LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 850 million members. As a platform built to connect professionals with each other and with opportunities, LinkedIn is widely used for networking, job searching, recruiting, and staying up-to-date on industry news. One of the key features of LinkedIn is the ability to view profiles of other members, called LinkedIn profiles. Your own LinkedIn profile allows you to control how you present yourself professionally on the platform.
What is a LinkedIn profile?
A LinkedIn profile is a webpage on LinkedIn that displays information about you as a professional. It typically includes details like:
- A profile photo
- A professional headline
- Your current and past work experience
- Your education
- Your skills
- Recommendations from colleagues
- Links to any projects, publications, or other materials you want to showcase
- Contact info so people can get in touch with you directly
Profiles allow you to share your professional background with connections and the wider LinkedIn community. A complete, detailed profile makes you more findable and approachable for networking. It’s also vital for making a good impression on recruiters viewing your application.
Why is your LinkedIn profile important for job applications?
When you apply for jobs through LinkedIn, the employer can view your profile as part of your application. In fact, some recruiters may even look at your profile before looking at your actual resume. This makes your LinkedIn profile crucial for putting your best foot forward.
Here are some key reasons why your LinkedIn profile matters for job applications:
- Shows off your professional brand: Your profile highlights who you are as a professional – your skills, accomplishments, work style, and personality.
- Provides credibility: Recommendations from colleagues and connections lend credibility to your qualifications.
- Gives context: The profile provides context about your background that a resume alone cannot.
- Presents a full picture: Recruiters can understand your career trajectory and growth over time.
- Backs up your resume: The information aligns with and supports what you’ve outlined in your resume.
- Offers keywords: Keywords in your profile help you come up in relevant recruiter searches.
- Shows off multimedia: You can include examples of your work through images, videos, slides, and links.
In short, your LinkedIn profile shouldn’t just repeat what’s on your resume – it should complement and enhance your resume in ways a standard resume format doesn’t allow.
How to view your LinkedIn profile as a job seeker
As a LinkedIn user, you can view your own profile at any time. Here are a few ways to access and view your profile:
- Go to your profile URL (www.linkedin.com/in/your-username). This is the page any connections would see.
- From LinkedIn’s homepage, click on ‘View Profile’ next to your profile photo in the top right.
- Go to the ‘Me’ tab from LinkedIn’s sidebar and click ‘View profile.’
- From the ‘Me’ tab sidebar, select ‘View profile as…’ to see how your profile appears to hiring managers and recruiters.
When viewing your profile, make sure to toggle between the ‘About’, ‘Experience’, ‘Education’, and other sections to get a full picture. You can also customize the URL to share a specific section of your profile.
How to edit your LinkedIn profile
To improve your LinkedIn presence for job applications, you’ll want to make sure your profile is complete, accurate, and optimized. Here are some tips for editing your profile:
- Add a professional photo – This gives your profile a personal touch.
- Craft an engaging headline – Summarize your professional identity and skills.
- Showcase 2-3 top skills – Feature keywords recruiters may search for.
- Provide detailed work entries – Include accomplishments and responsibilities for each role.
- Share all education history – List degrees, certifications, and courses.
- Get recommendations – Ask managers, colleagues, clients for recommendations.
- Cite examples – Link to online portfolios, publications, and projects.
- Use multimedia – Insert relevant visuals like infographics, slides, and videos.
Keep your profile up-to-date anytime you take on new roles, complete projects, gain skills, or reach milestones in your career. The more complete your profile, the better your chances of landing interviews and connecting with recruiters.
How recruiters view your LinkedIn profile
When you apply for a job through LinkedIn, recruiters have the ability to view your full profile as part of your application. In some cases, recruiters may even proactively search through LinkedIn profiles for candidates who could be a fit for open roles at their company.
Here are some things recruiters look for when viewing profiles:
What Recruiters Look For | Why It Matters |
---|---|
Keyword-optimized headlines and skills sections | Helps determine if you have the right background and expertise for the role |
Career progression and growth | Shows your capabilities and capacity to take on more senior roles |
Alignment with the company’s industry and needs | Demonstrates your fit for the role and company culture |
Awards, certifications, courses, volunteering, patents, publications, and presentations | Highlights well-roundedness and ongoing learning/development |
Recommendations and endorsements | Provides credible evidence of skills and positive impact on others |
Quality of writing and communication | Gives insight into professionalism, attention to detail, and hard/soft skills |
Portfolio examples, links, media, and visuals | Shows evidence of work quality and abilities |
Optimizing these elements of your profile raises your chances of catching a recruiter’s attention.
How to check profile views
LinkedIn allows you to see who has viewed your profile in the last 90 days. You can check your profile views to see if recruiters from certain companies have looked at your profile.
Here are a few ways to check your LinkedIn profile views:
- Go to your LinkedIn profile and look for the ‘Who’s viewed your profile’ section on the right rail.
- Go to the ‘My Network’ tab and select ‘Manage my network.’ Select ‘See all’ under the ‘Who’s viewed your profile’ section.
- Go to the LinkedIn mobile app, click on your profile photo, and select ‘See profile visitors.’
Profile views are listed anonymously unless it’s a 1st-degree connection. Getting profile views from recruiters at companies you want to work for is a promising sign!
How to showcase your LinkedIn profile on a resume
Given how important your LinkedIn presence is for job applications, you can maximize your impact by finding strategic ways to feature your profile on your resume or application materials. Some options include:
- Add a LinkedIn URL on your resume contact info
- List your customized LinkedIn profile link in the website/portfolio section of your resume
- Mention your LinkedIn profile in your cover letter
- Include a QR code that links to your LinkedIn profile
This makes it easy for recruiters to quickly click and view your full profile. Just make sure your profile is up-to-date before showcasing it!
Conclusion
With LinkedIn becoming a go-to platform for recruiters and job seekers alike, your LinkedIn profile can make or break your job search and application success. Invest time in building up and fine-tuning your profile to put your best foot forward and get noticed by recruiters. Keep it tailored, professional, keyword-rich, and compelling. Combine it with a strong resume to put the full power of LinkedIn behind your job applications.