LinkedIn Tips and Tricks for Job Seekers

Marieke Stoop
Latest posts by Marieke Stoop (see all)

In the past years I have written several articles about the optimisation of your LinkedIn profile. Here are the highlights of my LinkedIn articles, along with additional tips and tricks. With these tips, you have the power to create your LinkedIn profile and get you noticed by recruiters, HR and your potential employer. These easy LinkedIn tips and tricks can deliver great results.

At times when graduates, young professionals, team leaders, senior managers, entrepreneurs and directors at international companies reach out to me for review of their profile, I notice that they all make the same mistakes in their profile. Please find the most common mistakes in a LinkedIn Profile.

Most common mistakes in Your LinkedIn Profile

1. A profile picture is not uploaded or a wedding photo, selfie or a baby picture is displayed.

2. The profile does not contain a person specific URL.

3. The headline is stating the current position, but is not reflecting the skills and expertise.

4. The Profile does not have a summary, or contains a non attractive summary without a call to action or keywords recruiters will look for.

5. The profile is half- filled out, no information is shared about the working experience or just too much info as the profile is just a copy of the resume.

6. Contact information is missing (no email address and/or phone number).

7. Important contact settings are not activated.

LinkedIn is NOT a Resume it is a sales document to attract a potential employer. 

Learn how employers will screen your profile. 

Applying for a job will get easier if you are aware how recruiters or employers will screen your profile.

8 areas of screening your profile:

People that found your profile in general will look at:

1. Current & Former experiences

2. Job titles

3. Job responsibilities

4. Accomplishments

5. Summary

6. Skills

7. Accuracy, presentation and professionalism

8. Recommendations

LinkedIn is the most popular social networking site out today and is growing every second. It is the common tool for recruiters, employers and companies. It is a database and you need to stand out from the crowd. A profile that get you noticed, prove you have the expertise in your areas of interest. It is an excellent way to show your experience and promote yourself.

Do not wait until you need to look for a job to generate and optimise your profile. Create and control your profile now. An opportunity is right around the corner, maybe an employer will approach you with an offer you cannot refuse!

Actions you can perform today!

1. Create a unique LinkedIn URL. If you do not how to do this, please click here

2. Follow groups where your target audience is there. If you are looking for a job in Finance just find groups for CFOs or hiring managers (like HR professionals or recruiters). If you are a member of a group with Job Seekers, these are not your target audience as you are looking for decision makers in a company.

3. Look for companies you would like to work for and start following them.

4. Get more recommendations and start to ask your network for a reference.

More interesting articles for you:

Why You Shouldn’t Use a Selfie or Your Wedding Photo as Profile Picture 

How To Write a Recommendation on LinkedIn