Recruiters do not browse LinkedIn; they search it. They type a job title, a skill and a location, then scan the results. Your profile’s job is to appear in those searches and then convince a human being in about fifteen seconds.
Start with the words recruiters type
Open five job postings for the role you want and note the repeated words: job titles, tools, certifications, industry terms. Those are your keywords. They belong in your headline, your about section, your experience bullets and your skills list, wherever they describe you honestly.
Write a headline that does two jobs
The default headline is your current job title. Better is a headline that names what you do and what you are known for:
- Weak: Specialist at Acme Corp
- Better: Customer Success Specialist | Onboarding & Retention | SaaS
- For career changers: Operations Coordinator moving into Data Analysis | SQL, Spreadsheets, Reporting
Keep it readable, and avoid stacks of buzzwords.
Make the about section answer three questions
In three short paragraphs or a few bullets, cover: what you do and for whom, the results you are proud of, and what you are looking for next. Write it in the first person; profiles written in the third person sound like brochures.
End with a line that tells people how to reach you.
Turn experience into evidence
Use the same approach as your resume: action, task, result. Two to four bullets per role is enough for older jobs, four to six for your current one.
- Weak: Responsible for social media.
- Better: Grew the company’s Instagram audience 45% in six months with a weekly video series.
Add projects, volunteering and courses if they support your direction. Our ATS-friendly resume guide covers how to write these bullets well.
The details that still matter
- Photo: a friendly, well-lit headshot. Any recent photo where you look approachable beats an empty circle.
- Banner: a simple image related to your field rather than the default pattern.
- Custom URL: shorten it to your name, and put it on your resume.
- Location and openness: set your location correctly, and use “open to work” settings. You can show the green badge publicly, or share it only with recruiters if your employer might see it.
- Skills: list the ones recruiters search for, ordered so the top three match your target role.
- Recommendations: two or three specific ones are worth more than a dozen endorsements.
Stay visible without becoming an influencer
You do not need to post daily. Once a week or even once a month is enough if it is useful: what you learned from a project, a short take on a change in your field, or a question for people who do your work. Comment thoughtfully on other people’s posts; it is lower effort and often more visible.
If that makes you uncomfortable, our guide on networking when you hate networking has quieter alternatives that work just as well.
Before you hit “open to work”
Check that your profile matches the roles you actually want, not the job you currently have. Recruiters read the headline and the current role first. If you are changing direction, say so explicitly, as in our career change roadmap.
Frequently asked questions
Will my employer see that I am looking?
If you use the recruiter-only setting, LinkedIn tries to hide it from recruiters at your company, though nothing is guaranteed. Updating skills and your headline is normal activity and rarely raises eyebrows.
How long should my profile be?
Long enough to include the keywords and the evidence, short enough to skim. Most strong profiles fit within a few screens.
Should I connect with recruiters directly?
Yes, with a short note saying what you do and what you are looking for. Keep it specific, and follow up politely as described in our guide on following up.
