Ten ways to stand out on LinkedIn

An nuashonrú is déanaí an An Mháirt, 29/09/2020

Showcasing your strengths and being smart about what to highlight are key to an eye-catching LinkedIn profile. Here are ten tips to help you stand out:

1. Add a profile picture. Your LinkedIn profile image should show you at your professional best. Keep your outfit relatively formal, include only your head and shoulders, and don’t forget to smile!
    
2. Make your headline descriptive. Replace the default LinkedIn headline (which shows your current job title) with a more descriptive and aspirational one. For example, instead of “Marketing Manager,” try “Experienced marketing and communications professional”.
    
3. Update your profile link. Give your profile a professional sheen by updating the URL for your personal LinkedIn profile – which normally includes a string of numbers and letters – to linkedin.com/in/yourname. You can find this option by clicking on the small picture of yourself in the menu bar at the top of page and going to View profile > Edit public profile and URL.
    
4. Write a snappy summary. The next thing employers will read is your profile summary. Make sure that it includes the most important information you want to share, most likely your unique qualifications, key work experience, and a way to get in touch.
    
5. Highlight your relevant skills. LinkedIn allows you to list up to 50 skills. Take a look at listings for the kind of job you’re interested in to see which skills they highlight, and then ensure you list those skills on your profile.
    
6. Showcase career successes. When adding a description for each of your jobs, don’t just list your responsibilities. Focus instead on your accomplishments and successes in those jobs – did you get promoted? Did you run a successful campaign?
    
7. Connect and network. Start building your professional network by adding your existing contacts and colleagues, then grow it by seeking out people who work in your industry. When you send someone a connection request, add a personal note.
    
8. Gather recommendations. If you can, request one recommendation from a colleague or supervisor at each of your employers. If you have worked only at one or two companies, ask several colleagues to write a recommendation on your behalf.
    
9. Engage with your professional networks. LinkedIn allows you to join groups that focus on just about any professional field. Engage with those groups by posting, commenting, and sharing their content. Groups are  also the perfect places to connect with more people and add them to your professional network.
    
10. Add links and other media. If you were involved in a video campaign or are a published author, link to it from your profile. If you have a website or portfolio that shows your work online, link to that too, ideally within your headline or summary.
     

Looking for other ways to stand out from the crowd and boost your employment chances? Check out our top tips for writing a killer cover letter, streamlining your CV and acing your interview! 

Article written in partnership with EURES, the European Job Mobility Portal