Crafting a Professional LinkedIn Profile That Gets You Noticed

Your LinkedIn profile is more than just a digital resume—it’s your first impression, your personal brand, and often the deciding factor in whether a recruiter reaches out or scrolls past. If you are unable to pitch your experiences and skills in person, a strong LinkedIn presence is one of the most powerful tools in your job search toolkit.

Keeping your LinkedIn profile up to date in all areas is crucial, even if you enjoy your current role and are not anticipating a job transition. Eventually it will come time for you to seek new opportunities, and having an already updated profile can eliminate a lot of time crafting a tedious profile from scratch. Whether you’re actively seeking a new opportunity or just testing the waters, here’s how to build a professional LinkedIn profile that truly stands out and increases your visibility with recruiters and hiring managers.

Why an Updated and Optimized LinkedIn Profile Matters in Today’s Job Market

A well-maintained LinkedIn profile does more than list your work history. It reflects your professionalism, career trajectory, and unique value proposition. Recruiters and hiring managers often search LinkedIn first when sourcing candidates. If your profile is outdated, incomplete, or unclear, you may be missing out on valuable opportunities—without ever knowing it.

An optimized LinkedIn profile ensures that you appear in the right searches, leave a positive impression, and increase your chances of being contacted about the right roles. In short, it’s your digital handshake with the job market that should be working in your favor in the background.

Present Yourself Professionally: The Power of a Strong LinkedIn Profile Picture

Your LinkedIn profile picture is one of the first things people notice. It should be clear, recent, and professional. Here’s what to aim for:

• Use a high-resolution image—avoid blurry or pixelated photos.

• Dress in industry-appropriate attire that aligns with the type of roles you’re seeking.

• Avoid group photos or extreme cropping; your face should be centered and clearly visible.

• Choose a clean, uncluttered background that doesn’t distract from you.

Your profile photo should reflect how you would present yourself in a professional setting—friendly, confident, and approachable. While there is some room for creative elements to be incorporated in your profile, it’s recommended to keep the presentation of your image as clean, sleek and professional.

Customize Your URL for a Cleaner, More Memorable Profile

A small but impactful detail: create a custom LinkedIn URL. Instead of the default string of random numbers, customize it to include your full name (e.g., linkedin.com/in/janedoe). This makes your profile easier to share on resumes, job applications, business cards, and email signatures—and demonstrates attention to detail. It is a quick edit in your profile settings that makes a world of difference.

Use a Background Photo to Support Your Brand

In addition to your profile picture, your LinkedIn background photo (the banner image at the top of your profile) offers another opportunity to showcase your professional identity. Choose a high-quality image that reflects your field or interests:

• A skyline of your city

• A subtle graphic related to your industry

• A photo of you at a speaking event or networking function

• Your current company’s branding or tagline (if applicable)

Keep it simple and avoid cluttered visuals—this image should reinforce, not distract from, your profile’s message. This is an opportunity for a brief peek into what you see as valuable to display to the world.

Tell Your Story in the Summary Section

The LinkedIn summary (also called the “About” section) is where you can go beyond job titles and truly highlight who you are. This is an opportunity for you to expand upon your experiences and share your core values and interests. Use this space to tell your story:

• What are you passionate about?

• What industries or roles do you specialize in?

• What unique experiences or certifications set you apart?

• What kind of work culture or values align with you?

Use professional, yet conversational language, and aim to balance personal insight with professional credibility. Avoid writing in bullet points—this section should read like a short, compelling narrative.

Build a Strong Network by Connecting Regularly

Your LinkedIn network fuels the visibility of your profile. Aim to connect with a few relevant professionals each day—former colleagues, industry peers, hiring managers, and recruiters. Don’t just accept requests—be proactive in expanding your circle.

A larger network increases your reach, strengthens your credibility, and keeps you informed on industry trends and opportunities. While you may not have a personal or professional relationship with everyone you connect with, be sure to make sure you connect with individuals that make sense to your business goals, rather than random business connections.

Highlight Relevant Skills to Improve Visibility

The “Skills” section helps recruiters find you based on specific keywords. Be strategic: include skills that align with the jobs you’re targeting. LinkedIn allows up to 50, but prioritize your top 10–15 that best represent your expertise.

Examples:

• Project Management

• Financial Analysis

• Digital Marketing

• JavaScript

• Bilingual Communication

These keywords are crucial for both human recruiters and LinkedIn’s search algorithm. It can help narrow down your hard skills for roles that hiring managers are searching for from day one.

Request Endorsements and Recommendations

Social proof matters. Endorsements and recommendations lend credibility to your skills and work ethic.

• Ask former managers, clients, or colleagues to endorse your top skills.

• Request a few personalized recommendations that speak to your work style, leadership, or impact.

Not only do these testimonials validate your experience—they also make your profile feel more dynamic and trustworthy.

Engage with Your LinkedIn Feed to Stay Top of Mind

Don’t just build your profile and walk away—engage. Reshare industry news, like relevant posts, and comment thoughtfully on others’ content. This keeps your profile active and increases your visibility.

Even small, regular engagement helps demonstrate that you’re current, connected, and actively involved in your field.

Avoid Overused Buzzwords

Phrases like “hard-working,” “go-getter,” or “team player” are vague and overused. Instead, focus on showing your value through concrete examples. Reflect on your personal hard and soft skills that would be relevant for the roles you are looking to apply to. Describe results, metrics, or accomplishments to give your profile depth and authenticity.

Better alternatives:

• “Reduced operational costs by 15% through workflow optimization”

• “Successfully led a cross-functional team on a $500K product launch”

Let your actions speak louder than generic descriptors. Statistics are very beneficial to include as it shows recruiters and hiring managers tangible results from your previous work.

Go Beyond Jobs and Education: Add Certifications, Languages, and More

Your LinkedIn profile should reflect the full scope of your professional identity. In addition to your work history and education, include:

• Languages spoken- fluent, conversational or casual/ in progress are all relevant

• Volunteer work- include organizations that you support to share your philanthropic interests

• Projects or portfolios- whether related to your current role or not, these can show the extra work you are willing to put in to grow

• Certifications (e.g., Google Analytics, PMP, Salesforce)- these can help when you are transitioning industries or role titles

• Awards or honors- this section isn’t bragging, it is a great opportunity to share what accomplishments you are proud of achieving

These details paint a fuller picture and often become talking points for recruiters.

Common LinkedIn Profile Mistakes to Avoid

Some pitfalls can detract from even the most impressive background. Be sure to avoid:

• Leaving key sections blank (especially the summary and skills)

• Having spelling or grammatical errors

• Using selfies or casual photos as your profile picture

• Sending connection requests without a message or purpose

• Inconsistent job titles or dates that don’t match your resume

A little extra effort goes a long way in maintaining professionalism.

A Well-Crafted LinkedIn Profile Is an Investment in Your Career

A polished, optimized LinkedIn profile isn’t just a job search tool—it’s a career asset. It keeps you visible to recruiters, expands your network, and sets you apart in a competitive market. Like a strong resume or a confident elevator pitch, it’s an essential component of your personal brand. With the volatility of the current job market, having an updated and fully optimized LinkedIn profile isn’t just a recommendation, it is an expectation in order to be able to compete with other top talent.

Ready to Make a Career Move? Let’s Connect

If you’re thinking about transitioning careers, exploring new roles, or want to ensure your profile stands out in today’s hiring landscape, now is the time to take action. At Professional Alternatives, our expert recruiters are here to guide you through the job search, connect you with top employers, and help you present your best professional self.

Check out our currently open roles, or submit your resume in order to be automatically considered for positions that match your current skills and career interests. Connect with our recruiting team today and take the next step toward your career goals—with confidence.