Want to Get Noticed and
Be Pursued on LinkedIn?

Top Tips on How to Get Your Profile Noticed on LinkedIn

Are you thinking about changing jobs or careers, or getting back into the workforce after an absence?

If so, you probably have a LinkedIn account. It’s no secret that this social media platform is one of the most popular platforms for connecting with other professionals and finding new job opportunities in your industry. The platform has more than 740 million users, with almost half of them residing in the United States.

More important than the sheer number of users, though, are the types of people that LinkedIn attracts. Over half of all professionals with college degrees use LinkedIn, and 25% of senior-level decision-makers are on this platform.

This makes having a presence on LinkedIn much more than just “nice to have.” It’s absolutely essential to a successful job search today.

Not all social media presences are created equal, though. Simply having an account won’t start the conversations you need to help you discover your next great opportunity. In fact, having a poorly constructed LinkedIn presence could be worse than not having one at all. If your profile leaves a negative impression, it could cost you opportunities down the road.

Fortunately, it’s not difficult to get noticed and be pursued by potential employers, recruiters, and decision-makers on LinkedIn. An effective profile simply requires a bit of effort that many job-seekers just won’t put in.

Following are some practical strategies to strengthen your LinkedIn presence today, that will benefit your search for attracting those opportunities you deserve.

Fine Tune Your LinkedIn Profile

Before you can begin attracting attention from decision-makers at your list of “dream companies,” it’s critical to take care of the fundamentals first. This means putting time and attention into perfecting your LinkedIn profile.

Why is this so important?

First, a fully complete, polished profile makes it much easier for potential employers, colleagues, and supporters to find you. If they don’t discover you through your content or through a keyword search, they simply don’t know that you exist. Attracting the right people to your profile is the first step toward beginning those vital conversations that lead to beneficial opportunities.

Second, people who read your posts or your comments on another LinkedIn user’s posts could be inspired to visit your profile page to learn more about you. If your profile page is blank or contains inconsistent or outdated information, the conversation could end before it even begins.

For example, if you were heading to an in-person networking event, you’d want to dress your best and present yourself as professionally as possible. Think of LinkedIn as the world’s largest, never-ending networking event, and your best LinkedIn profile as the first impression all those potential employers, colleagues, and supporters will have of you.

Following are some simple profile fixes to help you get seen more often while making an exceptional impression on LinkedIn:

• Create your LinkedIn “Vanity URL.” While this might seem inconsequential, it’s an important first step. Standard LinkedIn profile links are long and filled with characters that would be easy to mistype. On the other hand, a vanity URL, such as https://www.linkedin.com/in/YourName makes it much easier to share your page with people outside of LinkedIn. It also strengthens your personal brand and interested people are more likely to remember your name when they see your profile URL.

• Upload a recent, professional headshot. Blank profile pictures aren’t mysterious - they’re off-putting. That doesn’t mean you should upload that picture of yourself from your Senior Prom 30 years ago, or from that bike rally, you went to in Sturgis. LinkedIn is a business platform, which means that it’s important to choose a photo that presents you in a positive and professional light.
  
  While it's not necessary to hire a professional photographer, doing so can give you a helpful edge. If you have a friend of family member helping you out, do your best to capture an incredibly professional photo. Ensure you have great lighting, stand in front of a non-distracting background, wear something professional, and don’t forget to smile! You’d be surprised how much a nice smile will encourage people to reach out and connect with you.
  
  It can be helpful to take several photos and then choose the best one for your profile image. Also, make sure you upload a digital image. Please do not take a picture of a physical photo and then try to upload that.
  
  LinkedIn recommends square images between 200 x 200 pixels and 500 x 500 pixels. Be aware that smaller images can “pixelate” the image, creating an unwanted distortion effect, while larger images can decrease load speeds.

• Add your LinkedIn cover story. Relatively few LinkedIn users, aside from professional online marketers, are aware of this feature. Still, it can help to set your profile apart in a memorable way. You can record a “cover story” video up to 30 seconds in length. When a user clicks on your mobile profile image, your cover story video will play.
  
  A video cover story provides you with the opportunity to connect with other users in a more engaging way than images and text alone can allow. Use this feature to introduce yourself to potential connections, tell them what you’re looking for, and touch on the unique value you bring to the table.

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• Strategically plan your headline. You only have 120 characters to work with, which means that it’s important to make each one count. Your headline needs to clearly tell people what you do and who you do it for while being catchy enough to attract the attention of the decision-makers in your industry.
  
  The first three or four words in your headline will be the most important because that’s what potential employers will see when they hover over your picture in a comment or discover you in a search list. Make sure to include the keywords others will be most likely to use when searching for professionals with your skills and expertise. These should appear near the beginning of your headline.
  
  Your headline should also convey what makes you unique. A reference to an industry award, a specialty that few others have, or even a personal quirk can translate into a memorable headline.
  
  Many LinkedIn users try to come up with “cute” or “clever” headlines to attract the attention of other users. While there’s nothing wrong with a bit of well-placed cleverness, you won’t want to sacrifice clarity or professionalism just to say something different.

• Complete your summary. This is the perfect place to tell your story, engage with your ideal audience, and attract the exact people who can help you land your next coveted role.
  
  If you’re not used to writing about yourself, this can be a bit intimidating. No worries - you don’t need a novel-length summary. A few paragraphs will do perfectly fine.
  
  When you’re writing your summary, think in terms of relevance - everything you say about yourself needs to be somehow relevant to your ideal contact’s life. People are often more impressed by what they share in common with others than they are by endless awards and achievements. You’re writing to a person, not just a “prospective employer,” and it’s important to make them feel a sense of connection.

• Add relevant job experience, achievements, and credentials. Again, “relevant” is the keyword here. Most LinkedIn coaches recommend only listing your last 10 years of experience, and even then, only the jobs or projects that demonstrate why you have the valuable experience and knowledge to excel in your next opportunity.
  
  Be as detailed as you can when outlining job duties. Specific skills or knowledge might stand out to a decision-maker and could make you a more superior candidate for a job than all the others. Also, let’s not forget to list skills and qualifications that can easily be picked up by a keyword search.

Enjoy the Benefits of Investing in Your LinkedIn Profile Today

If your job search has been frustrating so far, it’s time to master your LinkedIn presence. Perfecting your profile and actively engaging with the right people on the platform every day can go a long way toward helping you to land that job you really want.

If you’re nervous about taking on your LinkedIn profile optimization project yourself, or if you’re struggling with your career direction, Dynamo Careers can help!

Our friendly, knowledgeable coaches can provide the guidance you need to identify a clear direction for your career objectives. We can help support you being hired by an employer that shares your values while increasing your income, improving your work/life balance, and so much more!

You don’t need to keep trying to figure it out on your own - watch our free career masterclass.

Sonja Price

Dynamo Careers

Chief Career Strategist