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7 Simple Steps to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Shine

Posted: Jun 2020
7 Simple Steps to Make your Linkedin Profile Shine

When was the last time you had a good look at or updated your LinkedIn profile? LinkedIn is the first port of call for anyone interested in doing business with you, recruiters and potential employers. Here are our 7 top tips for ensuring your profile stands out to help you secure that all important interview or meeting.

1. Complete your profile:

Obvious? Maybe… but there are still plenty of people who don’t have a 100% completed profile. You’re much more likely to get positive engagement if you complete every section and it’s vital if you’re job hunting. Gaps in your profile could send out the wrong message.

2. Include a picture:

Again, this seems an obvious one, but we still come across people who haven’t uploaded a photo onto their profile. At the very least it shows you’re a real person and are active enough on the network to respond to a recruiter’s message, but it is also a great way of conveying, at a glance, the image you wish to portray.

When selecting an image do:

  • Dress professionally and appropriately for your industry
  • Stick to a head and shoulders shot to maximise the impact as profile images are small
  • Keep the image simple – a plain background with simple lighting is all you need
  • Make sure it is high quality

And don’t:

  • Use an old photo or let it go out of date. You want people to recognise you when you meet them in person
  • Use shots taken from a low angle or use a selfie, however good you think it makes you look

3. Your summary:

If you’re ‘googled’, chances are your LinkedIn profile will appear. Make your summary snappy and succinct. Choose the wording to encompass everything about yourself and what you do. Choose your keywords carefully to appear in recruiters’/hiring managers’ searches.

4. Recommendations:

Have a minimum of 3 good recommendations. Make them relevant and specific to your skill set. Write insightful recommendations for other people, to pep up your professional presence – they may reciprocate with a recommendation for you.

5. Share share share:

Updates, files, presentations, great initiatives, positive messaging… Make your page a great source of good professional material. People who share more than once a day have more profile views than those who do not.

6. Become an expert:

Join groups and discussions; it’s a quick and powerful way to grow your network, boost your profile and demonstrate your professional expertise. Offering good advice and regularly contributing will help to establish you as an expert in your field.

7. Weblinks:

Essential. Make your URL stand out, have links to websites and blogs you write or have contributed to. Rich text is appealing and demonstrates you are an active user of social media.

Now, are you prepared for a recruitment call? Not sure? Here we share our secrets to making your CV wow a potential employer. Good luck with your job search!


The Works Search a search consultancy specialising in PR and corporate communications. We have unrivalled matching abilities and known for finding the top 5% performers in the industry - the ones who deliver and make your reputation great. For more advice or market insights, do get in touch with us on 0207 903 9291 or email sarah@the-works.co.uk.

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