At the start of my career, I remember feeling unsure about what to include on my LinkedIn profile. If you’re experiencing the same feeling, don’t worry – you’re not alone! Plus, social media presence is not exactly a skill taught at university.

Whether you use the platform to forge new connections, find a job, keep up with industry trends or get noticed by search executives, LinkedIn plays a vital role in one’s career development.

As a search consultant at North Search, we forensically map out talent markets and spend hours each week hunting for the Ideal candidates within the infrastructure lifecycle. I’ve compiled some of my insider tips to help you optimize your profile, stand out from the crowd, and boost engagement on LinkedIn.

1. Add a Headline

Creating an attention-grabbing headline is an effective way to showcase yourself to your network and aids in increasing engagement. Rather than simply listing your job title in the headline, I recommend using a short phrase that accurately describes your work or skill set used to carry out your role.

When searching for candidates, I rely on keywords that match up to a candidate's job titles, hard skills, and project/work experience. I highly recommend utilising strategic keywords to help you stand out. To generate keywords, comb through job advertisements for the role(s) you would ideally like to move into. How is the position being described? What are the most common terms and desired skills mentioned?

Separating your skills and niches is an excellent way to draw attention to your profile. Instead of using a generic LinkedIn headline, try something like the following:

"Senior Project Manager (CPPM) | Health Infrastructure | Residential | Commercial".

2. About You

The "About You" section is an excellent way to showcase your unique personality and share your story with your peers. This can include a mix of your work and personal life, such as your career aspirations and hobbies. Including a general overview of your career milestones and significant projects you’ve worked on is a great way to explain your capabilities to potential employers.

3. Professional Head Shot

Having a professional headshot is important. It's one of the first things seen on your profile, and it also appears in a small icon in the "suggested" feature and on the newsfeed.

A professional headshot can help you appear more credible, which is essential on a platform representative of the workplace. Consider how you would present yourself in an interview or client meeting - use this as a guide for your photo.

4. Being Active on LinkedIn

Keeping your LinkedIn profile up to date and engaging in posts can help you build your network, which is important at all stages - whether you're actively job-seeking or not! This is a great way to forge connections within the industry you work in. Even if you’re not planning on a new job now or soon, connecting with relevant hiring managers and talent search specialists opens you up to greater opportunities for the future.

Use the "Open to Work" function to let others know what type of role you're seeking and your location and work flexibility preferences. Not only is this useful for you, but it’s super helpful for us too!

The Bottomline

When correctly optimized, your LinkedIn profile is a professional tool that can help you advance your career and expand your network. Refreshing your profile can aid in expanding your network and open you to a greater number of career opportunities in the future.

Treat your LinkedIn profile like any other social media account and be true to yourself – in a professional capacity, of course!