This blog is the second in a series titled “All About LinkedIn.” Our career expert, Sadie Guzman, will explore how to maximize the platform for your professional development and job search. You can read the first blog of the series here. 

This blog will break down how to update your LinkedIn profile to achieve your professional goals.  

Did you meet all of your 2021 professional goals? If not, it might be time to revisit those goals to assess your progress or refresh them all together. If your plans were around growing your network, job seeking, or building your brand, continue reading to learn how updating your LinkedIn profile can help. This blog will help you think strategically about your audience. 

As your professional goals change or if you mastered a new skillset or earned a promotion, your LinkedIn profile should change as well. Note that the following tips could apply to whatever your goals are, but we wanted to break down how to update your LinkedIn profile if you wish to seek a new role or widen your professional network. My previous blog discusses how to build your profile on LinkedIn, so if you haven’t read that yet, I recommend you start there. 

Job Seeking Tips 

Let’s say your goal for updating your LinkedIn profile is motivated by the fact that you want a new job or new career; the audience that you should be mindful of are recruiters and hiring managers. So how do you update your profile to help support your interest in obtaining a new job? 

The first thing I would recommend is to let recruiters know that you are open to work. Don’t worry; no one from your network will be notified that you turned this feature on, and only recruiters will be able to see it. Turning this on will make you appear in recruiter’s searches, increasing the chances they may reach out to you about your next job opportunity! Once you turn this on, you can indicate your location preferences, job titles, and more. 

LinkedIn Headline 

I also recommend updating your profile headline. Your headline is the first thing that people see besides your picture, and speaking of, make sure you have a picture. Your headline should target the new job you are seeking or the industry you want to make a shift to. It should not only be your current title but should let others know a little bit about you and your goals. Some examples of headlines are below:

· Data Analyst Passionate about Solving Business Problems

· Technical Recruiter | Team Leader | Project Management Guru

· HR Professional Seeking New Opportunities in the Finance Industry

LinkedIn Summary

In addition to your headline, you will also want to make your summary stand out. Besides your headline, this is the other main thing that recruiters read. The summary section can be personalized with your creativity and personal voice. It should read like a story, attracting others to want to read further. Make sure that you clearly state who you are, a little bit about your professional background, and what your goals are.  Below is an example of a summary:  

Hi! I am a Talent Acquisition Specialist with 4 years of experience in full-cycle recruitment. I am excited about hiring trends, recruiting best practices, and serving as an advocate for those seeking employment.

Challenges motivate me, and my competitive and achievement-driven spirit allows me to succeed in the office and also in my personal life. Outside the office, I enjoy sports, hiking, and challenging myself to learn new things! I am currently looking to utilize my knowledge of corporate recruiting and employee onboarding to make a transition from talent acquisition to human resources. 

Update Your Resume to Match 

Maybe most importantly, make sure everything is up to date and accurate on your profile. Or in other words, your profile should match your resume exactly. If you just learned a new technical skill, received a promotion, or started volunteering at a new organization, all of these should be on both your profile and resume.  

Your experience section lets recruiters know that you have had the roles or experience that they are looking for. You should include every job along with bullet points from your resume on your profile.  You can easily copy/paste them over. Additionally, you should update your skills section on your profile so that your skills can appear in recruiters’ searches and when others view your profile. Doing this will let others know that you have the skillset they are looking for! 

Finally, your profile is your brand. It is how others view you, including your connections and recruiters.  Think of how you want others to view you and make your profile reflect that! Always continue to update your profile so that it still accurately reflects who you are and what your goals are. 

Networking Tips 

If your main goal is to build your professional network, you will want to focus on how you can do this authentically while keeping your brand in mind. The first thing you should do is connect with more LinkedIn members, but make sure you do this in a genuine way!  

No one likes to be spammed or invited to connect with someone who does not personalize their connection message. Make sure to be strategic about who you are connecting with and let them know why you are reaching out. To begin building your connections, think about who is in your immediate circle and then go from there. Is it colleagues? Friends of friends? Or maybe start following influencers or people who are well-known in your industry. You will want to aim to have 500+ connections on LinkedIn. 

You should also join groups for professionals in your career or industry. Joining groups can help you learn about topics that will support your professional growth and connect you to people in the industry. Engaging in conversations within groups or attending professional webinars or events through LinkedIn is how you build relationships and increase your network. 

Finally, you can update your LinkedIn profile by making sure you are active on the platform. This includes commenting and engaging in conversations on your connections’ job updates, blogs, or content. Simultaneously you should also aim to create your own relevant content, such as shorter posts or sharing pieces of your work or other media. Aim to engage on the platform in an authentic way that makes sense for you and your brand. The more you publish, the more you can engage with others and enhance your professional network. 

Review these strategies frequently to make sure your LinkedIn profile stays relevant and up to date! Follow along for future blog posts with more LinkedIn tips!