LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network and is an essential tool for job seekers, recruiters and businesses alike. Your LinkedIn profile acts as an online resume complete with headshot and the ability to make or break your job search. Whether you’re growing your network, applying for jobs, or hoping to be found by recruiters and hiring managers, here’s how to craft the perfect LinkedIn profile and make a great first impression from India Meder, Refactor Talent Senior Talent Partner.

Fill Out Your Profile

• Profile picture should be a clear and professional looking headshot
• Fill in headline, about/summary, job titles, experience, education, and skills
• Optimize each section with specific details, your impact, and keywords

Refactor Pro Tip: Reverse Engineer your profile. If you were trying to find you, what keywords, roles, technology, responsibilities would you search for? Use these in your profile!

Optimize Your Headline

• One-liner of what you bring to the table seen right from search results on LinkedIn and Google
• Helps you appear in LinkedIn search results
• Consider target audience and value proposition including keywords

Write a Compelling Summary in the About section

• Brief but conversational overview of background, skills and accomplishments
• Showcase personality, what you do, and how you’re unique
• Write in first person
• May end with a statement about your current career goals or an invitation to connect

Refactor Pro Tip: As recruiters, we encourage you to let a tidbit of your out of work personality shine through your About section! We love asking about this on our calls!

Highlight Your Experience

• Detail your past roles and responsibilities
• Lead with action words for what you do/did (ex: managed, led, grew, reduced, saved, etc.)

Include key achievements, skills and keywords, and metrics of your impact

• Current role in present tense, previous roles in past tense

Refactor Talent Pro Tip: Use numbers and percentages to quantify your experience

Add Relevant Skills

• List hard and soft skills
• Ask for endorsements and recommendations

Network With Others

• Connect with people in your industry
• Engage with content by commenting and sharing
• Join groups
• Stay up to date in your industry

Whether you’re job seeking, recruiting or building your personal brand, having a strong LinkedIn profile is essential for success. Remember to update your profile regularly and check out the Refactor Talent blog for more tips to help you find and land your dream job!