You might update your resume every time you apply for a new job, but are you regularly updating your LinkedIn profile even when you are not hunting for a role? Have you considered how to optimize your LinkedIn profile for success?

As of 2022, LinkedIn has 810 million users worldwide.  90 million of these users are senior-level influencers, and 63 million are in decision-making positions.  That means your future boss is most likely on LinkedIn.

Not only will a well refined LinkedIn profile help you land your next job, it helps recruiters find you to offer you the opportunity to apply for potential roles.

Join us as we review our 13 Steps for Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile on the Uplift blog.

1. Don’t Over Share: Deactivate the option to ‘share your profile changes with your network’. You don’t want your connections to receive notifications about every change you make to your profile 

•  Me > Settings & Privacy > Privacy > How others see your LinkedIn activity > Sharing profile edits 

2. Optimize Your Background Image: This is usually the first thing someone sees when they land on your profile.  Promote your company, a current product, or your brand and skills. 

3. Include a Professional Profile Photo:  Make sure your profile photo is in color and only of you.  Look to your left if possible to draw the viewer into the content rather than away from the screen.

4. Name/Location: Just use the name you are normally known by and nothing else.  Be sure to include your location, industry sector and where you went to University.  

5. LinkedIn Headline: So many people don’t get full value out of their headline. Use the 120 character limit to convey who you are, what you do, and the value you provide.  Include keywords to make your profile stand out in searches. 

6. Profile Summary: Explain how you can add value and the unique insights you can offer using your knowledge and subject matter expertise for specific examples.

•  Always write in the first person! 
• Add a call-to-action like email, call, or visiting a specific website
• Use keywords but don’t go overboard. 

7. Public Profile URL: Create a custom URL that closely matches your name and does not include your current company in it.  

• Add the URL to your email signature, business cards, slide deck, etc. 
• Helps you rank in Google searches 

8. Contact Info: Add your business phone number and office address.  Note that the email you choose is the primary address used for LinkedIn, you may not want to use your business email while searching for jobs.   
   • Include 3 websites that are relevant to your business, i.e., your homepage, founder’s story, brand profile, portfolio. 
9. Media:  Add content that people can view like videos, presentations, articles, white papers, or anything else relevant to your business.  
10. Experience: Be sure to connect your profile to your current company.  Add current and past positions and break out different roles you’ve held within the same company. Add media files where possible to highlight your achievements.

11. Skills & Endorsements: List your most strategic skills; pin the top three.  Let your connections validate the strengths found on your profile. 

12. Recommendations: Build credibility, ask current and past colleagues, partners, suppliers and most importantly customers to write a recommendation.

• Ask those who can speak highly about your abilities and contributions.

• Have them focus on a specific skill or personality trait that drives their opinion of you. 

13. Groups: Search and join LinkedIn groups appropriate to your area of expertise.  Be an active member who contributes valuable information. 

If you’ve got a killer CV, have used our tips to upgrade your LinkedIn profile, and think you’re ready to dip a toe into the job market, send us an email at [email protected] or check out our current job openings here: https://clientapps.jobadder.com/29652/uplift-recruitment