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5 tips for standing out in the job search with your LinkedIn profile
If you’re navigating the job search or a career transition, you’ve probably gotten the advice to update your resume — but what about your LinkedIn? I’ve worked with hundreds of job-seekers and students, and I encourage them to think about their LinkedIn as a living document, and it should be as dynamic as they are. I encourage you to adopt the same mindset. When you take the time to update your LinkedIn and contribute to conversations on the platform, recruiters who are looking for candidates who match their posts or skillset can still find your profile, whether you’re actively applying or not.
Whether you’re refreshing your LinkedIn profile or setting it up for the first time, here are 5 tips to get started.
Identify relevant keywords, and add them to your profile: Comb through the job descriptions of companies and roles you’re interested in, and use those keywords (when applicable!) in your headline, about section, work experience, and skills section. And while you’re at it, take out the word “aspiring” — you’re not an aspiring designer, writer, or researcher — you’re doing the work! You can also use the “Open to work” feature and add these job titles so recruiters know what you’re looking for.
Ensure that your profile has keywords and skills in 3 main areas:
- Your headline: Your headline is a great place to add your current title and company along with other key roles and responsibilities that you want to be found for. You can also add your alma mater if you want to connect with colleagues who went to the same school.
- Your “about” section: The “about” section can serve as an elevator pitch to summarize your current and past experience, and how it’s prepared you for a future role. You can also use the space to tell the story of your relevant transferable skills and how it prepared you for the role you want next. Sometimes, the same job title is called something different depending on the company. A content designer role at Microsoft or Meta may be called a UX writer role at Squarespace or Spotify. Do your research on what job titles align with your interests so you can add them to your profile accordingly!
- Your skills: Based on the job descriptions of jobs that you’re interested…
