5 MUST-KNOW LinkedIn Profile Tips for Job Seekers!

Jeff Su
31 May 202208:10

TLDRThis video offers five essential LinkedIn profile tips for job seekers to stand out. It advises using a high-quality profile picture and cover photo, crafting a headline that reflects value, including relevant keywords in the about section, correctly adding five endorsed skills, and using a custom LinkedIn URL. Following these tips can significantly increase the chances of being noticed by recruiters and hiring managers.

Takeaways

  • 😊 All-Star LinkedIn profiles are 40 times more likely to be contacted by recruiters and 18 times more likely to appear in hiring managers' search results.
  • 📸 Tip 1: Use a high-quality LinkedIn profile picture where you're smiling and framed from the chest up. Use tools like Remove BG and Canva to clean up and enhance your photo.
  • 🖼️ For a professional LinkedIn cover photo, use Canva to create a clean, eye-catching design with the latest size (1500 pixels).
  • 💼 Tip 2: Update your LinkedIn headline by combining your job title and a short sentence explaining the value you bring to future employers.
  • 🔑 Tip 3: Include relevant keywords in your LinkedIn 'About' section. Find these keywords by analyzing at least 10 job descriptions and using a word cloud generator to identify common terms.
  • 👍 Tip 4: Add five key skills to your profile and ensure they are endorsed, as skills with endorsements carry more weight in LinkedIn's algorithm.
  • 🔗 Tip 5: Customize your LinkedIn URL for a professional and easy-to-share link that can boost your SEO and make your profile easier to find.
  • 🔒 Bonus tip: Turn off LinkedIn activity sharing in your privacy settings so you can update your profile without notifying your network.
  • 🔍 The goal of an optimized LinkedIn profile is to drive relevant traffic from recruiters and hiring managers, even when you're not actively searching.
  • ✍️ Follow best practices when messaging recruiters, and make sure your LinkedIn profile is fully optimized to improve your chances of success.

Q & A

  • Why is having an All-Star LinkedIn profile important for job seekers?

    -An All-Star LinkedIn profile is 40 times more likely to be contacted by recruiters and 18 times more likely to show up in hiring managers' search results, making it crucial for job seekers to stand out.

  • What is the sneaky bonus tip for job seekers regarding LinkedIn activity visibility?

    -The sneaky bonus tip is to navigate to settings and privacy, then visibility, and turn off the option to share profile updates with the network to avoid alerting nosy colleagues while making changes.

  • What are the recommended dimensions for a LinkedIn profile picture using Canva?

    -The recommended dimensions for a LinkedIn profile picture using Canva are 1600 by 1600 pixels.

  • How can one create a professional-looking background for their LinkedIn profile picture?

    -One can use Canva to create a professional background by searching for a gradient square under the elements tab, selecting two colors, and adjusting the gradient to fill the entire square.

  • What adjustments should be made to the original photo with the background in Canva?

    -In Canva, one should adjust the brightness down by around 10, saturation by around 15, add 10 clicks of blur, and boost the vignette up to 50 for the original photo with the background.

  • What is the recommended size for a LinkedIn cover photo?

    -The recommended size for a LinkedIn cover photo is 1500 pixels, as this is the most updated size.

  • What should a job seeker's headline on LinkedIn include besides their job title?

    -A job seeker's headline should include their job title plus a sentence that shows the value they bring to future employers.

  • How can job seekers find relevant keywords to include in their LinkedIn about section?

    -Job seekers can find relevant keywords by looking at job descriptions, pasting them into a Google Doc, and using a word cloud generator to identify frequently occurring terms.

  • Why is it important to include quantifiable metrics in the LinkedIn about section?

    -Including quantifiable metrics in the LinkedIn about section helps to demonstrate one's achievements and impact, making the profile more compelling to recruiters and hiring managers.

  • What is the significance of having at least five endorsed skills on LinkedIn?

    -Having at least five endorsed skills on LinkedIn is important because only skills with endorsements count towards the All-Star profile requirement, and they carry more weight if endorsed by people with the same skills.

  • Why should job seekers use a custom LinkedIn URL?

    -A custom LinkedIn URL is important because it makes the profile look more professional and plays a role in SEO, helping the profile rank better in search results when someone searches the individual's name.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Job Search

This paragraph emphasizes the importance of an All-Star LinkedIn profile for job seekers, stating that such profiles are 40 times more likely to be contacted by recruiters and 18 times more likely to appear in hiring managers' search results. The video aims to cover five key aspects of LinkedIn profile optimization that are often perceived as difficult but are actually easy to implement. The host, Jeff, introduces himself and offers a bonus tip on adjusting privacy settings to avoid notifying colleagues about profile updates. The first tip is about adding a high-quality profile picture and cover photo, suggesting the use of tools like Remove BG and Canva for editing and creating these images. Detailed steps are provided for enhancing the profile picture with a clean background and adjusting the cover photo using Canva templates.

05:02

🔍 Enhance Your Profile with Headlines and Keywords

The second paragraph focuses on further optimizing the LinkedIn profile for job seekers. It suggests that the headline of the profile should include the job title and a value statement to differentiate from others. An example is provided where the host simplifies his role at Google Ads into a value statement. The paragraph also advises on including relevant keywords in the 'About' section, drawing from job descriptions and using a word cloud generator to identify common terms. A structured approach to the 'About' section is recommended, including an intro line, specific examples with metrics, and the types of opportunities sought. The paragraph concludes with a tip on adding five skills to the profile, ensuring they have endorsements, and using a custom LinkedIn URL for better SEO and to increase the chances of hearing back from employers.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡All-Star LinkedIn profile

An All-Star LinkedIn profile is one that stands out and is highly attractive to recruiters and hiring managers. According to the video, such profiles are 40 times more likely to be contacted by recruiters and 18 times more likely to appear in search results. The video aims to help viewers achieve this status by focusing on specific elements that can be optimized, such as having a high-quality profile picture and cover photo, a compelling headline, and the use of relevant keywords.

💡Profile picture

A profile picture on LinkedIn is the first visual element that others see when they visit your profile. The video suggests choosing a photo where you are smiling and your chest is visible, which can create a friendly and approachable impression. It also recommends using a tool like Remove BG to create a clean, professional-looking image without a distracting background.

💡Cover photo

The cover photo on LinkedIn is the large banner image that appears at the top of your profile. The video provides a step-by-step guide on how to create an effective cover photo using Canva, including tips on choosing the right dimensions and adding a gradient or other design elements to make it visually appealing.

💡Headline

The headline on a LinkedIn profile is the short description that appears below your name. The video emphasizes the importance of making your headline more than just your job title by adding a sentence that conveys the value you bring to potential employers. This can help you stand out in search results and make your profile more engaging.

💡Keywords

Keywords are essential for improving the visibility of your LinkedIn profile in search results. The video advises job seekers to include relevant keywords in their 'About' section by analyzing job descriptions and using a word cloud generator to identify the most frequently occurring terms. This strategy can help you appear in the searches of recruiters and hiring managers who are looking for candidates with specific skills or qualities.

💡Endorsements

Endorsements on LinkedIn are a way for your connections to confirm your skills. The video points out that only skills with at least one endorsement are counted towards the All-Star profile requirement. It suggests adding five key skills to your profile and then asking friends, family, and colleagues to endorse you, with a note that endorsements from people who also have those skills carry more weight.

💡Custom LinkedIn URL

A custom LinkedIn URL is a personalized web address for your profile, which can make it easier for others to find and remember your profile. The video explains that including a link to your LinkedIn profile on your resume can increase your chances of hearing back from employers and that a well-structured URL can also improve the SEO of your profile.

💡Visibility

Visibility settings on LinkedIn control who can see your activity on the platform. The video provides a bonus tip about adjusting these settings to prevent your current colleagues from seeing your profile updates, which can be useful if you're actively job searching without wanting to alert your current workplace.

💡Austin Belcak

Austin Belcak is mentioned in the video as a thought leader in the area of LinkedIn profile optimization. The video credits him with providing valuable tips on crafting headlines and 'About' sections that include relevant keywords and convey value to potential employers.

💡Word cloud generator

A word cloud generator is a tool that visualizes text data by displaying words with different sizes or colors depending on how frequently they appear. The video recommends using such a tool to identify the most common keywords from job descriptions, which can then be incorporated into your LinkedIn profile to improve its discoverability.

💡SEO

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is the practice of improving a website's visibility in organic search engine results. The video explains that having a custom LinkedIn URL can enhance the SEO of your profile, making it more likely to appear when someone searches for your name on Google.

Highlights

All-Star LinkedIn profiles are 40 times more likely to be contacted by recruiters.

All-Star profiles are 18 times more likely to appear in hiring managers' search results.

There are nine items to achieve All-Star status on LinkedIn.

Turn off sharing profile updates with your network for discreet profile updates.

Use a high-quality profile picture where you're smiling and your chest is in the frame.

Utilize Remove BG for a free, high-resolution photo without a background.

Create a professional-looking profile picture using Canva with a gradient background.

Edit your profile picture's brightness, saturation, and add a vignette for a polished look.

For the LinkedIn cover photo, use a template from Canva and customize it.

Your headline should match your job title and the value you bring to future employers.

Summarize your job in one sentence to stand out among peers.

Include relevant keywords in your LinkedIn about section to improve search visibility.

Use job descriptions to find and include keywords that recruiters are looking for.

Structure your about section with an intro line, specific examples, and the opportunities you seek.

Add five skills to your profile and get endorsements to meet All-Star requirements.

Endorsements from people with the same skills carry more weight.

Use a custom LinkedIn URL for better SEO and to include in your resume and email signature.

An All-Star LinkedIn profile is optimized for job search and increases your visibility to recruiters.