Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out: 8 Things HR Looks For
Eight LinkedIn profile fixes, from photo and headline to About and Experience, with ready-to-use example wording you can adapt today.
You have sent applications to several companies, but an interested HR person usually does one thing before calling you: they type your name into LinkedIn. If what they find is a blurry photo, an empty headline and a work history last updated three years ago, the good impression from your resume fades fast. The good news is that a strong profile does not take weeks. One or two hours on these 8 points is enough.
What a good LinkedIn profile is
A good profile is not an online copy of your resume. It is a page that answers a recruiter's three questions within seconds: what you do, what you are good at and what you are looking for. One thing people often forget is that recruiters search for candidates by keyword. If the words they search for are not in your profile, you will not show up in results, however good you are.
8 ways to make HR interested in your profile
1. A profile photo that clearly shows your face
Use a front-facing photo with good light, a plain background, the clothes you actually wear to work and a slight smile. You do not need a photographer: a phone and window light are enough. Avoid photos cropped from parties or group shots. Use the cover image behind it to signal your field, for example a dashboard you built or the logo of a community you belong to.
2. A headline that says more than your job title
Instead of just Marketing Manager at Company X, try the formula title + how you help + keywords, for example Marketing Manager | Helping FMCG brands grow with performance marketing and CRM. For a new graduate: Data Analyst (Entry) | SQL, Power BI | Interested in retail analytics. See more formulas in LinkedIn headline tips.
3. An About section that tells a story
Write 4 to 6 sentences in this order: your field and years of experience, 1 or 2 achievements you are proud of, your core skills and what you are looking for. Example: I have spent 5 years in retail supply chain and like using data to cut excess stock. Most recently I designed a report the purchasing team uses every week. I am now interested in demand planning roles at companies that really make decisions with data. If you are applying to international companies, write your About in English.
4. Experience that shows results
Do not paste your job description. Use the formula what you did + how + what happened. Instead of managed the sales team, write Led a 6-person sales team and changed how we followed up with past customers, increasing repeat sales over the previous quarter. If you have real numbers of your own, include them. If not, describe a qualitative result that can be checked.
5. Skills that match the job you want
Open 3 to 5 job descriptions for the role you want, note the skills that repeat, add them to your Skills section and link them to experience where you really used them. Ask a manager or colleague who has seen your work for endorsements, and endorse others sincerely too.
6. Post consistently in a way you can sustain
You do not need to be an influencer. One post a week helps people see how you think: a summary of what you learned from your latest project, a tool that speeds up your work or a lesson from a mistake. Thoughtful comments on posts by people in your field also build your presence.
7. Use Open to Work wisely
LinkedIn lets you show your job-seeking status to everyone or to recruiters only. If you are still employed, choose recruiters only and state the roles, locations and work types you want. Read more in how to use Open to Work effectively.
8. Custom URL
Change the URL with a long string of numbers to your name, for example linkedin.com/in/somchai-data, and add it to your resume and email signature. It looks professional and is easy to type.
What not to do on LinkedIn
- Posting personal matters or drama about a former workplace.
- Sending connection requests to strangers with no message. Write a short note on why you want to connect.
- Information that does not match your resume, such as different dates or titles.
- A headline that says Unemployed or Looking for a job. Say what you are good at instead.
Recruiters are not looking for the best person in the world. They are looking for someone they can find, and who is obviously a fit the moment they read the profile.
Where to start: a 7-day plan
- Day 1: update your photo, cover and custom URL.
- Day 2: rewrite your headline using the formula above.
- Day 3: write a 4 to 6 sentence About section.
- Days 4 to 5: add results to every Experience entry and align them with your resume in Resume Lab.
- Day 6: add Skills taken from real job descriptions on the job search page.
- Day 7: publish your first post and reach out to 3 people in your field.
Once your profile is ready, the next step is reaching out to recruiters with some finesse. Continue with how to message recruiters on LinkedIn.