Quick: What are the most important tools for a job seeker? You probably said your resume and your network. But what about LinkedIn? This platform combines both, allowing you to share your experience, skills, and qualifications with future employers. All of this while also allowing you to build and interact with your network and grow your brand as a professional.
If you haven't been paying attention to your Linkedin, that stops today. Here are 31 expert-backed LinkedIn profile tips for job seekers—from creating a profile that will help you land your next job or to establishing yourself as an expert in your field.
Craft the perfect LinkedIn profile and apply to a new job! Browse 400,000+ opportunities on The Muse »
Why your LinkedIn profile matters
LinkedIn can be as crucial to a job seeker as a well-written resume, as recruiters frequently use the platform to identify and contact potential candidates. When you’re looking for a new job, LinkedIn is “the place where you should be spending most of your time,” says Muse career coach Jena Viviano Dunay.
LinkedIn also offers far more space than a resume, allowing you to explain your career trajectory and any changes more clearly. Plus, it’s a platform for building professional connections, which can lead to hidden job opportunities, side gigs, or even business partnerships.
Linkedin profile tips to help you stand out from the crowd
Besides basic information like work experience, education, and certifications, LinkedIn features a feed where you can post content, engage with others’ posts, and join communities focused on specific subjects. Learning how to use all these tools effectively can attract opportunities your way.
So, grab your notes app and dive into these 32 LinkedIn tips for job seekers—or anyone looking to maximize the potential of this platform
1. Complete your profile
“LinkedIn’s algorithm rewards users with complete profiles,” says Muse career coach Heather Yurovsky. It assigns different strengths to profiles based on their completeness, and you're far more likely to show up in search results with a complete profile.
Recruiters and hiring managers are going to look at your profile whether you apply for their jobs on LinkedIn or anywhere else. “A barebones profile doesn’t make a great impression,” says Jordan Hallow, a career consultant who advises college students on LinkedIn and other career topics.
But what does “complete your profile” mean? It means filling out all the main sections of your LinkedIn page, including:
- Headline: This is your current job title or the professional title you use regardless of employment status. It appears below your name and photo, and people can see it even without clicking on your profile.
- About: It's a space to summarize who you are, your experiences, accomplishments, and interests.
- Experience: Similar to a traditional resume, this section lists your work history in reverse chronological order.
- Education: This is where you add academic education, like a college degree, master's degree, or high school diploma.
- Licenses and certifications: This section highlights any non-academic education or training you’ve completed.
- Skills and endorsements: This section is where you showcase your relevant skills, abilities, or competencies for the industry or role you’re pursuing.
There are three more sections that are optional: volunteer work, languages, interests, and recommendations. Your interests are automatically populated by LinkedIn whenever you follow a page, whether it’s a business or an individual’s profile. As for the recommendations section, it’s filled by people who have worked with you in the past. They can share your professional qualities and strengths if they choose to.
2. Focus on the top sections
Recruiters are busy and so are most professionals. There are a lot of technical advantages to having a very full profile, but you can’t expect everyone who arrives at your page to read every word. You have to hook them from the start.
Include your most important skills, experiences, and qualities high up in your profile. This means your cover photo, profile picture, headline, summary, and recent experience. Your profile picture and headline are most important, says Muse career coach Eilis Wasserman, because these are the only two things “people see before they even click on your profile.”
If you won a huge award or have a key certification, don’t wait until the “Licenses & certifications” section to mention it. Add them to one of your top sections—as high up as is appropriate. The same goes for your most important keywords. Don’t let your most marketable skill get buried in your “Skills & endorsements” section.
3. Get a custom url
When you create a profile, LinkedIn automatically assigns you a string of numbers as a URL. But you can (and should) set a custom URL instead. It should be an easy URL for you to remember and share (because you should be sharing it a lot), Wasserman says.
Most commonly people will use their name and initials in some format, though you might need to get creative or add numbers if you have a more common name. You can also add key certifications like CPA (Certified Public Accountant) or PMP (Project Management Professional) to better optimize your profile, Yurovsky says.
4. Choose a professional profile picture—or take a new one
“Gone are the days of needing a professional headshot for your profile image,” Yurovsky says. Now, your iPhone or Android has a high-enough resolution camera to ensure your picture is clear and crisp.
However, just because you don’t need an image taken by a professional, doesn’t mean your picture shouldn’t be professional. You should be appropriately dressed and not at a party or a wedding. Don’t use any image where you have to crop other people out.
If you need a new picture, don’t overcomplicate it. “Get in front of a blank wall and take a picture,” Dunay says. You should be smiling, facing a natural light source (like a window), and looking at the camera.
If the person who finds your profile can’t see your eyes it’s hard “to connect beyond the screen,” Yurovsky says. Finally, according to LinkedIn, you should aim for your face to take up about 60% of the image once it’s cropped.
Read this next: How to Take a Professional Headshot by Yourself
5. Add a cover photo that reflects you
The blank banner above your profile picture is where your cover photo goes. It’s the very first element on your page, so you want to make a good impression with it. At a minimum, you should use an inoffensive image that means something to you. Maybe a landscape view of your favorite place or something that showcases your brand, Dunay says.
But you can also use a picture of yourself doing your job or customize a banner with words. You can add your personal website URL, a few of your key strengths, the services you offer, or even a meaningful quote, Wasserman says. Just keep it professional.
If you want a hand designing a cover photo, Canva has free, customizable LinkedIn banner templates. You can also find free stock photos on Unsplash to use as your background or a lower effort way to get rid of the plain gray box at the top of your page.
6. Write a headline that reflects you professionally
Your headline is “not just your job title,” Wasserman says. Instead, use that space to concisely communicate the core of who you are as a professional in a sentence or a few phrases. The more specific you can be about what sets you apart from the competition, the better.
“Highlight specific skills you want to be known for,” Dunay says. Try to write something “encompassing your professional career identity—who you are and where you want to go,” Wasserman says.
For instance: “NYS-licensed chemistry teacher specializing in hands-on learning with lesson plans that draw on 10 years working in a research lab.”
Read this next: How to Write Great LinkedIn Headlines (Plus, Examples)
7. Include a current job entry, even when unemployed
When recruiters search on LinkedIn, one of the pieces of information the platform uses to return results is your current position. If you don’t have one, you might not appear, Hallow says.
So if you don’t currently have a job, you should add the position or positions you’re looking for, like Social Media Coordinator/Assistant, for example. However, add a line in the spot usually reserved for the company name that makes it clear you’re not saying you’re employed, like “Seeking new opportunity” or similar.
8. Complete your intro
Don’t forget to fill out the smaller sections of your profile intro when applicable. It includes:
- Former name: Use this section (if you’re comfortable with it!) to be searchable by names you no longer go by, such as a maiden name. You can also select who your past names are visible to.
- Name pronunciation: LinkedIn first introduced this feature through its mobile app, Wasserman says. You might consider using it if you have a long, uncommon, or difficult-to-pronounce name.
- Location: If LinkedIn gives you the option, Hallow recommends using a metropolitan area here over a suburb or smaller city so that you show up in more searches. If you’re relocating, you can list your target city and expand in your summary.
- Industry: You can only pick one, so if you don’t have your search narrowed down to one specific industry, you can talk about additional ones in your summary, Hallow says.
- Contact info: You should definitely add your email address here so that recruiters can reach you. Phone numbers and addresses are more common for those selling services than for individual job seekers, Wasserman says, and she doesn’t recommend including a personal cell phone number. When it comes to additional social media platforms, only add them if they’re professional and relevant to your job.
9. Use your summary wisely
Your summary or “About” section is where you can really show your personality and share your story, Hallow says. But it doesn’t need to be complicated. Here’s how you might structure it:
- Introduce yourself. Who are you as a professional and what do you do? What value do you bring to the organizations you work for?
- Highlight your strengths. Include your key skills, experiences, and achievements in paragraph form or a bulleted list.
- Talk about who you are outside of work. This is optional, but you never know which of your interests might resonate with a recruiter, future employer, or professional connection.
- Finish with a call to action. Call the reader to action by asking them to connect with you to discuss growth marketing, contact you about job or speaking opportunities, or do whatever you’re currently looking to get from your LinkedIn profile.
Even if you follow this structure, there are infinite ways to write your summary. “The ‘About’ section is very personal,” Wasserman says. Use the first person, and don’t be afraid to talk about what really matters to you in your career.
Summary for LinkedIn examples
Example #1: LinkedIn summary for professionals
I’m a human resources specialist who loves helping companies build amazing teams. For over 10 years, I’ve been connecting businesses with their ideal hires. I also offer consulting on compensation and benefits, onboarding, and building strong company cultures.
Outside of work, you’ll find me hiking with my dog, trying out recipes from my family cookbook, or planning my next travel adventure.
If you want to know how I can help your company, shoot me an email at janedoe@gmail.com.
Example #2: Summary for LinkedIn profile for students
I'm a third-year law student at the University of Chicago. Before college, I took a gap year and volunteered at a women's shelter, which really fueled my passion for becoming a lawyer and fighting for social justice.
Last summer, I interned at the Chicago Fair Housing Center, where I gained hands-on experience with constitutional and civil rights law. I'm also good at researching laws, statutes, and regulations, as well as answering legal questions and reviewing contracts.
Outside of school, I love long-distance running, reading classic books, and hanging out with family and friends.
10. Add your best work in the features section
Just below the “About” section is the “Featured” section, which allows you to showcase media, links, and LinkedIn articles and posts at the top of your profile. Sharing the work or mentions that are most relevant to your personal brand and LinkedIn goals is a great opportunity to show your skills in action, Wasserman says. If you have an online portfolio, the “Featured” section is a great, highly visible spot to link to it.
11. Tailor your experience to match the jobs you want
While your resume should be tailored to each individual job you apply to, your LinkedIn profile should be tailored to the industry you work in or want to work in, as well as the role you have or the type of role you’re hoping to land, Hallow says.
In your descriptions, emphasize the elements of your past experiences that are most relevant to the types of jobs you want. You can also include relevant volunteer work or school projects both in your experience section and the dedicated “Volunteer experience” and “Education” sections lower down on your profile, Wasserman says.
12. Use accomplishment-driven descriptions
In some ways, you can approach your LinkedIn profile as you would your resume. Rather than just listing your job duties under each entry in your experience section, you should be detailing your accomplishments.
Each of your bullet points should describe not only what you did in your past jobs, but also how you did it, what the results were, and how it impacted your team or company. Whenever you can, include keywords to show what vital skills you used and when, and quantify your experiences and achievements.
Numbers will help recruiters see the scope of your work and make your accomplishments feel more specific. What’s more appealing: someone who says they’re proficient in Excel, or someone who says they’ve built Excel spreadsheets that use pivot tables and save their company 20+ hours a month?
Read this next: How to Turn Your Duties Into Accomplishments
13. Add links and media to your work experience
You can add links, images, videos, and files to the entries in your “Experience” section as well as your “Featured” section. Use this to your advantage: link to your company websites, projects you’ve worked on, articles or reports you’ve published, or anything else that can let recruiters see the work you’re writing about with their own eyes.
14. Make sure your resume and LinkedIn match
Your resume and LinkedIn don’t have to be identical. But your past positions, companies, degrees, and licenses and certifications should match up—and so should the dates. Don’t contradict yourself, Hallow says. You don’t want hiring managers to think you’re being dishonest.
15. Fill in the optional sections, when applicable
Underneath your work experience and education are additional spaces to show off your background and qualifications. Are you fluent in another language? Did you win a well-known award or write an article for a well-known publication in your industry? Are you licensed to practice in multiple states?
Adding this information to your profile is a great way to showcase what makes you unique and helps you get in some additional keywords as well. But remember that if these skills and experiences are important to landing your next job, you should also try to work them into an earlier section.
16. Add your skills—everywhere
Tout your skills throughout your profile—not just in the “Skills & endorsements” section. As mentioned earlier, you should put them in context in your experience section, but make sure that your most relevant and marketable skills also appear in your summary and headline. You should even try to get them into your recommendations (more on that below).
In the “Skills & endorsements” section itself, you can have up to 50 skills, but profile viewers can only see your top three, so choose the most important ones for these slots. You can also get other people in your network to vouch for your abilities.
Read this next: Best Skills to Put on Your LinkedIn Profile in 2024
17. Seek relevant and recent recommendations
Recommendations “really enhance the credibility of who you are as a professional,” Wasserman says. You can ask people you’ve worked closely with for recommendations, but “be sure to give that person talking points that help shape the story you want your profile to tell,” Yurovsky says. Your recommender should know what your goals are for your next career steps as well as what skills and experiences you’d like them to emphasize.
You should also keep your recommendations current. Yurovsky recommends setting a calendar reminder to secure new recommendations at least twice a year.
Read this next: How to Ask for a LinkedIn Recommendation That Works for You
18. Write recommendations in return
“The best way to get a recommendation is to give one,” Yurovsky says. If you write a recommendation for a colleague, they’re likely to return the favor. Plus, it’s good practice to help out the people in your network.
19. Don’t forget about your “interests” section
The “Interests” section all the way at the bottom of your profile is often overlooked, Yurovsky says. However, it’s the secret to get interesting—and shareable—content into your feed. LinkedIn will show you posts about topics in your “Interests” section and you can share and comment on these posts, or use them to find other professionals you’d like to network with.
Tips for increasing your LinkedIn engagement
20. Use your LinkedIn to build your personal brand
When you’re building your LinkedIn profile, you need to think about your personal brand, Dunay says. Who are you and what do you want to be known for? What sets you apart from your peers in your industry? Once you know your personal brand, you can express it throughout your LinkedIn profile.
“Your LinkedIn is your opportunity to give the broader narrative around your strengths and work style,” Yurovsky says. “You have more room [than your resume] to showcase a wide range of experiences and skills which means a greater chance that there will be something in your profile that a viewer will connect with. That connection is key in a job search.”
21. Know your audience—and what keywords will get their attention
As you craft your profile, think about who will be reading it—likely other professionals and recruiters in your industry. What will those people specifically want to see in a job candidate? Are certain technical skills the most important? Or certain experiences or qualities?
To help figure out the answers to these questions, follow a similar process to the one you would when writing or tailoring your resume. Pull up a few job descriptions for the type of job you have or would like to have, Dunay says. “Take a look at what they keep talking about, common themes, what seems to matter to these employers.”
Think about which ones apply to you and your experience and which specific words and phrases are being used to describe them: These are your keywords. They’re likely what recruiters are searching for when they’re looking for people like you.
For example, maybe many companies you’re interested in are looking for a programmer “proficient in JavaScript” or a digital marketer with experience putting together webinars. If you’re struggling, look for people who have the jobs you want, Hallow says, and see what skills and experiences they emphasize on their profiles.
22. Work keywords in throughout your profile
Once you know your keywords, weave them into your headline, summary, experience, skills, and anywhere else they make sense on your profile. But don’t overdo it, Hallow says. Make sure that your keywords flow with the rest of your writing, and aren’t just jammed in. Definitely don’t just write “Keywords:” in your “About” section and include a contextless list.
23. Avoid buzzwords without a real meaning
Buzzwords are the words you see all the time on LinkedIn and job descriptions, but that doesn't necessarily say a lot about an individual. Think “innovative,” “driven,” “hardworking,” “effective,” “successful,” and “motivated.” These words don’t mean anything by themselves, or they’re a given, Hallow says. (No one is going to admit on LinkedIn that they’re not hardworking.)
Ask yourself if a possible keyword or phrase needs more context to make sense. If someone came up to you and told you they were “effective” or “innovative,” you’d probably think, “At what?” or “Prove it.” You can use buzzwords in conjunction with more specific keywords when it makes sense but you’ll send a stronger message by showing you have these qualities.
Which sounds best? “Successful and hardworking,” “Successful and hardworking SaaS fintech account executive,” or “SaaS account executive who has brought over $10 million in new business to various fintech startups?”
24. Become an active user
Once your profile is finished, you can’t just abandon LinkedIn until the next time you’re applying for a job. You need to be an active user. “That’s your number one way to start seeing more success on LinkedIn,” Hallow says.
In the year after he started actively commenting on posts, engaging with other users, and writing content on LinkedIn, Hallow saw a 600% increase in his followers and connections and a 1,000% increase in profile views.
Actively using LinkedIn will help you grow your network, be more visible to your existing network, and learn more about your role, industry, and potential opportunities.
25. Request connections (and do it thoughtfully)
“My favorite part about LinkedIn is that it’s the number one place to network,” Dunay says. You can start building your professional network online by connecting with people you already know, but you can also request connections from people you don’t know who might be able to help you grow in your career.
LinkedIn’s alumni tool (under the “Alumni” tab on your school’s profile) can help you find other professionals who went to your college, for example. Or you might request to connect with people who work at companies or in jobs you’re interested in. You can even look for people by searching keywords within the search bar like “product marketer” or even “introvert,” Wasserman says.
No matter who you’re requesting to connect with, include a message and personalize. Pay attention to what they have in their profile, and be very specific about what you hope to get out of connecting. Also, be conscientious—give people an out and don’t take declined connections personally.
Once you connect, you can continue the conversation. Consider setting up an informational interview to learn more about what someone does or the company they work for or talk about new developments in your field. You’ll also start to see each other in your feeds so you can comment on their posts and updates.
26. Start posting
All LinkedIn users can write posts or even articles on the platform. These posts will help you build up your reputation as an expert, Dunay says. You can post your perspective about what’s going on in your field or weigh in on a recent industry development, and possibly show off your writing skills at the same time.
You can even share relevant articles you’ve come across elsewhere online. Even if you’re a new professional or new in your field, “you have something to contribute,” and other users will notice, Wasserman says.
If you don’t feel ready to write your own posts just yet, start by commenting. Select relevant interests on your profile and follow experts, thought leaders, and others in your field who have careers you’d like to learn something from. Then, engage with their posts on your news feed. You’ll learn, gain connections, and get “food for thought for your own posts,” Hallow says.
General tips for using your LinkedIn profile
27. Be mindful of your profile settings
If you’re job searching, you can adjust your profile settings to let recruiters know you’re open to work. And if you don’t necessarily want your current employer to find out about it, you can tweak your settings further to hide this info from anyone working at the same company as you. You can also control who sees your updates, Hallow says.
28. Link to your LinkedIn on your resume
After you’ve put all this work into your LinkedIn Profile, don’t forget to direct people to it, Hallow says. You can add your URL right to your resume and even hyperlink it so that anyone reading your resume on a computer can immediately find out more about why you’re a great candidate.
29. Go beyond network—use LinkedIn to learn and grow
Most people know LinkedIn is a networking platform, but it’s also a knowledge-sharing resource, Wasserman says. Users talk about what they’ve learned in posts, leading to discussions among professionals. If there’s a new development in your field, you can learn about it in a more interactive way than just Googling it—you’ll see what others think and can join in the discussion.
LinkedIn Learning is another great feature—you can learn and develop a range of new skills and add completed courses directly to your profile. Perusing the profiles of people who have the type of job or work in the industry you’re interested in can help you identify which exact courses you might want to take—or at least give you clues based on their skills and experiences.
30. Join LinkedIn groups
LinkedIn Groups are an incredible way to find even more like-minded professionals in your job or industry. You can discuss relevant topics in a more focused setting and become more engaged in your field. Plus, the other group members are a large pool of possible connections.
Read this next: 5 Ways to Get the Most Out of LinkedIn Groups
31. Don't only pay attention when you’re job searching
There are many benefits to LinkedIn for people who aren’t looking to switch jobs—from developing relationships with others in your field to learning new skills that will help you in your current job. Plus, “staying active on LinkedIn after you’ve landed that new role and are no longer job searching helps make that next job search that much easier,” Yurovsky says.
Build up your network and personal brand before you need to tap into it to land your next job. You’ll also stay top of mind for people in your network, Yurovsky says, and “when it’s time to find the next right role for you, you’d be surprised how many people will feel invested in your search.”
Read this next: How to Network on LinkedIn Like a Pro
32. Avoid unprofessional posts and comments
When you post, share, or comment on LinkedIn, your entire network can see it, including recruiters who may check your profile. Therefore, avoid unprofessional behavior such as sharing random memes, badmouthing companies, using vulgar language, or getting into heated arguments in the comment section.
Think of your LinkedIn as both a resume and a portfolio—it should reflect the best professional version of yourself. If it doesn’t, instead of attracting opportunities and valuable connections, it could drive people away.
FAQs
How do I make my LinkedIn profile better?
Key actions to improve your LinkedIn profile include adding a professional profile picture and banner, filling out all applicable sections with relevant and recent information, and starting to post content or engage with others' posts by commenting. (For more LinkedIn tips, read this next: How to Use LinkedIn Effectively: Your Full Guide.)
How do I make my LinkedIn profile stand out?
There are many ways to stand out on LinkedIn. Start with the basics: post content related to your work or industry (and if you can provide valuable tips for others, that's even better), share your accomplishments, and engage with others.
How can I improve my LinkedIn profile views?
LinkedIn's algorithms reward users with complete profiles and those who are active on the platform. This means you should review your profile, fill in any incomplete sections, and start posting content. Additionally, engage with posts from others in your feed. The more you expose yourself (professionally and strategically), the more your engagement grows.
How can I improve my LinkedIn profile search?
To make it easier for recruiters to find you when they search for specific keywords, optimize your headline. Include relevant keywords from the job you're targeting or the industry you're interested in, while still reflecting who you are professionally. For example, instead of just saying "Journalist," you could say "Journalist specializing in sports and entertainment." If you have a diverse skill set, your LinkedIn headline could be something like "Social Media Manager | Community Manager | Copywriter."
Amanda Cardoso contributed to the latest version of this article.