7 tips to ensure your LinkedIn profile is up to date to land the interview

If you want to be active and attractive in the job market, make sure your LinkedIn is up to date and fully optimised. Today, there are over 12.7 million Australian users on LinkedIn, with recruiters and talent acquisition teams utilising the platform as a viable source of talent.  Your LinkedIn is so important when looking for a job. It’s your personal profile providing unique insights into you and your work experience, your online resume, and your networking platform all in one. This easy-to-follow checklist will ensure that you don't miss any little details when updating your LinkedIn profile, ensuring all the boxes are ticked!

1. Create a custom LinkedIn profile URL.

You can create a LinkedIn URL that has only your name, rather than the random letters and numbers that clutter up the address. Simply go to “View Profile” on your account and click on “Edit public profile & URL” and then on “Edit your custom URL.”  This link can then be added to your CV.

2. Add a professional profile photo. 

A good profile photo increases the credibility of your profile. Those with a profile photo on LinkedIn can get up to 21 times more profile views than those without a photo. The photo should also be relatively recent and taken in a professional setting.  No selfies!

3. Make your headline stand out. 

LinkedIn automatically creates your headline when you add your positions to your profile. However, you can rewrite it to either promote an area of expertise or to let your personality shine through (e.g., Digital Marketing Lead and Innovative Customer Experience Shaper).  The headline is generally one of the first things employers and recruiters see, so it’s essential to catch their attention right away. Another important point is to ensure keywords feature in your headline so your LinkedIn profile appears in searches.

4. Write a summary.

The ‘About’ section of your profile provides an opportunity to showcase your experience and skills as well as any major achievements. Ideally, you should limit the text in this section to 4 or 5 paragraphs.  It’s one thing to share your skills, however, it is more powerful to showcase the positive impact or outcomes your skill set has had on the business (e.g. for a Marketing Manager, you might list as an achievement, “The successful development of a new product website and omni channel campaign, generating 10,000 visitors in the first month and an increase in sales by 20%.” 

5. Add relevant skills. 

A list of relevant skills on your LinkedIn profile helps you showcase your abilities to other members. Once you add your skills, your connections can endorse them, which increases the likelihood of you being discovered for opportunities related to the skills you possess. Make sure you select your top three skills first (either what you think you’re best at or what skills are most needed for the jobs you’re considering).

6. Request recommendations from your connections. 

A recommendation from a colleague or connection on your LinkedIn profile can be very influential and provide future employers with some insight into your character and skill set. Recommendations also provide a level of credibility to your profile. There’s no limit to the number of recommendations you can request, but a good goal is to have at least five from people you have worked with.

7. Spend five minutes a day being active on LinkedIn. 

Increasing your activity on LinkedIn can help you grow your network and your visibility with recruiters and employers. Try to spend five minutes a day on LinkedIn to like, share, comment, and post on relevant industry trends, which can really help position you as a subject matter or industry expert. 

For further tips on job hunting, you can visit the Drake Job Resource Centre, which has free downloadable CV, cover letter and resignation letter templates for you to utilise.  There are also a number of job-hunting articles to support you in successfully finding work.