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8 Tips on How to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Standout

Create Content and Customize Your Profile

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LinkedIn Profile Stand Out.png

Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out and Get Noticed With These 18 Expert Tips


LinkedIn is a great way to showcase your work experience, skills and abilities, and to network with other professionals in your field. There are over 875 million people using LinkedIn right now, and this gives you the ability to get noticed.


The thing about LinkedIn is that many people stumble onto your page, and for that short amount of time, you can showcase your brand and who you are. This can mean all the difference when your profile shows up in searches, as you can differentiate yourself from other professionals in your field.


in this article, we will look at:



18 tips to make your LinkedIn profile stand out and get noticed



If you are interested in building your own personal brand and making yourself stand out from the crowd, speak to a career counselor from Enhancv. They can help you build confidence as you grow your network.
8 Tips on How to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Standout
1. Pick the perfect profile picture for LinkedIn

By picking the perfect picture for LinkedIn, you could help to connect with people who visit your site. It is your first impression that you make with people who visit your profile page, so do your best to find an appropriate picture which makes you look professional.


There is that adage where you should dress for the job that you want and not the job that you have. Therefore, when you’re taking a profile picture, wear what you would normally wear to work in the picture.


Choose a picture where your face takes up at least 60% of the overall picture. If you use a photo where your face is far away, it might be hard for people to actually see you.

2. Add a background photo

Adding a background photo is a great way to customize your profile. Background photos are often neglected, but they are a hidden gem which helps your profile stand out. You can include a picture that fits with your motto, or throw in an aesthetically pleasing landscape of a meadow, both of which give visitors to your site a little more information about who you are and what you value.

3. Create a great headline

Tucked away at the top of your profile is the description portion of your profile. Most people tend to just put a job title in there, but you could use it for so much more. You have 120 characters to work with, which you can use to share about why you do what you do and what motivates you. Think of it as more like an elevator pitch than a simple job title.


Here’s a simple formula you can use to write the best LinkedIn headline:



Write to your target audience: Are you a freelancer looking to get more work? Then make your headline geared towards some products or services you sell. If you primarily have LinkedIn to network, briefly describe your role at the company that you’re working at.

Avoid buzzwords: buzzwords are everywhere in business, and they actually lose their meaning when used so many times. ‘Leveraged’, ‘paradigm shift,’ ‘synergy’. These are words that seem to say a lot but fall short of giving a detail description of who you are.

Mention what you offer: Your headline is an opportunity for you to share what you offer, without seeming to ‘salesy’. Share what you’re good at, and people will be interested in learning from you.


4. Craft an interesting summary that showcases your skills and experience

The best piece of advice for writing your LinkedIn summary is to turn it into your own story. It’s a place where you can bring out all the skills and experience you have, while also showing the workplace journey that you’ve made yourself who you are today. You are not just a collection of skills and abilities, but a fully fleshed out human being. Use your summary is a place to shine.
5. Match your profile to your industry or field

Create your profile to match those from other professionals within your field. Search other profiles, and identify what main things that they include in their profile. Ask yourself:



Do the profiles tend to be more formal or informal?

What are industry specific terms or achievements which most professionals highlight in their profile?

Do other profiles use visual media to highlight their achievements?



There are many other things to look for, but by glimpsing the profiles of others in your field, you can get a great understanding of the typical profile page.

6. Use the right keywords

Keywords are important on your LinkedIn page as they can allow you to be found by recruiters and hiring managers. Keywords are specific words or phrases that can allow you to be included in search results. They’re also different from buzzwords, as buzzwords are professional jargon, whereas keywords provide context to skills and achievements that you’ve made.


For example, if you mention you are a senior content marketing manager, some common keywords that you may include throughout your profile include digital marketing, social media marketing, project management, and marketing strategy. You can use these terms to build up your professional brand by sharing moments where you’ve excelled in those roles.

7. Get rid of buzzwords

Buzzwords are like the junk food of the professional writing world: they seem to say a lot, but are ultimately filled with empty calories and little meaning. “Innovative”, “hardworking”, and “specialized” are all terms which you could use to describe yourself, but you could ‘show’ and not ‘tell’. Share moments where you’ve learned new skills and become more specialized rather than leaving your readers with just the phrase “specialized” in your profile.


You should do your best to comb through your profile, eliminating useless buzzwords.

8. Spotlight the services you offer

If you do any freelance work, try to use your LinkedIn profile as an opportunity to highlight the products or services you offer. Also, include all your contact info so that potential employers or clients can properly get a hold of you.

Engage With Your Connections
9. Grow your network

One of the best things that you can do is to sync your profile with your email address book. This can allow LinkedIn to provide you with suggestions of people you should connect with. This can allow you to grow your network quickly. Also, all connection requests are sent with your permission, allowing you to vet all those people you’d like to add.


In addition, when you meet colleagues or coworkers, be sure to search for them on LinkedIn. If you attend any trade shows or conferences and make any connections there, search those people up.

10. Engage with posts and content

You can really make headway in building your network by simpling engaging with content of other professionals. A simple comment can cement a great bond with potential connections and may even lead to a job offer down the road.


Make sure that you’re commenting for the right reasons, though. People can usually tell if you’ve got ulterior motives behind your comment, like trying to prospect for new clients or to sell your services. Be honest when writing comments and try to find a common ground between you and the original poster.

Create Content and Customize Your Profile
11. Add videos and images to your profile

Let’s be honest, it’s easier for the average person to consume content when it’s as videos and images. Multimedia presentations, like infographics, lectures, and professional presentations, help you highlight your communication skills and shed light on things that you’re passionate about.


It might also be an opportunity for you to add ideas to the conversation within your field. You might have an interesting take on how AI can help to shape content marketing for the next decade. Share your views, but back them up with real statistics and information, and you can expect others to engage with your ideas.

12. Share multimedia content in your posts

Share relevant content from other creators to your LinkedIn feed, Twitter, or other social media sites. This can also show that you’re engaging in the overall conversation. Also, add those who are considered thought leaders in your field, and set up notifications to get updated on new posts.

13. Customize your LinkedIn URL

Customizing your LinkedIn URL actually makes your profile page easier to find and share. It can also boost your credibility, show that you’ve put effort into your page, and lead to more profile views. It can also help you if you’re creating a unique LinkedIn page for your business.


Here’s how you do it:



Sign into your LinkedIn profile and click on the "View Profile" button

Once you land on your profile, check the menu right beneath your profile picture, and you should find a “Edit profile and public URL” button. Click it.

You should find a prompt to edit your custom URL in the right-hand corner. Make your URL your first name and last name.


Seek Endorsements and Recommendations
14. Manage your endorsements

You’ll see endorsements flood in once you’ve set up your page. But you may notice that they’re skewed towards different work experiences that you’ve listed on your page.


For example, you may receive endorsements from people who attended university with you, but you may be interested in getting more endorsements from recruiters and other relevant people.


You can edit your endorsements list by clicking on your Skills section of your profile. You can choose which types of endorsements you’d like to show and others you’d like to hide.
15. Request recommendations

Use your existing network to build a larger network by asking for recommendations. Connection requests can only get you so far when building your network, but by having someone you know recommend you to another professional, you have more credibility when you reach out to a potential connection. Those in your network can put their stamp of approval on you, and that can give job seekers a significant advantage when reaching out to hiring managers.

Keep on Top of Your LinkedIn Profil 
16. Take skills assessments

Taking a skills assessment can open up job opportunities to job candidates because they can boost their credibility. In addition, you can even earn certificates and Verified Skills badges, which you can showcase on your LinkedIn profile.

17. Check your LinkedIn profile strength

On your LinkedIn profile, you can find tips and tricks to help you create a great profile. You can find a “Suggested for you,” section inside the “View profile” feature of your page. From there, you can find prompts to help you complete your profile by adding more content. This can help to improve your profile’s discoverability in search results.

18. Keep your page active

The most difficult thing to do is to keep your page active. It takes time to stay updated, but maintaining a good LinkedIn profile can help you grow your network. You can join groups within LinkedIn or follow more people to stay current.


Follow any of the steps above to help you stay active on your page.

Conclusion

Whether it’s adding a sharp profile photo or including links to your personal website, having an up to date LinkedIn profile is vital. LinkedIn is at its core a networking website, and you can grow an extensive network by simply having a real online presence. Job seekers may wish to use their profile like an online resume, while others may choose to reach out to make connections by sending a unique personalized message. Whatever you do on your LinkedIn profile, you’re going to put your career on a more solid footing.


If you’re interested in creating a stellar LinkedIn profile, speak with a career counselor from Enhancv. They can help you understand current professional trends, helping you to harness your online presence to gain more opportunities for work.


Why do recruiters ask, "what type of work environment do you prefer?”

Best approach to answer "what type of work environment do you prefer?”

Example answers to "what type of work environment do you prefer?”

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what type of work environment do you prefer.png

How To Answer The “What Type of Work Environment Do You Prefer?” Interview Question


There are a handful of interview questions recruiters ask so often that you should always prepare how you answer them in advance. One is “what type of work environment do you prefer?”. 


While this seems like a casual question and answering it can be simple, there are some potential pitfalls you want to avoid. Answering this question wrong could seriously hurt your chances of advancing in the hiring process.


Maybe you’re most productive in a busy place with background noise, or maybe you need a calm, serene spot. You might prefer a hot seat at a shared desk, a construction site, a fast-paced bullpen, or your kawaii desk setup.


Before you go telling the recruiter you need one or the other, read our advice on navigating this potential minefield.

Preparing for a job interview is a critical step toward reaching your career goals. Use our career counseling service to prepare for your next interview or any other career steps you’re thinking about.


We’ve helped thousands of people succeed in their job search, prep for interviews, negotiate the details of their contracts, and otherwise hit their career targets. Get in touch with us If you want to do a deep dive on how to succeed in interviews, or if you're curious about other ways to navigate your career path better.

Why do recruiters ask, "what type of work environment do you prefer?”

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: companies don’t hire skills; they hire people.


By the time you get to the interview stage, the recruiter already knows you have the skills and experience for the job (since you’ve tailored your resume just for it…right?). But every company is a bit different, and they need to be sure you’ll mesh with their unique workplace and culture. 


Their office might be fast-paced with a hectic schedule of deliverables, or your job could be working remotely on your own schedule or even doing hours and hours of routine work day after day. You could also be standing all day on a noisy shop floor or in a blazing hot kitchen… or lounging in a C-suite on the top floor.


Whatever the work environment is, it’s how they operate and what the role requires. So the recruiter wants to ensure you can work under those conditions and even thrive there.


Being able to gauge if and how you’re going to fit in at the interview stage helps the recruiter tell whether there’s the possibility of a long-term fit for you. If they think you won't be a good fit for their workspace or company culture, or that you’re going to hate the job and quit in two weeks, they’ll move on to another candidate.

Best approach to answer "what type of work environment do you prefer?”

As far as tricky interview questions go, “what type of work environment do you prefer?” is actually pretty easy once you know what you should (and shouldn’t) say. There are just a few things to keep in mind when you plan your answer.


First and most important is that your best strategy for answering the question is to come across as being flexible. If you convince the recruiter you’re flexible and can work in different environments, they’ll be open to continuing the conversation.


The opposite is true, too: avoid being specific about the environment where you’re most productive or get your best work done. Don’t offer the recruiter information that could hurt your chances of progressing to the next stage of the hiring process.





That being said, you need to be honest, so if there are certain environments that you absolutely can’t work in, don’t claim you can. You shouldn’t announce you struggle to be productive in specific environments, but don’t lie about being able to either!


Prep your answer in advance using these four strategies:

1. Research the company 

The best way to prepare for this question (and every interview) is to do your research. In most cases, you’ll find plenty of information about the company on their website, or you can turn to review sites like Glassdoor to see what people have to say.


Scroll through the ‘about us' section, the company vision and mission statements, and the team bios or pictures they include. It may be obvious, or you may have to read between the lines to get a sense of the company, their work ethic, and how formal they are.


For example, if the ‘about us’ is all about the hard work they do, and everyone’s bio has a picture of them in dark suits, it’s a good bet it’s a pretty formal workplace. Likewise, if they go on about being keyed into fun and everyone has bio pictures in their street clothes, you can bet it’s more relaxed.

2. Reach out to your network

Scour your network to find people that either work or have worked at the company themselves or know someone who has. Firsthand knowledge from trusted sources is a great resource.


You can reach out to anyone you have on social media, and obviously your LinkedIn network will be a great place to look for people you know who might have worked there. Or you can comb through your past work experiences and reach out via email or call people you know who could help.


Once you find them, ask your connections whether they know or have heard what the office or company culture is like where you're going to interview. Building up a picture of what the work environment is like at the company will help you avoid any major missteps when you’re answering this question.

3. Tie your answer back to what you learned 

The best answer you can give will show a connection between the type of work environment you prefer and what you learned about the company’s culture through your research. If you can show them you’re a natural match for the workplace they’ve built, they’ll feel you’re a good fit for the role.

4. Be honest with yourself

It’s important you’re honest with yourself about this question. Don’t aim for jobs with a work environment you’re just going to struggle to get your work done in.


For example, if you’re the type of worker who needs to work alone, you probably won’t be happy working as part of a close-knit team for very long. Compare what you need to work best and what you’ve learned about the role to decide whether it’s the right job for you.


If it is a good fit, congrats! You can walk into the interview knowing you have this question all wrapped up.


Learning about your best work environments is one step toward landing your dream job. If you’re wondering about any other part of the interview process, we’ve put together our best expert advice on the most common questions we get to help you ace your interview.

Example answers to "what type of work environment do you prefer?”
Example #1
This answer works because right off the bat you’re telling the interviewer how flexible you are, but you’re basing your answer on established knowledge you’ve gathered. This puts you in a great position with them because it shows you’re prepared and knowledgeable about the job, two great signs to a recruiter.

Example  #2
In this case, the answer shows that you have experience in different environments, and it’s no sweat to you. But, what sets this answer off is turning it into an opportunity to show how committed you are to the team, productivity, and making the most of the work culture for everyone - you’ll blow the recruiter away!

Example #3
This answer is excellent if you haven’t been able (or couldn’t find the time) to research the company culture and work environment in advance. You show right away that you have flexibility, which we want, but also that you were proactive about looking into the company, even if you came up short on this specific point.


Showing this level of initiative presents well to a recruiter. Plus, flipping the question back to them opens up a space for dialogue and engages them, which takes the pressure off of you.

Takeaways


Recruiters ask this to ensure you’ll fit into the company culture and setting.

Always reinforce that you’re flexible and can work well in various settings.

Avoid being too specific; the interviewer will lose interest if you’re a poor fit.

Find out what you can about the company culture and environment in advance.

Be honest if you know you cannot work in the type of workplace you’re interviewing for.



We’ve helped 1000+ people just like you find success in the hiring process through our career counseling service. Whether you need help on the job search stage, prepping for interviews, or while you’re trying to negotiate your compensation, we’ve got experts who are ready to give you advice and help you strategize your next move.


Career Growth

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