8 tips on how to have a sharp Linkedin profile

As I've gotten many requests about Linkedin from different people, I decided to make this into a document/article - section by section - containing everything you should know about your Linkedin profile.

Think of your profile as your home. If you have guests coming over, you would probably vacuum, put some things away and make it neat, right?

It should be the same with your LI profile - when a person lands on your profile, they should quickly get an idea of 'who you are'. The important question is: "Can they?"

At the end of the day, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) matters, especially if you're a job seeker - I'll explain how a bit further down.

Takeway: SEO matters (keywords) and yes - HR and recruiters do look at your profile! ?? (and they also Google you).

1. COVER PHOTO

Wouldn't you like to impress the person landing on your profile? Of course! You cover photo and your profile photo are a way to do it.

If you're a job seeker, you could choose a nice background image (or a simple one with one color) and list your competencies in bullet points + add your contact info on that photo.

For example "Marketing and business development" is not a competence/what you can do.

• Managing Facebook,
• Instagram and Linkedin,
• Content and newsletter creation,
• Website maintenance and updating" is what you can do." (use bullet points when listing your skills).

Do you see the difference?

Or you can write a short and sharp sentence like this: "Experienced videographer available in Aarhus. Let's chat: xx xx xx xx or [email protected]"

Tip: Be as specific and concrete as possible so people know exactly who you are, what and where (geography wise) you're looking for and what you can do for them. Make sure to add your contact details (at the very least in your "Summary section") so the person interested, can easily get in contact with you.

2. PROFILE PHOTO

You've probably heard it before and I'll say it again - please have a professional profile image on your profile. This is the first image of yourself the HR person might look at. If it's a picture from a party or a selfie, then it's not a good and professional first impression. Right? ?? 

Many "A-kasses" are also offering photographer services, where for a reasonable amount you can get your photos taken. Also check and talk to your Jobcenter.

If you don't find a solution, I have one: My good friend Greg McQueen is an amazing commercial photographer (also doing many portraits/headshots) who has lots of experience in this and I would definitely recommend him!

Remember - you can always reuse the headshots you get - for your Linkedin, CV etc etc. So look at it as a long-term investment. Once you have proper pictures taken, you can use them again and again.

Tip: It is important to have a professional profile picture so make sure it's a proper one, and get professional help if you can afford it.

3. Headline - probably one of the most important part of your profile!

If you would like to be found by HR people and recruiters then you should use the same keywords throughout your whole profile!

The way this works is that recruiters use keywords to find people. So, if you write a long sentence "I'm looking for a marketing job in Aarhus" you're not going to come up in any of the searches, unless you got lucky with the word "marketing".

The more specific you are, the better!

If you write "Job seeker within marketing" this means literally NOTHING. It could mean that you're job seeking in Australia. Do you get it? ??

I suggest you choose 3 keywords + a sentence.

I've also been testing different keywords, both in English and Danish, as for me it's relevant to have them in both languages.

On your profile (scroll down to Dashboard), you can see weekly updates on which searches you came up (in which companies) and which keywords were used. So you can adjust them on the go and see what makes sense for you!

When you attach your cover and profile images - add the same 3 keywords in # to the image alt description you use in your headline -> this will rank you higher in SEO!

Tip: Choose 3 main key competencies + a sentence for your headline and use these throughout your profile.

4. SUMMARY

You can only see the first 3 lines of your summary (without clicking on 'Show more') so it has to be CATCHY! If you don't get the person's attention there, they won't be interested to see more.

5. EXPERIENCE

List all your experiences/companies. Make sure the companies' logo appears when you're typing - if its 'grey' without a logo, it won't count for the SEO -> your profile will be weaker and show up less in the search results. Remember to add a bulleted list for all of your tasks you were involved in.

It's a good idea to add a section called "Accomplishment" or "Results" in the end.

Be as specific as possible. Companies like to measure the results and see what you can do. For example, "The newsletter open-rate increased by 20%" - add results which are measureable so your future employer can see clearly see your value.

Tip: List your tasks in bullet points and add Accomplishments/results which are measureable.

6. EDUCATION AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES

Include all of your educations (full-time, part-time etc) in your profile and again, use bullet points to describe the program in detail. You can point out the accomplishments and great results.

For example: "Due to my great results in school, I was granted a monetary scholarship which allowed me to have an internship in Tanzania" or "Got a 12 on the Negotiations exam."

Don't underestimate volunteering! Especially, if you don't have so much experience from Denmark, volunteering is a great way to start and will give you credibility from an employer's point of view.

Tip: List the educations you have, make an overview of the program and list your accomplishments during your studies.

7. RECOMMENDATIONS AND ENDORSEMENTS

HR and recruiters do read recommendations so it would be a good idea to have at least a couple on your profile. Reach out to people who you've worked with, your classmates and someone who knows you.

Write the person a message, kindly asking for recommendation and make sure to say "thank you" and that you can return the favour.

Tip: Gather recommendations to your profile - they are important.

8. LINKEDIN SSI

Linkedin Social Selling Index gives you a score based on 100-point scale of the strength of your profile.

It's a great tool to get an idea of where you stand compared to your network and how good you are at connecting with people, engaging with content, establishing your brand and creating long-term connections.

You could check it out weekly, also like a little 'competition' with yourself to find ways, how to get your score up.

Tip: Linkedin SSI gathers all the data from your profile and your overall activity on the platform. So the more sharp you are throughout your profile, use the same keywords, engage with people, connect and build relationships, the better your score will be!

Find your score here

As you can see from above graph, I also have some work to do! :)

I applaud you, if you're still with me!!! ????

To sum it all up:

• The more specific and clear you are, the better your chances are that you’re found: By potential business partners, recruiters and whoever - everyone, pretty much!
• Choose 3 main keywords that you would like to be associated with and use them throughout your profile (Headline, Summary, Experiences).
• Use bullet points so it’s easy for the reader to scroll through your profile.
• Don’t be afraid to show who you are and your personality - it shouldn’t be too professional and boring - you want to stand out and be remembered, right? ?? People want to see and get to know YOU! (But still, no cat pictures please) ??

Would you add something?

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