4 Easy Ways to Make Your LinkedIn Profile POP

Put your best photo forward.

Use this opportunity to throw your quarantine sweat suit in the laundry, don your favorite {work appropriate} outfit and snap a new photo. It doesn’t have to be a professional headshot. Simply stand in front of a neutral background that is well lit, channel your inner Tyra Banks, and flash a genuine smile (or smize) that will welcome people to your page. If you’re looking for a laugh, have a look at some funny examples of what NOT to use for your profile photo.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it.

Your headline is similar to the headline of a newspaper. It is meant to draw people in to read more. It is also something you can get creative with. If you choose not to edit this field, Linkedin will default to your Current Title and Company or even worse, it will default to “Unemployed at Unemployed” – EEK! Check out some examples of great headlines to use whether you are currently employed or ready for your next gig.

Your time to shine.

Outside of the headline, the summary section of your LinkedIn profile is the first chance to dive deeper into your professional experience and grab the attention of those viewing your profile. It is the time to showcase your personality while simultaneously highlighting your biggest achievements throughout your career. Not sure what to add for the summary? Try these!

• Be creative.
  • There is no correct formula for pitching your experience in your summary. It can be as simple as how you got started in your career, telling the story of a memorable experience or professional highlight, or simply summarize the big picture for what you do and where you’re looking to grow.
• Layout what you are looking for.
  • If you are an active job seeker looking for a specific position or role, you can add this to your summary to increase the likelihood of being contacted for that exact type of position or industry. When viewing a summary, others can see if there are notes such as “Seeking New Opportunities in *industry*, or “Open to New Opportunities in *location*. Something as simple as seeking a specific job title is always great too!
• Quantitative > Qualitative.
  • Depending on who makes up the hiring team, the “must haves” or “wants” can look a little different in each scenario. From experience, quantitative success explicitly listed on a LinkedIn profile tends to lead to higher engagement from hiring managers and strikes an increased desire to speak with someone about a job. Anytime you get the chance to display specific data about your accomplishments – use it!
  • Examples of this can include:
    • Exceeded Quota by 110% in 2019.
    • Successfully onboarded, trained, and retained 10 new employees in 2018.
    • Implemented a new ERP system that increased productivity from 65% to 95% within 3 months.
• Show off your skills!
  • While there is a skills portion on the LinkedIn profile, it doesn’t hurt to have some main skills listed within the summary. After all, the summary portion is listed at the top of the profile, while the skills portion is near the bottom. On average, members of a hiring team may spend between 10-30 seconds viewing your LinkedIn profile and deciding if you fit their ideal candidate. To aid in this short time frame, add things like bullet point skills to your summary to consolidate necessary applications, certifications, systems, or anything you bring to the table when it comes to your career path.

As you may have noticed, the summary section is wide open for interpretation. It is the first look an employer will have into your experience and personality, outside of a resume copy or a formal interview. We have included a link to some additional tips that may be helpful for ensuring your profile continues to get the most views!

Yelp Helps – your own personal recommendations section.

One of the last pieces of the LinkedIn profile puzzle is the recommendation section. This is an opportunity for past employers, internships, or professors to leave comments on their experiences with you and what they view to be successful traits for future opportunities. This is a section that not many utilize on their profiles, but one that can make all the difference. In fact, from our experience in Talent Acquisition, sometimes the decision to move someone forward in the process comes from the recommendations that others leave. Our recommendation (no pun intended) is to reach out to former employers, mentors or others that have been a part of your professional success and witnessed what you are capable of. Human resources connections are a great source, as well as anyone within a management position. Ask them to highlight a specific example they can recall while working with you and if they’re comfortable recommending you for a similar position, or one that you are actively seeking. You would be surprised what others notice and can speak to!

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The LinkedIn profile offers a great opportunity to display your career success, skills, and other unique traits you bring to the table within your job search. After all, this is the first interaction between you and a potential employer for a position. Using the tips mentioned above will not only help your profile stand out, but will also increase engagement, making it more likely that your profile will be viewed by the right person.

Want to chat more about ways to add a like pizazz to your profile? Let’s talk! Click the button below to start the conversation.