In this issue
Why LinkedIn matters more than you think
The 6-step formula to optimize your profile
How to make recruiters find you instead of the other way around
A few updates before we begin:
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if the time doesn’t work for you then DM me on here and we’ll work something out
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If you’re on the job market and not optimizing LinkedIn, you’re playing with one hand tied behind your back.
Recruiters don’t just “browse” LinkedIn. We use a version of LinkedIn Premium called LinkedIn Recruiter. It lets us run complex searches across millions of profiles. We can filter by skills, titles, companies, industries, locations, education, and years of experience.
Think of it like a giant ATS or job board. We type in keywords and filters, and the algorithm shows us the most relevant profiles.
If your profile isn’t optimized, you simply won’t show up in these searches.
The good news? Optimizing your LinkedIn profile is straightforward. With a few key updates, you can drastically improve your chances of being discovered and contacted for real opportunities.
Step 1: Start with the basics
Your cover photo and profile picture don’t affect search visibility, but they set the tone.
Cover photo: Pick something that matches your field. In tech? Use a clean, modern design. In finance? Something professional, maybe Wall Street inspired. Don’t overthink it. Canva.com has free templates you can grab in minutes.
Profile picture: This is not Instagram or X. You don’t need to hire a photographer, but you do need to look professional. A smartphone, a clean outfit, and good lighting is all it takes. If you use AI generated headshots, make sure it actually looks like you. I’ve seen candidates where the AI photos were so off I thought it was a proxy account.
First impressions matter. Get these wrong and people subconsciously move on.
Step 2: Nail your headline
Your headline is the most underrated section on LinkedIn.
When recruiters source profiles in LinkedIn Recruiter, your headline is one of the first things that shows up. If it just says “Software Engineer,” that tells us nothing. Software engineer could mean backend, frontend, full stack, Java, .NET, Python, or a dozen other things.
Instead, use this formula:
Title | Skills | Value Proposition
For example:
“Senior Software Engineer | Java, Spring Boot, AWS | Building scalable enterprise systems”
This does two things:
Shows us exactly what you do
Makes you appear in searches tied to those keywords
Remember: most recruiters aren’t deeply technical. Make it simple, clear, and obvious.
Step 3: Optimize your “About” section
Here’s the truth: not every recruiter will read your About section. But it still matters.
Why? Because it forces you to add keywords that improve your search visibility.
Think of your About as a short elevator pitch, 1–2 paragraphs max. Write in plain English, not jargon. Summarize your skills, industries you’ve worked in, and what problems you solve.
Example:
“I’m a full stack engineer with 5 years of experience building SaaS applications for fintech and healthcare companies. Skilled in JavaScript, React, Node.js, and AWS. I enjoy solving scalability challenges and mentoring junior developers.”
Clear, keyword rich (but not too spammy), and recruiter-friendly.
Step 4: Showcase your work
If you have a portfolio, GitHub, personal website, or major accomplishment, add it to your Featured section.
This does two things:
Builds credibility (you’re showing, not just telling)
Creates conversation starters when recruiters or hiring managers reach out
Don’t dump everything in here. Pick your strongest work samples. Maybe a case study you posted, an open-source project you contributed to, or a writeup of a hackathon win.
The Featured section is the cherry on top. It signals you’re active and serious about your craft.
Step 5: Tighten your work experience
This is where most candidates fail.
Too many people either:
Leave their work experience blank, or
Copy/paste their entire resume
Neither works.
Your work experience on LinkedIn should be short, sharp, and keyword driven. Aim for 2–3 bullet points per role that highlight what you did, what you used, and the results.
Example:
Software Engineer, XYZ Corp
Developed full stack features using React, Node.js, and AWS, improving load times by 30%
Collaborated with product team to ship 12 features on schedule
Mentored 2 junior engineers in best coding practices
That’s it. Clean, concise, and optimized.
Remember this rule: if it’s not in your work experience, it didn’t happen. Listing “Python” under your skills section isn’t enough. Recruiters want to see it tied to a real job or project.
Step 6: Fill in the gaps
A strong profile also includes:
Certifications: Add anything relevant (AWS, PMP, Salesforce, etc.).
Education: Keep it simple. List your school, but don’t add graduation years. Those can open you up to age bias.
Recommendations and endorsements: Ask colleagues or managers to write short endorsements. This forces you to network and reconnect with people, which is a win in itself.
Skills: LinkedIn lets you add up to 50. Pick the ones recruiters are most likely to search for in your field.
The goal of all this
Optimizing your LinkedIn profile doesn’t guarantee job offers. What it does guarantee is visibility.
Think of it like SEO for your career. If recruiters can’t find you, you’re invisible. And if they find you but your profile is vague or messy, they’ll skip you.
Your goal isn’t to land the job directly through your profile. Your goal is to spark a conversation. Once a recruiter messages you, then you can move the process forward with a resume, a call, or an interview.
TL;DR
LinkedIn Recruiter is a search engine. Optimize your profile for keywords.
Use a clean photo, sharp headline, keyword rich About section, and concise work experience.
Add certifications, recommendations, and a few portfolio pieces for credibility.
The goal is simple: get found, get contacted, and start more conversations.