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LinkedIn Profile Tips

  1. Mind your profile picture and background picture.

Use a high-quality, professional head-shot—preferably 400 by 400 pixels—and make the picture visible to everyone.

To control your visibility, go to your profile and click “Edit public profile and URL” in the upper-right corner. In the right-side column, you’ll see a rundown of your current visibility options. You can make your profile photo visible to your contacts, your network or all LinkedIn members— or you can choose “Public.” When you change your profile picture visibility to “Public,” you make yourself easier to find via search engines or other networks.

Choose a high-quality background picture that conveys something meaningful about you, too. The optimal size for your background image should be 1584 by 396 pixels.

  1. Write a snappy headline and summary.

In your headline, describe what you do in under 120 characters. Be original and creative, yet also clear and informative. Include relevant industry keywords. That will make you easier to find when people are searching for professionals in your field.

Keep your summary brief and interesting. Revisit and revise it regularly to make sure it’s accurate and timely.

The summary section allows you to add images, videos, documents and links, so add relevant pieces that show off your finest work.

One major trend emerging on LinkedIn is that people are starting to focus on future goals and ambitions. Instead of regurgitating a list of what you accomplished 15 years ago, consider offering an audacious glimpse of your future goals, ideas and objectives.

This is a good tip for those in an early career stage—or for those changing careers—as it shifts the focus to your future instead of your past.

  1. Include (relevant) workplace information.

Don’t list all your previous jobs—unless they’re relevant to your current gig. Instead, focus on the workplaces and experiences that paint your professional credentials in a positive light.

Remember to update your current position, too. If you’ve received a promotion, won an award, published an article or are involved in an interesting project, it makes sense to update your profile accordingly.

  1. Insert relevant skills.

Add whatever notable skills, certification or abilities you have, and ask your friends and colleagues to endorse you. Keep in mind: More is not more when it comes to LinkedIn Skills. It’s better to list fewer skills (and gain endorsements on those) than to list a wide array of unendorsed skills.

Update this section regularly—or at least whenever you learn a new skill. You should also delete skills that are no longer relevant to your career interests.

  1. Edit your URL.

In the upper-right corner of your profile, you’ll see “Edit public profile and URL.” Click it.

This is a chance to tighten and personalize your URL, which will make you easier to find through Google or Bing.

  1. Add certificates.

Do you have any relevant certifications? Did you graduate from a course or receive any online training?

Don’t be shy about posting them.

  1. Ask for recommendations.

Substantive, descriptive recommendations from former or current colleagues are perhaps the most persuasive piece of content you can have on your LinkedIn profile. Write recommendations for others freely, and be bold about asking for friends to return the favor.

You can find the buttons for requesting and writing a recommendation by going to your contact’s profile page and clicking the white “More …” button next to “Message.”

  1. Publish articles.

If you’re looking for search visibility, LinkedIn isn’t necessarily the best place to add articles. However, publishing articles is a great way to show off your expertise.

Try to write a new article at least every three months, and cover topics that are hot in your industry. Pay attention to pictures and title length, too. Your title should not exceed 60 characters.

If you can think of specific people who might enjoy your article, tag them in the message as well. The organic reach of LinkedIn articles is quite low, so adding keywords and tagging people are good ways to increase your reach and help your article gain visibility.

  1. Optimize your profile’s search visibility.

Like other social media platforms, LinkedIn has an algorithm.

There’s no silver bullet to propel your profile to the top, but there’s plenty you can do to make yourself more visible, such as:

  • Include relevant keywords in your headline
  • Add your city into your profile
  • Insert impressive work samples
  • Complete your contact information
  • Showcase volunteer or charitable interests
  • Join industry-centric groups
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Related Interview Tips
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After briefly introducing yourself and the company—and ensuring that the candidate has the time to chat—launch into your preset list of interview questions.

  1. Are you still interested and available for the job?It makes sense to ask this question right off the bat so you can determine if the person has found another job or is otherwise out of the market. That way you have only spent a few minutes in closing the case on this applicant.
  2. Can you tell me what attracted you to apply for this position? This question is a wonderful litmus test that you can use to evaluate how your job opening ranks with the applicant. If the applicant can enthusiastically provide key details about why they applied for your role, you can bet your opportunity is one of only a handful the applicant has applied for – or cares about.
  3. Here are the (3-4) key requirements for this job. Can you confirm – with specific details – that you meet these requirements? This question gives you key insight into whether or not the applicant has the core qualities you seek from the ideal candidate.
  4. What are your biggest accomplishments related to this job? Please be specific, describing your role in achieving the accomplishment and key outcomes, quantified when possible. Because many jobseekers are not very good at tracking and recording accomplishments on their resumes, this question forces applicants to provide detailed information about what they consider most important – and what they achieved. Furthermore, as countless academic studies have confirmed that past performance is the best indicator of future behavior, if an applicant can articulate how they’ve achieved success before, you can assume that they will be able to contribute to your company’s success again in times to come.
  5. Can you tell me about where you are in your job search – and what you hope to accomplish? The answer to this question can provide many insights. First, you’ll learn whether the applicant has applied to multiple positions, whether they have had interviews – and/or job offers, and what the timetable might need to be if you want to bring in this applicant for an on-site interview.
  6. Describe your ideal working situation (work environment, hours, travel, and the like). A candidate can have the perfect qualifications for a position, but they may want a completely different work/culture/team environment than what you have. Knowing their expectations can help you determine fit. A variation on this question comes from Michael VanDervort, executive director of CUE. Inc.: “What do you look for in your employer, and what do you EXPECT from your employer?”
  7. What are your salary expectations? From my experience coaching jobseekers, I can assure you many applicants will be unprepared to fully answer this question, but the response will certainly give you an idea of their interest, insights, and self-worth. Not to mention, if their expectations are completely out of line with what’s allocated for the position, you can eliminate them from the pool.
  8. What is your availability for an interview in the next week to 10 days? This question can result in two pieces of key information. First, how hungry is the applicant? Will they push for an interview sooner? Second, if the applicant is unavailable for your timetable (regardless of the reasons), they may be need to be eliminated.
  9. Is there anything else relevant to the job and your candidacy that we have not discussed that you want to discuss? This question provides an open door for the jobseeker to make a strong closing argument/case for hire…or to say nothing more. Shannon Randlett, senior manager at Channel Marketing, the Americas, has a slight twist, asking candidates: “Let’s forget our conversation happened, what is the #1 thing you want me to remember about you as it relates to this role?”
  10. What questions can I answer for you? The response to this question is seen by many as another litmus test. If the applicant has no questions for you, it’s time to consider whether you were the perfect interviewer or whether the applicant is just not that into you. Your intuition here may be critical.