Boost your LinkedIn profile: 15 essential tips!

As the world's leading professional social network with over 260 million active users, LinkedIn is an essential tool if you are job hunting. A true talent pool, it is widely used by recruiters looking for skills and talent. But do you know how to optimize your profile to gain visibility? Follow our 15 tips to make your LinkedIn profile attractive and find a job!

1. Customize your LinkedIn profile URL

Include your name in your LinkedIn profile URL. A simple step to set up, but an important one: an optimized profile URL is easier for visitors to remember. It boosts your online presence on search engines. Above all, it makes it easier for recruiters to find your profile on the network.

Tip: opt for the highly effective format https://linkedin.com/in/firstname-lastname.

2. Opt for a professional photo

Your photo humanizes your profile and builds credibility. Be careful though, as you are job hunting: the photo must be of professional quality and recent, just like the one on your resume. Use a portrait with a friendly expression. Above all, avoid cropped personal photos, selfies, logos... First impressions count.

Tip: the photo should be 400 × 400 pixels, in JPG, GIF, or PNG format, and not exceed 10 MB.

3. Add a LinkedIn background photo

LinkedIn allows you to add a cover image to your profile. It's a great opportunity to communicate your field, expertise, or personality: stand out! Why not use a photo of yourself in a professional setting if your sector is suitable?

To create a professional-looking banner with the right dimensions, use free online tools like Canva, which offer customizable banner templates.

Tip: the cover image should be 1536 x 768 px, in JPG, GIF, or PNG format, and not exceed 2 MB.

4. Use relevant keywords

On LinkedIn, recruiters use keywords to search for specific skills, expertise, or soft skills. By optimizing your LinkedIn profile with targeted queries, you increase your chances of appearing in search results. These keywords—and their variations—should be used throughout your profile (headline, about, experience, education, skills). Be careful not to overdo it, though!

Tip: to choose relevant keywords in your field, put yourself in the recruiter's shoes and use their industry vocabulary.

5. Add a catchy headline on LinkedIn

Don't just say "Job hunting"! In the "Headline" field, use keywords to specify the industry or role you are aiming for. Use this section to highlight your key strengths and promote yourself. Keep in mind that your headline conveys your professional identity on LinkedIn as well as on search engines. It should be concise while sparking recruiters' interest.

Tip: your headline is your tagline; make full use of the space available!

6. Specify the city where you want to work

When job hunting, remember to indicate the city or geographic area where you want to work... not just where you currently live or previously worked. This allows you to receive targeted job recommendations from LinkedIn and appear in search results for recruiters in your area.

7. Be reachable: fill in all your LinkedIn contact info

Would you ever send a resume to a recruiter, an employment agency, or on a job platform without providing your contact details? Of course not! If you use LinkedIn to find a job, make the recruiter's life easier. Fill out all useful fields, email AND phone number.

Tip: to avoid missing any messages, use an email address dedicated exclusively to your professional life and job search. Also customize your voicemail greeting with your own voice and state your name. This reassures recruiters.

8. Stand out with a compelling LinkedIn summary

The first section a recruiter will read on your LinkedIn profile is the "About" section. This section should make them want to contact you: you are THE right person for them. In a few lines, it should be clear who you are, what you can do, and what you can bring to companies looking for new team members. Highlight your professional vision, your qualities, and your latest achievements, avoiding cliches and using keywords.

Tip: write this section using action verbs!

9. Highlight your professional achievements

In the section dedicated to your career path, don't just list your work experience! Be comprehensive in your descriptions. Add the tasks assigned to you and the projects completed, supported by examples and results.

If you are experienced in your target industry, emphasize the experiences that best demonstrate your expertise. And if you have completed professional training—whether certified or not—during your previous jobs, be sure to mention it.

Tip: if the companies you worked for have a LinkedIn page, link your experience to them. Their logo will display on your profile.

10. Fill in your LinkedIn skills

LinkedIn also offers a section dedicated to skills. Choose them carefully and ask your (former) colleagues, managers, or supervisors to endorse them. That way, your profile will be indexed when recruiters search for candidates using keywords linked to these skills.

You can add up to 50 skills. However, we recommend focusing only on key skills for your target job and those that will set you apart from the competition (your soft skills)!

Tip: LinkedIn displays the first 3 skills by default. To see the rest, users have to click "Show more". So make sure to identify your top 3 skills and display them at the top of the list.

11. Request LinkedIn recommendations

Make a habit of asking colleagues, employers, and clients for a written recommendation on your profile. Recommendations demonstrate your professionalism and give you credibility with recruiters. In addition, these references add weight to your Experience section.

Tip: you can moderate recommendations left on your profile and highlight the ones you prefer. Here, choose quality over quantity.

12. Make your profile visually appealing with media items and projects

LinkedIn allows you to upload all kinds of media: video, photo, link, document, presentation... and add professional and personal projects. Take advantage of it! It provides a concrete way to illustrate your experience and showcase your work.

Tip: if you have a blog or are active on social media, don't hesitate to link to these elements to improve your visibility. Just make sure they serve your professional goals.

13. Keep your LinkedIn profile updated

Once you've carefully completed your profile, don't abandon it! Recruiters are wary of inactive or outdated profiles. Update it regularly with anything you feel is significant (seminars, certifications, webinars...).

If you don't see any improvement in your profile's search ranking, check out well-ranked profiles of other LinkedIn users in your sector and draw inspiration from them: change your keyword strategy, adjust the order of elements, and boost your skills.

Tip: when editing your profile, toggle your activity sharing on or off. Your whole network doesn't need to be notified when you change your photo. However, adding a new skill, recommendation, or experience might interest them.

14. Be dynamic and proactive

Remember that LinkedIn is first and foremost a social network. Your online activity is a major asset in boosting your visibility with recruiters: engage in conversation with your contacts, grow your network, exchange and debate in groups of professionals in your sector, share or write relevant content related to your field, keep up with news in your industry, and comment on posts.

In short, maintain regular activity and take advantage of all the opportunities the network offers!

Tip: behave on LinkedIn just as you would in real professional life. Being on the job hunt doesn't mean you should spam your contacts. Always be honest. And if you want to invite someone to connect, personalize your invitation.

15. Use the LinkedIn job search tool and apply online

To find a job, use LinkedIn's job search tool. Thanks to this feature, you can search using various criteria, such as job title, city, or sector. You can then access job postings and apply online directly.

Tip: don't forget to follow the LinkedIn pages of recruiters and companies you're interested in. They regularly post their job openings there.

Image credit: © Photo by appshunter.io on Unsplash