock photos that may be cliche. On the other side, other images may be subject to copyright.

Alternatively, you can always design your Cover photo on Canva or another program. Here is one great example:

Are you easily contactable?

Ensure your contact details are easily traceable in your Resume and LinkedIn profile. So, click the Edit button in the right corner to enter your location and email.

You can also add your Portfolio link, which can be especially handy for Creatives:

It will show up like this:

Location, location, location…and relocation

Are you on the lookout to relocate to a new country? Then you will need to “swim in new seas” and expose yourself where the right recruiters will find you. Wondering how? Easy - Edit the Intro and change the Location to USA, France, Australia - anywhere you wish.

Pronouns

What is your gender identification and expression? “She, her,” “He, him,” “They, them”? That is certainly not mandatory. However, it can reveal your broader understanding and respect of large social movements and trends. Moreover, suppose you have your eye on a role related to Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. In that case, this little pronoun detail will speak volumes about you before you get to the interview.

Headline - your one-line resume

A well-crafted headline is unbeatable. First, it showcases your professional brand from minute 1 Recruiters lay eyes on your profile. Secondly, it shows up as a preview of your profile in the "People You May Know" section, LinkedIn search, LinkedIn job application posts, messages, recommendations, invitations to connect, and even Google searches. Hence, it doesn't matter if busy Recruiters click on your profile. You will already influence them - with a good headline.

And lastly, it commands a powerful Call to action, which will get the interview invites raining on you. No wonder Career experts call it a "one-line Resume."

So how to write a catchy headline?

You have 220 characters to dazzle. Make sure you use them rather than sufficing with the generic headline LinkedIn will assign to you - based on your last role and company.

Here is one more eye-catcher:

To maximize the chances of your profile hits, create a headline that is a mix of the following value proposition items:

• Job title

• Expertise tied to the value you provide

• Hard skills

• Affiliations & Certifications

• Achievements

• Industry keywords

Open to work status

If you are currently actively looking for a job, you have one more weapon to use - in addition to the location. Activate the “Open to work” status. You can find it right under your Headline:

Personalize your LinkedIn profile link

You can do that via the “Edit public profile and URL” in the upper right corner of your profile.

“About” section

After the 220 characters in your public headline, the “About” section gives you 2000 more characters to shoot a powerful CTA to Recruiters. It inspires them to read through your profile or directly pick up the phone to dial your number. A study by Statistic Brain Research Institute found that “122 million people received an interview through LinkedIn with 35.5 million having been hired by a person they connected with on the site.” Even more, “3 people are hired every minute.”

For an attractive About summary, you need to fuse some or all of those elements in a passionate narrative:

Company branding:

• Current role/ industry;
• Achievements.

Personal branding:

• Hard and soft skills.

Call To Action: Prompt your profile visitors to:

• Connect with you;
• Reach out for pro-bono services;
• Download a free report;
• Sign up for your newsletter;
• Register for an event.

Such an "About" section sets you up not only to be discovered by Recruiters but also to promote your services.

“Featured” section - “Show me, and I will remember!”

Treat your profile visitors well - not with old-fashioned coffee and cake. Instead - take them on a Reel-show. We are all visual creatures, recruiters too - especially the ones who lately have not seen an exciting application or LinkedIn profile.

Looking for ideas on what to include? Publications, interviews, videos, presentations, certificates, awards, or photos from professional events are a great start. Then, make the most of your achievements by “embellishing” your profile with them in the Featured section.

So do not be afraid to make it big and shine!

Get inspired by this one:

Experience - Put your Storytelling talent to good use

While a professional Resume typically presents Work experience traditionally, LinkedIn opens a whole new universe for professionals. As a result, you can embrace the liberty of unconventional ways to introduce yourself.

Let's first get a critical rule out of the way. List all your relevant jobs. Ensure there are no gaps in your career history. If any, you can think of ways to adequately present them so you address the "elephant in the room" first. Think around options like: "sabbatical year," "career break," "world trip," "full-time mom," "personal development," "self-initiated expatriate," "relocation for cultural emersion and language study," "freelance gig," "charity work," "starting own company."

See how a slight shift makes a huge difference?

Where does storytelling come into play?

9 out of 10 Recruiters expect your LinkedIn Experience section would be – word for word – a complete copy/paste of your Resume.

Surprise them! Replace the bullet points' job responsibilities with block text infused with passion, stories, and achievements, garnished with keywords.

The whole enchilada secret sauce:

• (First person) (+) Action verb;
• Followed by a tangible task;
• Backed up by numbers.

Right example:

Get your keywords in order

In digital marketing, SEO, Career coaching, and Recruitment - "keywords" is, undoubtedly, THE buzzword. Keywords matter for your LinkedIn and your Resume too. So if you crack their code right, you will achieve two breakthroughs:

• End up on Recruiters` shortlist for your dream job. Tick!;
• Pass through the "iron doors" of the AI algorithms of the ATS (Applicant tracking system), especially if you apply with your LinkedIn profile.

Regarding ATS requirements, you should also check out our post, The Best ATS-Friendly CV Examples (+ ATS-Compliant Template).

There are many ways you can become keywords-fluent. The most time-consuming is doing your research. Once identified via industry articles, job descriptions, and other relevant resources, you want to spread the relevant keywords in your headline, About, and Experience sections.

Here is a helpful Enhancv blog post about The Secret to Finding Keywords in Job Descriptions.

Alternatively, you can sign up for LinkedIn premium and get suggestions of the TOP keywords based on industry and job role.

However, that is still a lonely task and not as precise as a LinkedIn revamp by a real PRO expert.

Let Recommendations flow

The LinkedIn algorithm will “love” you if your past and current peers/managers write you a recommendation.

The truth is - the more you have collected, the more often LinkedIn will suggest your profile to Recruiters. So if you currently have 0 recommendations, roll up your sleeves and collect a minimum of 5.

Skills endorsements worth more than gold

The maximum number of skills you can add to LinkedIn is 50. They are not only a surefire way to engage your network but also offer a quick overview of your capabilities to Recruiters. Being endorsed by your 1st-degree connections increases your profile's credibility and chances that HRs will reach you more easily with great job offers based on your skill set.

Speaking of skills, here is another helpful post from Enhancv PROs that tells you how to Tailor Your CV To the Job.

Volunteering, serving the community and you

Typically, a few experts speak of leveraging the Volunteering section of LinkedIn. However, it hides untapped potential to let your personality shine. You can use it to demonstrate soft skills like leading by example, organization, communication skills, and work etiquette.

If you apply to philanthropic or NGO roles, you want to fill this section in to showcase your flexibility, social aptitude, and organizational fit.

Courses, Honors & Awards

Your Resume can enlist your most relevant TOP achievements and professional awards. However, if you aim for a One-page CV, there is only so much space left.

In that case, LinkedIn is of invaluable help, as you can add as many achievements as you like.

Along with the Languages, the Causes, and the Interests, these are the last sections of the LinkedIn profile that, when used correctly, add the finishing touches to your “Hire me” vibe!

A word of caution for the Interests. While there are all kinds of fancy groups on LinkedIn, you better stick to those that reflect your industry engagement, professional development, and some non-confrontational hobbies. Showing the right amount of individuality and personality is a great way to intrigue your audience.

LinkedIn to your Resume and vice versa - the power of synergy

Since a Resume and LinkedIn profile are complimentary, it is always advisable to quote your LinkedIn in your CV`s Contacts section. However, the opposite is also true. Adding your Resume to your social profile would speed up the hiring process. Recruiters will be able to download it immediately. Just make sure you always have the most up-to-date one.

You can add it by clicking on the “More” button in the upper right corner of your profile.

Then select the option Build a Resume from the drop-down menu, after which - upload a Resume. And voila! Keep it sweet and short in the Curriculum vitae while adhering to the business tone. Leave the juicier staff for your social network presence.

Networking

Now that you have an eye-catching LinkedIn profile, what's next? Sure, it will get the hits. But afterward, you will need to demonstrate proactiveness and good networking skills.

Unlike Facebook, Instagram, or other social networks, simply liking and sharing a funny post won't do you much favor. So read what it does instead.

Basic networkquette rules:

• Add more connections from your current or prospective industry;
• Spark up exciting conversations via well-thought outreach messages;
• Make networking about value/knowledge-sharing rather than transactional currency;
• Offer interesting research, article, and other know-how in exchange;
• Stay open to the new and different;
• Be welcoming for mentorship and sponsorship;
• Accept invites for meet-ups and podcasts;
• Maintain the connection with occasional messages rather than one-offs;
• Regularly share not necessarily long but meaningful content;
• Add/follow influencers and industry leaders to stay up-to-date with the latest trend;
• Join groups and participate in public discussions.

Do you have more points? Get creative with networking.

You will do amazing - as long as you stay professional, courteous, and respectful!

In this article, you learned how to do a complete makeover of your LinkedIn, from "head to toe."

Apply the visual/written content and keywords guidelines for the Headline, About, Featured, Experience, Skills Endorsements, Volunteering, and Interests, along with the networking tips, and your career will soon skyrocket!