Making LinkedIn Work for You

Networking event in progress: Professionals engage in conversation, sharing insights on leveraging LinkedIn effectively for career growth.

As a young adult, LinkedIn is one of those platforms you have to learn to love. Unlike Instagram or tiktok, LinkedIn isn’t a social network you care about until you’re stepping into the working world. It can feel hard and boring at first, but it's definitely worth the investment of time. In this blog, I’ll cover what you need to know to refine your LinkedIn profile so it shines brighter.

First and foremost: your profile.

The brightest flowers attract the most bees, so it’s time to start watering.

Your profile picture and banner are the first things employers notice. What does the person behind the CV look like? Faceless, bannerless profiles often get ignored. You can tell people what you do, but without a face, no one knows who you are.

Once your profile picture is in place, work on your banner. Search for “LinkedIn banner” templates on Canva, where you can customize your own design without worrying about dimension sizes. It’s quick, easy, and free to use; and of course is worth the investment of 5 minutes.

Next, your headline.

This is the sentence under your name, acting as a snapshot of who you are as a professional. People are looking for what you do and how you can help them. The key to a strong headline is emotion, not just facts. Instead of simply writing “Pediatrician,” try something like “Pediatrician creating bright futures.” Here, you’re highlighting the impact of your work, not just your job title.

Now for the About section.

You’ve got 2,600 characters to explain who you are in more detail. You can write about your experience, education, and skills. Many people also mention their achievements and certifications.

Start by listing notable things you’ve done. This includes experience, education, extracurriculars, certificates and licenses to name a few. If the list gets too long, great! narrow it down to your top 20. These could include work experience, volunteer roles, courses, or certifications.

From there, cut the list to your top 5. Put yourself in an employer’s shoes: what would they care about most? If you’re applying to be a pilot, your cashier job from five years ago isn’t as relevant as your air cadet membership, pilot training certificates, or hobbies like flight simulators.

Next, flesh out those 5 experiences into personal, detailed paragraphs about the way you took on those journeys. Once you have your top 5 experiences, list five key skills in the Skills section that summarize what you do best.

Then, your experience section.

This is where you break down your past jobs and explain the skills you gained from each one. As long as the skills relate to your target industry, it’s fine to include things like a one-day training course. After all, a little training is still more than some people have done in their whole careers.

Your experience can be divided between volunteer roles and paid roles which you can differentiate between using “add profile section” > “additional”, where you can select to add volunteer experiences, awards, patents and more. 

Building a great LinkedIn profile takes time, but it’s an investment in your future. By focusing on your visuals, writing a headline that reflects your passion, and carefully selecting your most relevant experiences and skills, you’ll create a profile that speaks for you before you even open your mouth. LinkedIn may feel unfamiliar at first, but the more effort you put in, the more opportunities it can open. Start today, and let your profile tell your professional story with confidence.