How to create an impressive profile on LinkedIn to catch an employer’s eye

Five simple ways to improve your LinkedIn profile

Profile Picture: Your profile picture and name will appear in the top left of your LinkedIn profile. It gives employers a first impression before potentially meeting you. It is important to think of how you appear in the photo, and that it portrays a positive and professional reflection of you. The right profile photo will help your profile to stand out and be memorable. Do not use selfies or party photos.

Add a background image: The second visible component on your profile page is your background image. It draws attention and can reveal more about your professional priorities. A background image is the single most important factor in making your page stand out and be memorable. Background photos differ depending on the industry, and motivational quotes are a popular choice.  

Make a title that grabs attention: Use the headline field underneath your profile picture at the top of the page to elaborate a little bit on your role and your specialisations. It can include more than just the job title. For ideas, take a glance at the profile page headlines of any sales representatives at your business who are skilled at social selling. They’ll usually list more than just their job titles.

Create a story in the about section: The about section provides a summary and is a perfect opportunity to tell your story. You have two thousand six hundred characters to work with here to let people know of your background and interests. It is like the elevator pitch that is on your resume. Ideally keep it as concise as possible to keep people interested in your profile.

List your experience, education and skills: As you scroll down your profile, list your relevant experience, education and skills to give employers or recruiters the opportunity to visualise you as an employee and a character as best they can in their hiring process. Make sure that the content is organised and easy to understand and check carefully that the information on your profile matches that on your resume. Keep the information relatively short so that it doesn’t drag on and disinterest viewers.

Other tips to help grow your LinkedIn profile

Update your profile regularly: Keep your skills and experience updated to show that you are organised and familiar with technology and progressing your career. LinkedIn is a networking website, and keeping active will help you benefit from the platform. Look at what other people are posting, interact with them by leaving thoughtful comments, and like and share the articles that you find useful. This will alert people to what you are interested in, which may help in the future, and it will also help to grow your network.

Share media and industry content: Whatever your industry, keep up to date with articles and ongoings that are posted on LinkedIn. You can also join groups, where you can engage and discuss your professional pursuits. Find one or two relevant groups and join the conversation there. It’s a good way to exchange ideas and learn about other approaches in your industry.

Interact and engage wisely: If you simply update your LinkedIn page without taking any further action, you won’t benefit from the service. Get to know other professionals in your field by following industry experts, sharing interesting content, participating in discussions about relevant topics, and always remember the audience that will see your content.

Follow the tips above and build and sustain a neat and organised LinkedIn profile!