Step-by-Step LinkedIn Profile Optimisation to Land a Job

When trying to find a job, simple things can hold us back. For example, our resumes are too long that recruiters put them down, or we’re attacking the job-hunting process all wrong. If you need job-hunting guidance, check out my previous articles:

However, if you’re ready to attack the job market and are looking at different applications that have caught your eye, do this one thing before you apply for them: optimise your LinkedIn profile.

LinkedIn is a social media platform that connects professionals from all over the world. It is a platform for your future employers to see what you’re up to, from your work experience to your interactions on the platform regarding your professional and personal work. Your LinkedIn profile is your digital resume that can open many doors if optimised correctly.

If you are starting your career for the first time, I strongly recommend immediately creating your LinkedIn profile. If you are a professional not on LinkedIn, get on it now!

Let’s get into the top tips on how to optimise your LinkedIn profile, your digital resume.

The Right Headshot

 
Although this may seem straightforward, you would be surprised how many people get this wrong. Outside of stating your name — which I hope everyone can do without a problem — the next most important item on your LinkedIn profile is arguably your photo.

You want to ensure that your photo is a professional headshot that was recently taken so it looks like you. You don’t want to confuse anybody with that initial interview with a picture of you that was taken more than 10 years ago and looks very different to you now. It’s not just about setting expectations, it’s about consistency.

Next, you want to ensure that your face takes up at least 60% of the frame. Another tip is to use a photo that is only of you, so you don’t have to worry about cropping out other people.

The last tip around your headshot is important, but comes down to personality, so the way you approach it is entirely up to you: your facial expression. Your headshot is your brand; you want to convey that through your expression. You know yourself better than anyone, and you also know the vibe you are trying to convey, and so this is where some personalization comes into play. For example, if you’re a bubbly tech marketer, you might want to have a big smile. If you instead ant to convey that you are a serious financial manager, your expression should reflect that.

And while we want to take advantage of your facial expression to convey personality, it’s best to avoid showing too much of your body in to the image in order to manage others’ potential misinterpretation of body language. While a warm smile is difficult to misconstrue, an awkward or unflattering body positioning may lead others to fill in the blanks as to what your intentions were in the photo, and imaginations can run wild.

Here are some good examples of what a good and bad headshot look like, for reference.

Your Banner

 
Remember that LinkedIn is a social media platform, so you do not always have to be fixated on your career. Your banner is an opportunity to showcase who you are, what you like, where you’re from, etc.

Some people like to align their banner with the branding of the organisation they work for, while others want to show a bit of their personal life. Either way is acceptable, but the banner still needs to look professional.

Here are some examples below:

Let Your Next Employer Know Who You Are

 
As I mentioned, your LinkedIn profile is your digital resume that people worldwide can view. Many people get headhunted on LinkedIn; therefore, you always want to put your best foot forward.

I will break down AMD’s CEO Lisa Su’s LinkedIn profile for this.

Be Active: It’s a Social Platform

 
What’s the point of having a social platform if you’re not going to be social? If you’re looking to land a job or increase the reach of your profile, you may want to post, and do so frequently.

There are optimum times to post on LinkedIn; weekday mornings are the best. However, you should focus on high-quality content to increase your engagement and reach.

The best way to tackle this is by staying true to you. Speak about what you know. If you are not confident with the post, do not post it. Let it come naturally to you as if you’re conversing with someone. This will help increase your engagement — having human-like conversations in an era with AI-generated content.

Wrapping Up

 
If you optimise your LinkedIn profile correctly, you will stand out amongst the other applicants who didn’t bother. Different organisations and employees may come across your profile and like what they see, potentially headhunting you.

LinkedIn is an excellent tool for finding new jobs, so do yourself a favour: optimise and use it!
 
 

Nisha Arya is a data scientist, freelance technical writer, and an editor and community manager for KDnuggets. She is particularly interested in providing data science career advice or tutorials and theory-based knowledge around data science. Nisha covers a wide range of topics and wishes to explore the different ways artificial intelligence can benefit the longevity of human life. A keen learner, Nisha seeks to broaden her tech knowledge and writing skills, while helping guide others.