Finding the add profile section on LinkedIn allows you to complete and customize your profile so that you can maximize your professional presence on the platform. With over 850 million members worldwide, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network and having an optimized profile is key to connecting with the right people and opportunities. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through exactly where to find the add profile section and how to access all of the profile editing tools LinkedIn provides. Whether you’re new to LinkedIn or simply want to spruce up your existing profile, read on to learn where to get started.
Accessing Your Profile
The most direct way to access your profile settings and editing tools is to click on your profile photo in the top right corner of your LinkedIn homepage. This will bring you to your public profile page. On the right side you’ll see options to edit your profile, add profile sections, and more. However, there are a few different paths to take to get to your profile editing tools.
Here are three simple ways to access your profile on both desktop and mobile:
1. Click on “Me” Icon
On the top left of your LinkedIn homepage you’ll find an icon with your photo and the word “Me”. Click this and you’ll be taken directly to your profile page where you can start adding and editing sections. This works the same on both desktop and mobile.
2. Go to Your Public Profile
On desktop, you can click on your profile photo in the top right and then select “View profile” to be taken to your public page. On mobile, you can tap on the “My Network” icon in the bottom right and then tap “View profile”. Again, from your public profile you’ll be able to access profile editing tools.
3. Use the LinkedIn URL
You can also simply navigate directly to your public profile URL. The URL will be www.linkedin.com/in/your-username. Once there, you’ll be on your profile page and able to start adding and editing.
Accessing Profile Editing Tools
Once you’re on your profile page, here’s how to access the specific add profile section and other editing tools:
On Desktop
On your profile, look on the right side and you’ll see a pencil icon labeled “Edit public profile & URL”. Click this to expand profile editing options. Next, click the plus icon that says “Add profile section”. This will let you add sections like About, Experience, Education, Skills, Accomplishments, and more.
You can also access editing for each existing section by hovering over that section and clicking the down arrow > “Edit” or the pencil icon. This lets you modify, rearrange, or remove specific elements in each profile section.
On Mobile
On your profile, tap the three dots in the top right. This opens up a menu – select “Edit profile”. You’ll then see options to add profile sections, edit existing sections, rearrange sections, and more.
Tap the large plus icon toward the top to add new sections like About, Experience, Education, etc. You can also edit a section by tapping the three dots next to the title of that section and selecting “Edit”.
Key Profile Sections to Add or Update
Now that you know how to access your add profile section tools, here are some of the most important profile sections to focus on adding or updating:
About
The About section is often the first thing people notice on your profile. Use this space to highlight your background, skills, accomplishments, and professional goals. Make sure to include industry keywords recruiters may search for.
Experience
Detail your work history here – company names, job titles, dates, and brief descriptions of your responsibilities. Adding metrics and results can showcase your impact. You can reorder positions as needed.
Education
Include all degrees, certifications, or training programs of note. Add your major/minor, graduation date, academic achievements, or courses relevant to your career.
Skills
Skills are keyword searchable, so this section is vital. Add keywords like programming languages, methodologies, software, abilities (leadership, communication) and anything relevant to make your profile more findable.
Accomplishments
Showcase key achievements, awards, patents, publications, or course projects here. Detailed descriptions emphasize your best work. You can add multimedia links or files.
Recommendations
Ask managers, colleagues, professors, or classmates to write recommendations highlighting your skills and impact. Strong recommendations personalize your brand.
Featured
You can highlight posts, media, or articles in this section to showcase thought leadership or important projects. Share multimedia that reflects your talents.
Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile
Now that you know how to access LinkedIn’s profile editing tools to add and update sections, here are some best practices for optimizing your profile:
Use a professional profile photo
Choose a high-quality headshot – no selfies, group photos, or cropped images. Your photo is one of the first things people will notice.
Craft an eye-catching headline
Summarize your experience, skills, and goals in your headline – this is prime real estate for keywords! Change this regularly to reflect new accomplishments or projects.
Showcase the right experience
Tailor your experience to the opportunities you want next. Highlight transferable skills from past roles. Remove outdated or irrelevant positions.
Customize your public profile URL
Change your public URL from the default to a customized vanity URL that’s easy to share.
Spruce up your summary section
Use the About or Summary section to highlight your qualifications, skills, achievements, and career goals. Include keywords that recruiters search for.
Add multimedia
Include relevant links, images, videos, slide decks, or other files to showcase your work visually. Multimedia elements make your profile stand out.
Expand your connections
Grow your network by connecting with colleagues, classmates, group members, and industry professionals. A robust network boosts your visibility.
Maximizing Your LinkedIn Profile Visibility
Optimizing your profile for maximum visibility should also be a priority. Here are some top tips for making your profile more visible on LinkedIn:
Strengthen your LinkedIn network
Connect with more professionals to expand your 1st and 2nd degree connections. A wider quality network means broader visibility.
Engage with content and post updates
Comment on posts, share articles, publish your own content, and post news to stay active. This signals you’re engaged on the platform.
Join LinkedIn Groups
Join relevant industry or professional groups to connect with members sharing your interests and build community.
Follow companies you want to work for
Follow companies and thought leaders you admire – this shows up when they look at your profile.
Request recommendations
Ask managers, colleagues, or professors to write a LinkedIn recommendation for you highlighting your work.
Display badges
Add badges for volunteer work, education, courses, projects, honors, patents, or languages. Badges showcase well-rounded interests.
Complete your profile 100%
Fill out every section of your profile – incomplete profiles rank lower in search results.
Using LinkedIn’s Profile Completeness Meter
For quick reference on how complete your profile is, check LinkedIn’s profile completeness meter at the top of your profile. This will show a percentage based on how filled out each section is. Aim for 100% completeness. Click into the meter to get tips on areas needing improvement. Common areas people overlook include:
Profile Photo
Add a quality headshot photo following LinkedIn’s photo guidelines. Clear headshots perform better.
Background Photo
Upload a background photo for your profile. This further personalizes your brand.
About Section
Fully detail your background, skills, and professional goals in the About summary.
Experience
Flesh out all positions with descriptions of responsibilities and achievements.
Education
Expand your education profiles beyond just school names and dates. Add courses, projects, grades, details.
Skills
Include at least 3 skills but ideally closer to 10. Leverage keywords that recruiters search for.
Accomplishments
Feature at least 3 stand-out accomplishments, awards, publications, or other merits.
Recommendations
Aim for between 3-5 recommendations from managers or colleagues highlighting your work.
Additional Sections
Consider adding multimedia assets, volunteer work, certifications, courses, projects, or honors.
Following Companies
Another way to enhance your LinkedIn presence is to follow companies you want to work for, are interested in, or admire. Following companies will:
– Show up on the company’s LinkedIn page as an engaged follower.
– Allow you to see company updates and job postings.
– Signal your interests – companies will notice followers, especially if they view your profile later.
To follow companies on desktop:
1. Search for the company on LinkedIn.
2. On their company page, click “Follow” next to the follower count below their image.
To follow companies on mobile:
1. Tap the search bar at the top.
2. Search for the company.
3. On their company page, tap the blue “Follow” button at the top.
Follow companies you want on your side – this shows engagement and initiative!
Customizing Your LinkedIn Vanity URL
Your public profile URL appears in search results and when sharing your profile. A customized vanity URL looks more professional than the default string of numbers LinkedIn assigns.
To change your public profile URL on desktop:
1. From your profile, click “Edit public profile & URL” on the right rail.
2. Click the pencil icon next to your URL.
3. Type a new unique URL and click “Save”.
To change your URL on mobile:
1. Tap “Edit profile” from the three dots menu.
2. Tap your profile URL.
3. Edit the URL and tap “Save”.
Tips for a good customized URL:
– Use your name, industry, or profession.
– Short and simple is best – easy to type and remember.
– Include keywords relevant to your field.
– Check URL availability if your first choice is taken.
Importance of Profile Optimization
Optimizing and completely filling out your LinkedIn profile is well worth the investment. The key benefits include:
Increased Discoverability
Complete profiles with rich keywords surface higher in LinkedIn search results. Recruiters and connections are more likely to find you.
Better First Impression
A 100% optimized profile shows you’re detail-oriented and serious about presenting your professional best. You’ll give off a positive vibe.
Higher Message Response Rate
Optimized profiles get up to 40% more profile views and message responses. You’re more likely to land new opportunities.
Recruiters Will Notice
85% of recruiters use LinkedIn to source talent. Great profiles attract recruiter attention and messages.
Showcases Your Brand
Profiles act like your professional resume/portfolio online. A complete profile fully conveys your personal brand.
Expanded Network
Complete profiles with rich details encourage more 2nd and 3rd degree connections. Your visibility and community grow.
Putting in the time to really polish your LinkedIn presence yields big dividends for your career and opportunities. Follow the steps in this guide to access LinkedIn’s profile editing tools and start enhancing your own profile today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about finding and using LinkedIn’s add profile section tools:
What are the photo guidelines for LinkedIn profiles?
LinkedIn recommends a professional-looking headshot of just you (no other people) with a neutral background. Your face should be clearly visible and take up about 60% of the frame. The photo should be high quality and no selfies.
How do I rearrange the order of sections on my profile?
On desktop, click “Edit public profile & URL” and drag sections to rearrange them. On mobile, tap “Edit profile”, tap the three dots next to each section, and drag them to sort. Put your strongest sections high up.
Can I customize my profile URL more than once?
Yes, you can change your public profile URL at any time, as often as you’d like. Just remember past links you’ve shared will no longer work if you customize it again.
What’s the character limit for the About summary section?
You have 2,000 characters to make an impactful summary in your About section. Be concise and compelling while working in key skills and achievements.
What types of recommendations carry the most weight?
Recommendations from previous managers or influential executives in your industry tend to be most impactful. Colleague recommendations add bonus social proof.
Conclusion
LinkedIn profile optimization should be an ongoing effort as you grow your career. Regularly revisit your profile to update descriptions, add new positions, feature accomplishments, and strengthen connections. Use LinkedIn’s editing tools to curate the best possible representation of your skills, experience, and professional brand. A complete profile opens doors to new opportunities and elevates your personal brand. Follow the steps outlined here to access LinkedIn’s add profile section and other profile editing features to really make your profile stand out.