LinkedIn: Your Recruiter-ready Profile
Optimize your Linkedin profile: How to make your profile stand out and attract recruiters.
Views are my own.
☑️ 1. Customize your LikedIn URL
Choose a clean and professional LinkedIn URL. Instead of a long string of numbers, choose something like “linkedin.com/in/firstname-lastname” (or similar). This not only looks better, but also makes it easier for people to find you.
You can also include your personal link in your CV. Also, avoid these 5 infamous resume myths!
How to customize your URL:
☑️ 2. Write a catchy LinkedIn slogan
Your headline should get to the heart of who you are and possibly what you are looking for. Instead of just “Student” or “Marketing Specialist”, you can use concise keywords, e.g. “Creative Marketing Enthusiast | Focus on Social Media & Storytelling”. Your current or past employers can also attract recruiters. A good headline immediately catches the eye. However, it should not be too long, otherwise it will be cut off!
Example: “UX/AI Designer👩🎨 at XY Company” might be more likely to spark interest than “UX Enthusiast I TEDx Speaker I Personal Branding Expert”
But don’t make the description too specific, because new job profiles can emerge all the time and you never know if recruiters will look for you for such positions: Discover 7 New Career Paths for UX Designers.
You can also use special characters or emojis. But be careful!
Here are some examples of symbols:
- Classic separators: I or ・
- Matching emojis, for example: UX/AI Designer
- Fancy separator symbols like: ✦ , ❋ and more
☑️ 3. Try setting up the open-to-work mode
Use the “Open to Work” function to show recruiters that you are available and for what exactly. You can specify which roles you are interested in at which locations and even set whether only recruiters or everyone can see your badge. This way, only recruiters will notice you and not everyone in your network. It is generally better if you make this mode invisible.
You can select up to 5 job titles so that you are shown to recruiters for jobs in this range. Think long-term, as roles can always change. Find out here how UX/UI designers suddenly became UX/AI designers.
Be as flexible as possible when choosing the location. It’s better to specify countries rather than individual cities, because you never know where your dream job might be. Use these practical tips for job hunting abroad if you are planning an international career.
So you can activate the open-to-work mode:
☑️ 4. Update all sections in your profile
Keep your profile up to date. Add new experience, projects or certificates and create new sections if necessary. Your profile is your digital business card and should at least roughly match the rest of your application documents. Have you completed a short course at UAL in London? Then add it to your profile.
Your CV, on the other hand, should always be optimized for each individual position. By the way, application processes always contain many fields that you can actually skip.
☑️ 5. Add skills and request verification
Add as many relevant skills as possible, because recruiters are specifically looking for them. Make sure you use the maximum of 50 skills: Tools, Hard Skills, etc. The suggestions in the dropdown will also help.
Ask colleagues or former team members if they can verify your skills. This is just a click away and acts like an uncomplicated, virtual letter of recommendation. Of course, there is also the option of receiving a detailed recommendation from someone, which is visible to every visitor.
☑️ 5. Customize your banner photo (Background)
It’s an effective and free billboard for yourself! Use LinkedIn background image for your branding: add your motto, your job role or a design.
Currently the ideal size is: 1536 px x 396 px
In free tools Figma you can create it very quickly or choose a template.
☑️ 6. Write a SEO-optimized Bio
Your short description under your profile highlights a few areas. Although it is rarely read in full, it is particularly important with the right buzzwords in order to be found. The right words make all the difference.
Write a summary about yourself with the help of AI that contains prominent keywords from your dream jobs, e.g. suitable skills. It shouldn’t be as long as a letter of motivation. Find out why you shouldn’t a cover letter anyway, despite AI.
☑️ 8. Select “Featured” Posts
Do you have impressive LinkedIn posts, portfolios or projects that highlight your work? Use the “Featured” function to display this content prominently.
Examples:
- Link to your portfolio website with projects
- Successful posts
- Articles that you have written or in which you are mentioned
- Projects you are particularly proud of
☑️ 9. Networking, networking, networking
Connect with everyone you know or want to get to know — fellow students, colleagues, former bosses or people from your desired industry. The rule is: the more connections, the more visible you are.
Other social networks can also be used for your career: Click here for the career pages of McKinsey, BCG and more on Instagram.
☑️ 10. Follow companies and decision-makers
Show interest in the companies you want to work for. Follow their LinkedIn pages and relevant executives.
Be careful not to fall for self-presenters, full-time corporate influencers or LinkedIn coaches! This will keep you up to date and show commitment.
☑️ 11. Customize your public profile
There is actually a difference between the view for members (even if you are not friends) and logged out visitors. This setting is very important as it determines what appears in search engines later. Do you really want to share all your friends’ reactions and posts there or do you prefer to restrict the view?
You can edit the external view here (for logged-in users):
Conclusion: Your LinkedIn is your stage!
With these simple optimizations, you can take your LinkedIn profile to the next level and turn it into a real job magnet. Recruiters will love you. Now it’s just a matter of getting started. But be careful, don’t fall for the many ghost jobs, i.e. fake jobs!
🎨 Free CV / Resumé Template on Figma
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💜 Feedback & Questions
I‘d love to hear from you! Connect with me on LinkedIn.
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