How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Recruiters

Why LinkedIn Matters for Your Job Search

87% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates. If your profile isn't optimized, you're invisible to thousands of opportunities. Let's fix that.

Your Profile Photo: The First Impression

Your photo is the first thing people see. Here's what works:

Photo Requirements

Professional quality: Good lighting, clear resolution
Face takes up 60-70%: No full-body shots
Friendly expression: A slight smile increases connection requests
Neutral background: Solid colors work best
Recent photo: Should look like you now

What to Avoid

Selfies
Group photos (even if cropped)
Photos from 10+ years ago
Overly casual settings

Your Headline: Beyond Your Job Title

Your headline is prime real estate—don't waste it on just your job title.

The Formula That Works

[What You Do] | [Who You Help] | [Key Skill/Result]

Examples:

"Product Manager | Building Tools That Scale B2B Sales | Ex-Salesforce"
"Data Scientist | Turning Data into Business Decisions | Python, SQL, ML"
"Marketing Director | Growing DTC Brands from $1M to $10M ARR"

Include Keywords

Recruiters search for specific skills. Include relevant keywords:

Job titles you want
Key technologies or methodologies
Industry terminology

The About Section: Your Professional Story

This is where you sell yourself. Write it in first person—it's more personable.

Structure for Success

Paragraph 1: The Hook Lead with what makes you unique. What's your professional superpower?

Paragraph 2: Your Experience Highlight key achievements with numbers. Focus on impact, not responsibilities.

Paragraph 3: What Drives You Share what you're passionate about professionally. This helps recruiters understand your fit.

Paragraph 4: The Call to Action Tell people how to reach you and what you're open to.

Sample About Section

Building products that solve real problems is what gets me out of bed. Over the past 8 years, I've led teams at startups and Fortune 500 companies, shipping features that collectively serve 10M+ users.

Most recently at TechCorp, I led a team of 6 engineers to rebuild our core platform, reducing page load times by 60% and increasing user retention by 25%. Before that, I cut my teeth at StartupXYZ, where I wore every hat from customer support to product strategy.

I'm passionate about mentoring emerging PMs and believe great products come from diverse, collaborative teams.

Open to: Product leadership roles at mission-driven companies. Reach out at yourname@email.com or connect here—I respond to everyone.

Experience Section: Show, Don't Tell

Each role should demonstrate impact, not just list duties.

The Formula for Each Bullet

[Action verb] + [What you did] + [Measurable result]

Weak: "Responsible for marketing campaigns" Strong: "Launched 15 multi-channel campaigns that generated $2.3M in pipeline"

Include Media

Add presentations, videos, or links to projects you've worked on. Visual evidence of your work stands out.

Skills & Endorsements

Strategic Skill Selection

List skills that align with roles you want
Put your top 3 most relevant skills first
Aim for 30-50 skills total

Get Endorsements

Endorse others first (they often reciprocate)
Ask colleagues to endorse your top skills specifically
Focus on quality endorsements from credible connections

The Power of Recommendations

Recommendations are social proof. Aim for 5-10 strong ones.

How to Get Recommendations

Request from direct managers and colleagues
Give recommendations first—it often prompts reciprocation
Be specific in your request: "Would you be willing to write about our work on [specific project]?"

What Makes a Good Recommendation

Specific examples of your work
Measurable results when possible
Speaks to soft skills (collaboration, leadership)

LinkedIn's Open to Work Feature

When to Use It

The green "Open to Work" banner signals to recruiters that you're actively looking.

Visible to all: Use if you're unemployed or openly searching Visible to recruiters only: Use if you're employed but quietly looking

Optimize Your Open to Work Settings

Select specific job titles (up to 5)
Choose target locations
Specify start date preferences

Posting Content: Building Visibility

Active profiles get more recruiter attention.

What to Post

Industry insights and opinions
Lessons learned from your career
Celebrating team wins
Commenting thoughtfully on others' posts

Posting Frequency

Start with 1-2 posts per week. Consistency matters more than frequency.

Technical Optimization

LinkedIn SEO

Use keywords in your headline, about section, and experience
Your current job title is heavily weighted in search
Complete 100% of your profile (LinkedIn prioritizes complete profiles)

Profile Settings to Check

Make your profile public
Allow your profile to be found by search engines
Enable "Let recruiters know you're open"

Quick Wins Checklist

Professional photo uploaded
Keyword-rich headline (not just job title)
Compelling about section with call to action
All experience entries have measurable achievements
30+ skills listed with endorsements
5+ recommendations
Custom URL (linkedin.com/in/yourname)
Open to work settings configured
Posted content in the last 30 days

Complete these, and you'll be in the top 10% of LinkedIn profiles recruiters see.