Part two: eight top tips to boost the effectiveness of your LinkedIn profile

Talking about yourself in a professional manner, and attempting to come across well, can be difficult for some people. In an interview situation, it may feel more natural to talk about your work history, and what drives you as a person. However, LinkedIn can be used to highlight this information as well, and you have more time to perfect the written content that you are uploading to your profile.

We have put together some top tips on how to improve your LinkedIn profile. This article highlights how you can boost the effectiveness of the content on your profile.

1. Write a punchy headline

Your headline can simply be your current organisation and job title, but this isn’t very creative. Why not do something different and use this space to outline your most valued skill? Especially if you are in-between jobs, your headline can be a useful tool to set you apart from your competition. 

2. Be approachable 

It is important to sound approachable in the content that you publish on your LinkedIn profile. After your profile picture, this is the first insight that profile visitors will get into your professionalism, personality, and capabilities. So, it is key to make sure you come across well. Avoid arrogant statements, and although it’s important to sound confident in your ability, don’t be over-confident as this can deter people from wanting to work with you. 

3. Write a comprehensive summary

Your LinkedIn profile summary should provide a comprehensive insight into your experience and professional interests. Although you shouldn’t waffle throughout your summary, it is important to cover everything that a potential employer would want or need to know about you. Be sure to include the following in your LinkedIn summary.

• What you enjoy doing at work
• Your key skills and achievements 
• Your qualifications
• Significant work experience, or a particular industry that you are invested in
• Some information about your hobbies and interests outside of work

How you structure your summary is up to you, but it is important to consider what employers are looking for. Focus on what drives you professionally and how you work to improve the organisation that you are employed by.

4. Use keywords strategically 

If you are in the process of looking for a new role, it is a good idea to identify your desired job title and scatter this throughout your summary. This will increase your chances of being found by an employer searching to fill the same position. 

5. Include stats in your profile

You should treat your LinkedIn profile as a CV. Including stats in your summary to prove where you have implemented significant, positive change in a business can make you stand out to future employers. 

6. Utilise photographs, videos, and presentations

Including different types of media on your LinkedIn profile is a great way to showcase your past experience in an alternative way. Attach a video that you have featured in or produced, or a presentation that you have created on an interesting topic to give your profile the edge it needs. This addition will allow employers to see you at work. 

• On your profile, click ‘Edit intro’ 
• Scroll down to ‘Media’ beneath your ‘Summary’
• Click ‘Upload’ and select your media
• Create a title and add a description
• Click ‘Apply’ and then save your changes 

7. Do not use buzzwords

Buzzwords on your LinkedIn profile are a strict no go if you want to stand out. Avoid the following words in your summary:

• Strategic
• Unique
• Metrics
• Expert
• Leadership
• Focused
• Innovative

Overall, it is important to make sure you are writing with your own experiences in mind. Be more creative with your word choices and inject some of your personal writing style into your summary. 

8. Share relevant content to your profile page

When other professionals have connected with you, it is because they are interested in your profession or experience. This means that they will be interested to see the types of content you post, share, and interact with on the platform. Sharing relevant and interesting content to your page can spark conversations with other professionals in your sector.

It is crucial to include relevant content to your LinkedIn profile if you want to attract the right types of professionals and build relationships accordingly. If you are interested in looking for a new role, please get in touch with one of our specialist recruitment consultants today. Alternatively, if you are looking for more ways to improve your LinkedIn profile, explore part one of our LinkedIn series, ‘make your LinkedIn profile stand out.’