Continue reading if you’re unsure of what to include in your LinkedIn profile or how a perfect profile should appear.
As a former recruiter, let me share what I learned:
- What to include on LinkedIn: A breakdown of all the essential components
- Why the experience portion of your LinkedIn profile might be the most crucial section, and examples of how to write it to make your profile stand out
- Tips for the other crucial aspects of LinkedIn that will attract attention and result in job offers
- Additional LinkedIn guidance and errors to avoid
What to Put on Your LinkedIn Profile When Job Searching:
The following crucial elements of your LinkedIn profile should be filled out:
- Profile photo
- LinkedIn headline
- LinkedIn Summary
- Work experience descriptions
- Skills
- Recommendations from colleagues
- Education and certifications
- Accomplishments
- Volunteer experience
Now that you know which elements to include on your LinkedIn profile, read on for an explanation of each of these sections.
1. Profile Photo
Even if a person clicks on your profile on LinkedIn, they will see your profile picture.
They notice it when you leave a remark on a post, reach out to them, apply for a job, and other actions.
So it’s important to include it in every profile.
Choose a professional, approachable profile picture with your face plainly visible while you complete your profile.
Here is an example of a good headshot and a major error you should avoid. Here is an illustration of a search I conducted as a recruiter:
As a recruiter, I won’t click on the applicant without a profile picture.
If you’re looking for a job, it would be a big error to not have a LinkedIn profile photo. Employers and recruiters might think your account is a scam, and even if they don’t, they’ll still be perplexed as to why you don’t have a photo when almost everyone else does. It merely appears strange and raises pointless worries.
Additionally, using the incorrect photo can harm your employment search.
So when selecting a headshot for your LinkedIn page, make sure it looks professional. It doesn’t have to be flawless. But choose a photo in which you appear to be self-assured, cheerful, and well-dressed.
LinkedIn offers these 5 tips for picking the right profile photo if you want more help with this.
2. LinkedIn Headline
Your title is visible before someone ever clicks on your profile, much like your profile photo is.
Even though it is less than 50 words, your title is one of the most crucial parts of your LinkedIn profile since it determines whether someone will click through to your profile.
Choose keywords and descriptive phrases that demonstrate your precise skill set and how you’re a suitable fit for the following opportunity type when you compose your headline.
Note that there is no requirement that your current or most recent job title appears in your LinkedIn headline.
To leave your headline as “Software Developer” or “Customer Service Representative,” for instance, is a squandered chance.
To differentiate yourself from competitors in your field, give added depth. Include relevant keywords and important abilities that demonstrate your greater value to an employer if employed for a new position.
