Megan Rylee
What are qualities of a good LinkedIn profile?
I am wondering what employers want to see in a LinkedIn profile and what they don't want to see. #linkedin #job #internship
11 answers
Jasanpreet Kaur Bhatia
Jasanpreet Kaur’s Answer
Here is the link to the article which will assist you in creating a perfect LinkedIn profile.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin-from-naive-expert-user-jasanpreet-kaur-bhatia
I hope it helps!
Good Luck.
Chris Williams
Chris’s Answer
- Make sure it tells people who you really are! This sounds obvious, but you need to make sure that you stand out for the right reasons. Tell people the truth (they'll only find out in the long run).
- Be relevant - there are millions of people on LinkedIn, so why would someone connect, or work with you? You will struggle to be unique, but be relevant to the audience that you are trying to connect with. Post and share articles that people want to see. Ask for recommendations. Be active. Join groups and participate with content. All this is very visible to anybody who is looking.
- Never send out generic requests - take some time to let people know why you want to connect with them.
- LinkedIn is a business tool, so don't treat it liked Facebook. Keep pictures of your cat for Insta, unless it is relevant to what you do.
- Show off your skills and achievements - if you are early in you career, these may be light, but tell them anyway. Don't try and oversell yourself though by being cocky. Nobody likes a show off, so think about portraying all the good, with a little bit of humble mixed in!
Steven F. Malone
Steven’s Answer
A few bullets and my two cents on how to get to ALL-STAR Level.
• Get a professional headshot and remember this isn’t a photo for Instagram or Snapchat or other social media sites as future employers will be looking at this picture. There should not be multiple people in the photo and a suspect cropped photo via Iphone or Android should be discouraged.
• Find an appropriate Headline that grabs HR’s attention and something similar to “Seeking a Position In..” A recruiter will spend 5-10 seconds on average looking at a profile and being super clear on the opportunity you are looking to achieve will be helpful on landing an interview for an internship.
• Use your Summary section to stick out and tell people about yourself and any relevant experience for the position. An interesting fact about yourself such as any student activities, Fraternity or Sorority leadership positions, and/or hobbies at this point in your career are helpful and encouraged. Think about how this interesting fact makes you a qualified candidate. Think about any courses you have taken that should help for the internship opportunities and point to proof of these skills. Try to stick out above the rest as remember the field is crowded and competition is fierce.
• Start to build your network connections. Family is a great place to start for someone in college. In addition, consider current and past professors at your college and your friend’s parents. More than likely you know more people than you think and there is a person that knows someone in an industry you are interested in and can help pass your profile along.
• Once you get some accepted connection requests then start some conversation. Look to catch up with someone via phone for 10-15 minutes or grab lunch and advise you are looking to get your foot in the door in these industries and hoping to get a connection. Point out your All-Star achievements and what will make you a great candidate for an internship in a certain industry.
• Words of wisdom make all of your personal social media accounts Private vs Public as recruiters could look at your Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook account. Look at your profile pictures and make sure they are appropriate. Hope all this helps and good luck!!!
Conor Myhrvold
Conor’s Answer
Hi! I have had a LinkedIn account since graduating from college (2011). Most people use LinkedIn to get a job. However, as the social network has grown people also use to expand their professional network more generally (business leads, recruiting people they want to hire if you are a hiring manager) etc. And get career advice and read news about your profession.
The main qualities of a good LinkedIn profile for job-seeking -- which is how I am interpreting your question to mean -- are that it contains specific information about how you are qualified to do the job. Plus some information about you as a person.
For example, college courses, online courses, or hobbies related to the job that you seek are worth mentioning on your profile.
Prior work experience and jobs you have had also matter -- even if they may not be exactly related for the job that you are seeking. As people like to see & understand you as a person and what you would bring the organization where you would work. So large gaps or omissions spanning years of time are a quality to avoid.
Finally, putting some sort of personality or language about you as a person, however it would define you, is also a good quality that separates top LinkedIn profiles from those that use trite phrases, common keywords, and a lack of specificity that do not manage to make your profile stick out from many others who may have a similar background to you. (And remember the more vague your profile, the more your background will seem similar even though you are a unique person!)
Conor recommends the following next steps:
Sarah Robinson
Sarah’s Answer
1. Photo For starters, add a photo. It helps you build credibility with others and be authentic. It doesn’t need to be perfect or professionally shot. Just choose something recent that shows the real you. And when you upload it, you can enhance it with our filters.
2. Location Details are good. The more you add to your profile, the more LinkedIn can help you find your next opportunity. When you add your location, you’re more likely to be contacted by recruiters and employers about jobs in your area.
3. Summary This is your career snapshot. Think of it as your personal “elevator pitch.” Describe what you do and highlight your strengths. Pro tips: Stick to a few short paragraphs. Lose the jargon. And be your authentic self.
4. Experience Starting with your current position, write about projects, accomplishments, and the value you bring to your team and organization. Keep it clear and concise. Bullet points work great here.
5. Pictures and videos Adding media is a great way to engage other people. Posting photos, videos, and more helps you tell your professional story in eye-catching ways.
6. Education Be sure to include where you went to school and what you studied. People who list these details get up to 11x more profile views.
7. Endorsements Add skills you want to be known for—and that your connections can endorse you for. Every new endorsement adds credibility to your profile.
Liam McDonald
Liam’s Answer
Andersen Lin
Andersen’s Answer
I am glad you are thinking from an employer's (recruiter's) perspective when browsing people's LinkedIn profiles. Unfortunately, there is no criteria or standard for a "good" LinkedIn profile because the vibe of a LinkedIn profile varies across industries. However, a general rule is to make your LinkedIn profile professional, up-to-date, and active. Usually, such LinkedIn profiles are also easy-to-read and more likely to attract the recruiter's attention.
Andersen recommends the following next steps:
Linda Law
Linda’s Answer
Employers and recruiters look at profiles in order to see where you attend schools, what your education, your extracurricular interests and hobbies, your job experiences (if any).
What they do not want to see is your vacation or birthday pictures which should be kept to your other social media account. Keep LinkedIn as 'professional ' as possible.
Hanleigh J., MPH
Hanleigh’s Answer
Phoebe Shin Venkat ☮️
Phoebe’s Answer
As a hiring manager, profiles that appeal to me contain action-oriented and direct language. Try to avoid industry jargon and acronyns as much as possible. Specific and data-driven examples of impact are also very appealing. Let’s say you wrote an article for your high school online paper; you can mention the reach of the paper (for example, 5000 students). Hope this is helpful!
Phoebe recommends the following next steps:
