LinkedIn has become a staple of the professional world for a long time, and is one of the main platforms where you can network, find jobs and develop your career. Unfortunately, many miss out on optimising their profile for maximum growth.
All the things you need to do are simple, but effective and not implementing them when you can puts you at a serious disadvantage in the long-run.
Here is what you should do to stand out on LinkedIn.
How to Fully Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile
To fully optimise your LinkedIn profile, you need to focus on a few key areas: your profile photo, experience, skills, education, and how active you are on the platform. Using relevant keywords, clearly showing your achievements, and staying engaged all improve your chances of being found by recruiters.
The 10 tips below break these areas down into simple, practical steps you can start applying straight away.
1. Optimise Your Experience Section with Keywords
An often overlooked section of LinkedIn profiles is the experience section. While many people list their roles, fewer provide enough detail to fully explain what they actually did.
This is crucial because recruiters often search using keywords across your profile, especially in your headline, skills, and experience sections.
Ensure that you disclose the job roles you have had, unless they are completely irrelevant or could harm your professional image. In most cases, even early roles demonstrate transferable skills like teamwork, communication, and working under pressure.
For each role, clearly outline:
- Your key responsibilities
- The specific skills you used (for example project management, data analysis, customer service)
- Any measurable achievements (for example increased sales by X percent, reduced costs by Y percent)
To improve readability:
- Use bullet points
- Aim for 3 to 6 bullets per role as a general rule
- Adjust depth depending on your level of experience
Also tailor your wording to include keywords relevant to your target industry. This improves your chances of appearing in recruiter searches.
2: Use a Professional LinkedIn Profile Photo
Unlike a CV, your LinkedIn profile should include a photo. It is one of the first things people notice when they visit your profile.
A professional image is a common feature of the best LinkedIn profiles and helps create a strong first impression, which can increase profile views.
Here is what to consider:
- Professional headshots typically cost between £20 and £100
- Use good lighting and a neutral background
- Smartphone portrait mode can create a similar depth effect
- Avoid heavy filters and keep colours natural
- Centre your face and crop the image properly for LinkedIn. Your face should take up around 60% of the frame so it is clearly visible even at smaller sizes.
Also, make sure your image is uploaded in a square format, ideally 400 x 400 pixels or higher, so it appears sharp and properly framed across all devices.
3: Add Relevant Skills to Improve Visibility
Skills are a key part of how recruiters find you on LinkedIn. They act as searchable tags that define your expertise.
Instead of listing everything, focus on skills that are relevant to your career goals.
When choosing your skills:
- Focus on areas you actively use and want to develop
- Prioritise depth over breadth
- Think about what recruiters might search for
LinkedIn allows you to list up to 50 skills, which is more than enough if you stay focused.
Be specific where possible:
- Name tools, platforms, or programming languages
- Use clearly defined skills such as project management instead of vague terms like management
Avoid listing skills you are not confident in, as recruiters may contact you based on them.
4: Add Your Education Details
Another often underestimated section is education. Similar to the experience part, you want to make sure you not only include the schools and universities you attended, but also the subjects you studied.
If your results were brag-worthy, make sure to include them. Adding a small note such as “with distinction” or “with honours” can help you stand out, especially for early career graduate roles.
If you have any extracurricular roles, make sure to include them here too. Examples include:
- Formula Student
- Club responsibilities
- Student voice roles
- Volunteering
These are all great ways to show you are capable of achieving a wide range of things.
5: Add Projects to Enhance Professional Scope
The projects section is underused but very powerful. It allows you to showcase specific work you have done, whether professional or personal.
This is a great place to highlight:
- Work-related projects
- Side projects
- Personal initiatives relevant to your field
For example, restoring a classic car alongside a role in the automotive industry shows both passion and practical skills.
If others contributed, tag them to strengthen credibility.
6: Get Endorsements and Recommendations
Endorsements and recommendations both add credibility to your profile.
You can:
- Ask colleagues to endorse your skills
- Request written recommendations from managers or peers
LinkedIn also offers skill assessments and certifications in some areas. These can help validate your abilities, although their importance varies by industry.
Recommendations are especially valuable because they provide detailed, personal validation of your work.
7: Use the Featured Section
The featured section allows you to highlight your best work at the top of your profile.
You can include:
- Portfolio pieces
- Articles or posts
- Personal websites
- Research or projects
Use this space to showcase your strongest work in an easily accessible way.
8: Expand Your Network
Networking remains one of the most effective ways to progress in your career. Whenever you start a new role, attend events or conferences, or meet people in your field, make an effort to connect on LinkedIn.
Connecting in person first often leads to stronger and more meaningful connections than sending requests without context.
9: Interact With Others
Just like any other social media platform, posting and ghosting on LinkedIn won’t get you far.
If you want to appear more often in feeds and search results, you need to stay active. That does not just mean posting your own content, but also engaging with others.
You can do this by:
- Engaging with other people’s posts
- Leaving thoughtful comments
- Sharing relevant content
LinkedIn tends to prioritise content that generates meaningful engagement, so being active increases the chances of your profile being seen by the right people, including recruiters.
10: Craft Your Story
And finally, a high concept tip. This one isn’t really about LinkedIn. It’s about you!
At the end of the day, whether you are writing a CV, promoting a business on Instagram, speaking at a conference, or trying to stand out on LinkedIn, the main thing to think about is this: what am I trying to project to others right now? Does my current approach actually serve my goals?
Think about where you want your career to go. Then look at how others in your position have reached similar places. Take inspiration from how they shaped their voice and career, and reflect on how you present yourself to move in that direction.
Once you reach a higher level in your industry, this kind of advice will start to feel second nature. Until then, just getting these basics right will already put you ahead of most people.
