However, you may not need to use all of these techniques, depending on your industry and job goals.
What works for a technology innovator, for example, could differ SIGNIFICANTLY from that of a senior-level healthcare executive. There’s no way to prevent employers from finding out your age, but you CAN counteract potential obstacles in your job search with a few simple changes.
Here are the main factors in deciding whether to adjust your resume and LinkedIn strategy for age bias:
Is Your Career in Healthcare or Academia?
In some fields, lengthy career experience is looked on favorably; there’s little to no need to adjust your tactics.
For example, most healthcare executives need not be concerned about disclosing experience from decades ago. It’s common for hospital or healthcare system CEOs, COOs, and Chief Medical Officers to possess lengthy career histories that include research, residencies, published articles, or presentations.
Academia is also an industry in which age bias isn’t a primary area of concern. Academic administrators and other executives often spend many years in administrative, professorship, faculty, instructor, and researcher positions – and employers expect to see these details.
It’s rare to eliminate or remove dates from these types of positions. In addition, healthcare or academic leaders can benefit from a longer resume, or a curriculum vitae (CV), that spans dozens of pages.
Are You Applying in “Fast-Moving,” Innovative Fields?
Technology-related fields are well-known for expecting even senior-level candidates to show agility and familiarity with cutting-edge ideas.
Engineering, AI, cyber security, IT, or software development job descriptions typically mention the type of technology or methodology experience you must have in order to be considered.
In these cases, it’s best to trim your achievements, resume summary, and LinkedIn Profile to focus mainly on these areas of newer expertise. It’s also a good idea to describe earlier career wins in a succinct manner (and remove related dates of employment), rather than providing excess pages of outdated technical jargon that evokes the 1980’s.
Will You Pursue Sales, Operations, Finance, or Similar Roles?
If your career falls into these traditional business support categories, you’ll find other factors that could affect your candidacy as an “older” job seeker.
For instance, CFOs usually serve as a Financial Analyst, Controller, or Director of FP&A earlier in their careers. Unless you’re applying to a company known for innovation, most employers will expect to see the bulk of your experience described in detail, including dates of employment.
Software sales, on the other hand, is usually populated with earlier-career candidates who are eager to display youthful energy and cutting-edge skills. Here, you’ll want to carefully adjust your work achievements, dates of employment, and technical content on your resume to show your competitive spirit and cutting-edge insights.
Operations leadership roles can fall somewhere in the middle when it comes to employer age preferences. Even if your industry is embracing AI or automation, your resume and LinkedIn Profile should describe career moves such as Plant Manager, Supply Chain Analyst, or similar logistical roles prior to pursuing COO positions.
Unsure if You Should Change Your Resume or LinkedIn to Avoid Age Bias?
Try a market test,with early career positions summarized without dates of employment for some job applications. Send out a few resumes with your full job history and details for other roles.
Track your results carefully. Do you see any trends in the responses you gain or the reaction when you attend your interviews? Measure the effectiveness of the techniques you’ve used.
In summary, no single resume tactic can prevent age bias! The idea is to demonstrate proficiency in your chosen field, using keywords, accomplishments, and metrics to back up your value proposition and personal brand.
Lead with your qualifications – NOT your age – and show awareness of your competitive value among other candidates.
Become the TOP candidate by working one-on-one with a multiple award-winning executive resume writer and former recruiter skilled in positioning 3,600+ leaders for success at Amazon, Eli Lilly, GE, Disney, Google, EY, Kaiser, Oracle, Ericsson, UHC, Intel, Pfizer, UC Health, and others.
Your new, personally branded Resume and LinkedIn Profile will gain attention from Fortune-ranked, niche, PE, multinational, startup, and boutique companies - even in a competitive job market.
See why my resumes open doors to C-Suite, EVP, VP, Board, and Director roles by viewing interview-winning resumes that show a clear competitive advantage.
Apprehensive about showing decades of experience on LinkedIn?
There’s something about putting your work online in front of LinkedIn’s 1+ billion members that might make you feel uneasy.
If so, you’re hardly alone. But you MUST provide insights on your experience and credentials in order to compete.
Here are the 5 keys to an authentic LinkedIn profile that conveys your personal brand and covers 20-40+ years of experience (without inviting age bias):
1 – Adjust your LinkedIn Headline to draw attention.
If your LinkedIn Headline contain only your current job title, you are missing one of the BEST opportunities to market yourself!
Why? It’s easier to see your career goal and value proposition if you describe your target job type, areas of strength, and value proposition.
Take advantage of this high-ranking piece of LinkedIn real estate by:
Adding keywords representing your ideal job title and strongest skills (HR Strategy, Transformation,or Leadership Development.)
Referencing an achievement like 24% YoY Profits From Product-Led Growth or New Process Improvements Saving 32%.
Describing your industry or passion such as Patient-Centric Healthcare Quality, Software Engineering Innovation, or Global Commercial Strategy.
Using this formula turns Senior Sales Director into:
Revenue & Sales Leader. Over-Goal ARR Through Go-To Market Strategy, Forecasting, & Team Accountability. Reach Up to 78% Year-Over-Year Sales Growth in Aggressive SaaS and AI Markets.
Note the use of keywords, a job goal (describing specific industries), and an achievement conveyed using metrics.
2 – Bring your value proposition to life in your About section.
First, summarize your effectiveness as a leader with a list of your TOP career moments and achievements, such as:
Your personal leadership philosophy and management style.
The way you identify and resolve business challenges.
Your record of business growth, turnarounds, problem-solving, team leadership, industry influence, revenue, or other wins.
What others say about your work and impact.
Your affect on company culture and employee retention.
Accolades you’ve received for performance, innovation, strategic initiatives, growth, and other accomplishments.
Beef up your successes with metrics, such as the speed in which you delivered initiatives.
Leverage this data in your About to distinguish yourself from peers, as shown in this example:
Chief Revenue Officer: CPG, Automotive, & Retail
Fast Rise in Performance Throughout Economic Downturns & Market Changes
As CRO, I’ve developed commercial sales, pricing, and go to market strategies producing a competitive advantage and consistent growth – maintaining agility for companies experiencing shifts in consumer and business preferences.
My work creates lucrative new opportunities and margin increases from:
– Regional gross sales increases and rapid improvements in customer acquisition.
– 17% additional sales after displacing entrenched competitors in high-opportunity markets.
– Net Promoter Scores reflecting Top 1-2 rankings and new staff training programs.
My skills include supply chain strategy, project oversight, M&A, market intelligence, margin improvement, commercial strategy, team building, and turnarounds.
3 – Populate your Experience using data from recent jobs – with a twist.
Employers like to see the measures of success you’ve achieved, so use your Experience section to illustrate your impact and career progression.
Fully describe your successes from the past 10-15 years, with details such as:
The size of teams you managed in each role and where they were located (India, Europe, US, etc.).
Operations, projects, or businesses you led, along with their scope and size.
The impact of your work on company culture, staff retention, cost savings, quality, and other important factors.
Your roles in startups, M&A, new market entry, Board leadership, growth, or turnarounds.
But what about older experience? Try these strategies to minimize age bias:
Summarize earlier roles in the About section (“As a Navy veteran, I worked in missile engineering…”) or tuck them under your oldest Experience entry (“Previous roles include Supply Chain Manager and Data Analyst”).
These strategies allow you to show career experience from previous decades, while putting ZERO emphasis on your age.
4 – Add Skills entries; these are crucial in LinkedIn searchability.
You will need to gather keywords commonly used in your industry, which can easily be found in job postings.
For example, a COO might findCost Savings or Process Improvement in some job descriptions, while a healthcare executive may see Accreditation or Physician Relationships repeated in different job advertisements.
Recruiters use these terms to find you!
Try to fill in as many Skills entries as relevant. LinkedIn will prompt you to “connect” each entry to your Experience, so take time for this step, too.
5 – Don’t worry about what others put on LinkedIn.
Too many LinkedIn users provide only the basics of their career history, with a short, generalized description of their work… and then wonder why they’re ignored in their search.
These tactics can frustrate others eager to learn more about your background. If you haven’t added data to your LinkedIn profile’s About, Experience, or Skills sections, there’s nothing to draw or engage visitors.
Don’t be afraid to go against the tide.
Start NOW by adding robust descriptions of your promotions, skills, success stories, and keywords on LinkedIn.
These LinkedIn writing strategies can help others correctly interpret your leadership competencies and enable recruiters to find you more readily.
Adding your top achievements and displaying your career progression will make your LinkedIn profile stand out more clearly from your competition.
Become the TOP candidate by working one-on-one with a multiple award-winning executive resume writer and former recruiter skilled in positioning 3,600+ leaders for success at Amazon, Eli Lilly, GE, Disney, Google, EY, Kaiser, Oracle, Ericsson, UHC, Intel, Pfizer, UC Health, and others.
Your new, personally branded Resume and LinkedIn Profile will gain attention from Fortune-ranked, niche, PE, multinational, startup, and boutique companies - even in a competitive job market.
See why my resumes open doors to C-Suite, EVP, VP, Board, and Director roles by viewing interview-winning resumes that show a clear competitive advantage.
Waiting until you’re in the midst of a job search could be too late.
Maybe you’ve only added your last job, a bit of your education, and no entries in Skills or the About sections. Your Headline may only show your current job.
Unfortunately, these minimal details will NOT differentiate you from the competition – and could dampen your job prospects.
Read on for key reasons you shouldn’t wait to update your LinkedIn presence:
1 – You could be caught in an unexpected layoff.
If you’re reluctant to change your LinkedIn profile because the boss might find out, change your thinking.
For starters, your boss is likely refreshing their profile at the same time – which is why they may be scanning LinkedIn to see what you’re doing.
If you’re suddenly in need of a new position, you’ll be glad you brushed up your profile and you’ll likely gain faster traction with prospective employers.
2 – You might find a good opportunity… and then you’ll scramble to make changes.
Updating LinkedIn strategically and thoughtfully takes time. In Why the Worst Time to Update Your LinkedIn Profile is When You’re Looking for a Job or Business Opportunity, Hannah Martin points out that your timing is already late if you’re firing off resumes.
Expressing your personal brand takes MORE than a few job titles and lines of text on LinkedIn!
If you haven’t documented your accomplishments (and adjusted them for presentation on LinkedIn), your competition will… and they may do a better job of eliciting interest from recruiters.
3 – Employers might already be recruiting your competition.
Even if you’ve provided a current job title that implies multiple promotions, employers can’t distinguish between you and a comparable prospect for an open role.
Your career can look lackluster against that of another candidate who has taken the time to understand and promote their expertise.
You won’t even KNOW if employers are finding new hires with skills nearly identical to yours, UNTIL you update LinkedIn and start discovering more opportunities.
4 – Your LinkedIn profile won’t match your resume.
Most people prepare a resume first before tackling LinkedIn, so when you launch a job search, employers and recruiters will be confused when they see you on social media. Some employers even take a pass if your LinkedIn profile doesn’t align with your resume.
Think about the volume of information on most resumes, such as multiple job titles and dates, in addition to courses, certifications, awards, revenue results, team management, keywords, and professional affiliations. That’s in addition to the accomplishments that distinguish you from others with a similar career.
Now, compare that to your bare-bones digital identity.Employers might think your LinkedIn profile belongs to another person!
You could even look out-of-date for not having more than the bare minimum of details filled in.
Your best bet? Make a date with LinkedIn – NOW.
Make recruiters’ lives easier and do yourself a favor by documenting and promoting your leadership skills, value proposition, and achievements.
Become the TOP candidate by working one-on-one with a multiple award-winning executive resume writer and former recruiter skilled in positioning 3,600+ leaders for success at Amazon, Eli Lilly, GE, Disney, Google, EY, Kaiser, Oracle, Ericsson, UHC, Intel, Pfizer, UC Health, and others.
Your new, personally branded Resume and LinkedIn Profile will gain attention from Fortune-ranked, niche, PE, multinational, startup, and boutique companies - even in a competitive job market.
See why my resumes open doors to C-Suite, EVP, VP, Board, and Director roles by viewing interview-winning resumes that show a clear competitive advantage.
Transferring data straight from your resume to LinkedIn?
You could be hurting your company or personal brand.
As an executive and leadership team member, your work naturally affects your employer’s bottom line by driving technology innovation, quality, productivity, or other factors.
Your resume SHOULD tout these facts – but your LinkedIn Profile might be a different story.
When you’re building a LinkedIn presence to support your job search, you may need to limit what you disclose, especially if it affects your company or teams, according to marketer Neal Shaffer, who frequently posts on social media and the law.
Industry competitors, investors, shareholders, Board members, colleagues, and bosses can all see the data you’ve added – and Harvard Business Review reports that employers are increasingly monitoring this information.
To avoid problems affecting your employer or personal brand, here are some ways to “tone down” your LinkedIn Profile, while maintaining a strong message of leadership:
Be careful about putting your resume metrics on LinkedIn.
Metrics in your resume are critical to demonstrating performance (as shown in What Does a Good Resume Look Like?), but these same figures can land you in hot water if they appear online.
This is particularly true if you’re describing projects not yet disclosed to investors or the public.
First, decide what you CAN share on LinkedIn. Your major projects or client names may have already been published on your company’s website, for example.
You can also analyze whether your resume information would give competitors an unfair advantage by finding out the customers you’re targeting or new products you’re developing.
Then, alter your achievements for LinkedIn as needed by toning down facts to an overview level, as shown below:
RESUME: Closed $54M in solution sales across APAC and Canada.
LINKEDIN: Closed millions in international solution sales – a 19% improvement.
RESUME: Saved 6M+ OPEX in Year 1 of 5-year Mitigation initiative.
LINKEDIN: Trimmed 30% OPEX in first stages of mitigation project.
Question if the information would paint your company or team in a bad light.
Executives who lead turnarounds or improvements often save the day by eliminating lingering problems. Yet, if you mention these SPECIFIC problems online, your executive team could be portrayed as ineffective – and your professional network could suffer as a result.
Instead of pointing directly at the root cause, try a different way to describe a turnaround, as in this example:
RESUME: Reversed stagnating 4-year revenue at ABC Company with 32% more product SKUs generating 54% uptick in sales.
LINKEDIN: Added product SKUs and innovative offerings raising ABC Company revenue to pre-COVID levels.
By focusing on what you did (without framing the cause), you’re less likely to invoke the wrath of company insiders or co-workers.
Assess how customers might react to details you’re disclosing on LinkedIn.
Executives engaged in digital or business transformation face a unique challenge: by describing how they’ve upgraded outdated practices or technologies, they could be revealing problems to end consumers.
Rather than openly providing details on the issues from legacy IT systems or inefficient business models, you can make your point on LinkedIn from a different perspective.
For example, the changes shown below could make it less obvious to consumers that they’d paid a higher price for this company’s products in 2021:
RESUME: Boosted profits 52% after resolving B2C marketing issues, leading to record-making margins and 30% higher prices in 2021.
LINKEDIN: Refined marketing insights with new analysis techniques, prompting 34% rise in targeted consumer sales.
The bottom line: LinkedIn isn’t private in any form.
Take a closer look at your resume accomplishments and adjust your story BEFORE sharing it on LinkedIn and other platforms.
Transferring data straight from your resume to LinkedIn?
You could be hurting your company or personal brand.
As an executive and leadership team member, your work naturally affects your employer’s bottom line by driving technology innovation, quality, productivity, or other factors.
Your resume SHOULD tout these facts – but your LinkedIn Profile might be a different story.
When you’re building a LinkedIn presence to support your job search, you may need to limit what you disclose, especially if it affects your company or teams, according to marketer Neal Shaffer, who frequently posts on social media and the law.
Industry competitors, investors, shareholders, Board members, colleagues, and bosses can all see the data you’ve added – and Harvard Business Review reports that employers are increasingly monitoring this information.
To avoid problems affecting your employer or personal brand, here are some ways to “tone down” your LinkedIn Profile, while maintaining a strong message of leadership:
Be careful about using the metrics shown on your resume.
Metrics in your resume are critical to demonstrating performance (as shown in What Does a Good Resume Look Like?), but these same figures can land you in hot water if they appear online.
This is particularly true if you’re describing projects not yet disclosed to investors or the public.
First, decide what you CAN share on LinkedIn. Your major projects or client names may have already been published on your company’s website, for example.
You can also analyze whether your resume information would give competitors an unfair advantage by finding out the customers you’re targeting or new products you’re developing.
Then, alter your achievements for LinkedIn as needed by toning down facts to an overview level, as shown below:
RESUME: Closed $54M in solution sales across APAC and Canada.
LINKEDIN: Closed millions in international solution sales – a 19% improvement.
RESUME: Saved 6M+ OPEX in Year 1 of 5-year Mitigation initiative.
LINKEDIN: Trimmed 30% OPEX in first stages of mitigation project.
Question if the information would paint your company or team in a bad light.
Executives who lead turnarounds or improvements often save the day by eliminating lingering problems. Yet, if you mention these SPECIFIC problems online, your executive team could be portrayed as ineffective – and your professional network could suffer as a result.
Instead of pointing directly at the root cause, try a different way to describe a turnaround, as in this example:
RESUME: Reversed stagnating 4-year revenue at ABC Company with 32% more product SKUs generating 54% uptick in sales.
LINKEDIN: Added product SKUs and innovative offerings raising ABC Company revenue to pre-COVID levels.
By focusing on what you did (without framing the cause), you’re less likely to invoke the wrath of company insiders or co-workers.
Assess how customers might react to details you’re disclosing on LinkedIn.
Executives engaged in digital or business transformation face a unique challenge: by describing how they’ve upgraded outdated practices or technologies, they could be revealing problems to end consumers.
Rather than openly providing details on the issues from legacy IT systems or inefficient business models, you can make your point on LinkedIn from a different perspective.
For example, the changes shown below could make it less obvious to consumers that they’d paid a higher price for this company’s products in 2021:
RESUME: Boosted profits 52% after resolving B2C marketing issues, leading to record-making margins and 30% higher prices in 2021.
LINKEDIN: Refined marketing insights with new analysis techniques, prompting 34% rise in targeted consumer sales.
The bottom line: LinkedIn isn’t private in any form.
Become the TOP candidate by working one-on-one with a multiple award-winning executive resume writer and former recruiter skilled in positioning 3,600+ leaders for success at Amazon, Eli Lilly, GE, Disney, Google, EY, Kaiser, Oracle, Ericsson, UHC, Intel, Pfizer, UC Health, and others.
Your new, personally branded Resume and LinkedIn Profile will gain attention from Fortune-ranked, niche, PE, multinational, startup, and boutique companies - even in a competitive job market.
See why my resumes open doors to C-Suite, EVP, VP, Board, and Director roles by viewing interview-winning resumes that show a clear competitive advantage.
Is your LinkedIn Profile ready to support your goals?
An engaging, personally branded LinkedIn Profile is no longer optional; it’s CRUCIAL to your professional success.
No matter if you’re seeking the perfect job or just keeping your options open, it’s important to present a strong and compelling story that attracts employers.
Here’s what you need to do NOW in order to get your LinkedIn Profile to work harder for your job search:
1 – Develop (and stick to) a LinkedIn engagement strategy.
Ever wonder why you see some LinkedIn users in your feed ALL the time?
It’s because LinkedIn rewards users who comment on and share content! That’s why they’re popping up in your feed with a highly visible presence.
Interaction and engagement (such as comments, posts, polls, and articles) can raise your visibility – enabling employers to become more aware of you and colleagues to start featuring you on their posts.
It’s easy to create an engagement strategy like this for yourself by committing to spending a few minutes on the site each day: first, note activity related to your professional interests, then post a comment.
When you follow companies on LinkedIn, you get a front-row seat to their announcements, including information on new divisions, company updates, and job openings.
As an added bonus, the company will notice you are among their followers if you decide to apply to their LinkedIn Job postings – which quickly indicates your interest in what they do and could signal your intent to become a top employee.
3 – Fill in your Experience section – PLEASE.
Employers overwhelmingly prefer to read this part of your Profile, so don’t neglect it. Listing only your job titles, employer names, and dates WON’T cut it.
Start updating your Experience by adding accomplishments, keywords, and context that aligns with desirable skills in your field (as described by Korn Ferry in 5 End-of-Year Moves to Boost Your Career). Describe the top successes of your career (don’t save them for the resume!). You might see a strong uptick in LinkedIn viewers and employer interest as a result.
4 – Swap out your Cover Image (behind your headshot).
Instead of the default, bland cover image provided by LinkedIn, add some color to your Profile by adding a photo or illustration aligned with your industry and personal brand. Take a look at the difference between the original cover image (left) and how you could alter it (right).
For example, a technology leader could find an image representing the speed of technical connections or a city with apparent Wifi hotspots shown on it. A creative professional could either build a new graphic image showing their interests, or find an illustration showing the phases of creative work.
You can find new images for your Cover Photo that fit the horizontal image requirements at sites like Canva.com, Big Stock Photo, Dreamstime, or Pexels – most of which offer free or reduced-price downloads.
5 – Pick up a valuable new skill using LinkedIn Learning.
Just like other professional training programs, you can complete LinkedIn Learning courses (free to Premium users) and show this knowledge on your Profile.
The only problem you might have? Selecting the courses you want from the more than 5,000 LinkedIn Learning entries in categories such as Leadership and Management, Professional Development, Human Resources, Sales, and much more.
LinkedIn Learning courses will be shown on your Profile after completion, with an entry in Licenses and Certifications. So not only can you pick up more valuable skills, you can also “advertise” them to employers as part of your qualifications.
6 – Adjust your LinkedIn Settings – frequently.
There are now 200+ Settings for your Profile! Take the time to ensure you’re using them wisely; most are located under your avatar, where you can choose Settings & Privacy.
For example, you can choose to openly show your Profile updates or activity, display your email address, let others know when you’re active on LinkedIn, or hide your last name. MANY of these Settings can make finding your Profile difficult.
Tune important Settings such as those for creating a public Profile (visible by search engines), showing your activity (important if you’re engaging in industry discussions), and other elements key to your job search. Don’t forget to click on your LinkedIn headshot to verify that others can see it.
7 – Actively comment and customize your feed on LinkedIn.
As mentioned in #1, a commenting strategy will benefit you as a job seeker, especially when you provide feedback on topics relevant to your profession.
Not only will others notice your activity, but your comments will also serve as a history of your actions whenever someone views your LinkedIn Profile.
You can also “tune” your feed to ensure LinkedIn shows you content of value to your career, as described by LinkedIn in Best Practices to Customize What You See on Your LinkedIn Feed. In turn, this will give you even MORE relevant posts on which to comment.
8 – Consider running a Poll.
While you can easily issue a post, share an article, or comment on others’ posts, LinkedIn Polls tend to garner a significant amount of attention – and when done right, this attention can benefit your job search.
First, decide what professional message you want to send with a Poll – and what you want to learn about your audience in doing so. You may want to ask a question related to your field of expertise, or post additional information that helps others consider their Poll answers.
Get familiar with Polls by taking a look at How to Use LinkedIn Polls for Better Engagement. Better yet, look around at some of the Polls you see on LinkedIn to see which Polls generate the most thoughtful responses.
Then, get started by initiating a Poll of your own, noting the reactions you’ve generated and the traffic it produces. You may just want to continue realizing the benefits of a Poll and the discussion it generates!
9 – Remove your current job title from your LinkedIn Headline.
Your LinkedIn Headline allows 220 characters – so why waste them advertising your employer and job title? Expand it to show who you are and why you’re a valued candidate in your field.
Remember – your Headline introduces youbefore you’ll even have a chance to post content or connect with others. Make sure it’s compelling, intriguing, and keyword-rich.
10 – Publish or share content on LinkedIn.
No matter your professional interests, there’s always an audience on LinkedIn.
By publishing articles on LinkedIn (or sharing white papers, blog posts, and other professional information), you can demonstrate an area of skill, discuss trends in your industry, or consistently promote your knowledge as a thought leader.
Articles will show in your Activity feed when other users click on your Profile. If you’re creating content related to your career skills and leadership strengths, employers can quickly see why you’re qualified for a new role.
11 – Get and use a branded LinkedIn headshot.
Your LinkedIn photo is one of the first items others seewhen they look at your Profile or see your comments. Ensure it represents you as a leader and sought-after expert in your field – putting your best foot forward.
While a professional headshot is still an advantage as a job seeker, you can also enlist a friend or family member to take an array of photos – enabling you to choose one that suits your personality and reflects your energy and enthusiasm.
After you’ve selected a new headshot photo for LinkedIn, you can also turn to Photofeeler.com, a unique tool that lets viewers rate your headshot for likability and trustworthiness.
12 – Earn (and display) a LinkedIn Skills badge.
Now, there are even more opportunities to show what you know by placing a Skills badge on your Profile. Rolled out a while back, Skills Assessments are used to verify specialized knowledge in software development, Microsoft Power BI, Adobe XD, and other areas.
To earn a badge, look for Skills Assessments in LinkedIn Help to see the type of proficiencies listed in Technical, Business, or Design categories. Select and complete the desired exam; if you score in the top 30%, you’ll be able to place the badge on your Profile.
13 – Visit and capitalize on your LinkedIn alumni section.
Don’t miss out on the valuable networking and referrals you can gain from leveraging your alumni connections! LinkedIn even provides a free tool called Alumni to help you learn all about other users and their networks.
Here, you can search for your alma mater (or any other university, for that matter), then click on Alumni to access a wealth of networking information on where these former students work, live, and their areas of study.
This research can give you solid ideas on the companies that hire graduates of your university, and of course, provide you with an opening conversation point to network with them.
14 – Remove negative content from your LinkedIn posts.
Don’t forget – volatile subjects can take center stage, especially on social media, and eclipse your personal brand. Don’t let this happen with your professional identity!
Many employers and recruiters will do a thorough search of your social media to find out more about you as a leader and candidate.
It’s easy for other users to view your LinkedIn Activity (which shows MONTHS of history when someone clicks “See all activity” on your Profile).
Therefore, it’s best to keep your actions free of volatile topics, political sentiments, and other potential landmines that can make employers wary.
15 – Write a better LinkedIn About section.
Think of your About section as a summary of achievements – and use it to tout them!
The About section is one of the best tools to introduce yourself on LinkedIn. You can mention your success stories, talk about your passion for your field, and incorporate keywords that will help others discover your Profile.
In How to Write a Knockout LinkedIn Summary, I describe different ways to format a powerful message and content that you can be proud to display. Don’t stop there; tune your About section on a regular basis to find out which content produces the best results.
16 – Pay attention to (and leverage) Who Viewed Your Profile statistics.
LinkedIn offers the ability to see visitors to your Profile (on a free account, you must also enable others to see YOUR browsing history, so check your Settings to enable this function).
After you start looking at who your visitors are, decide on a strategy for using this data. Will you reach out to others? If so, you can share a quick note indicating you’d like to connect or chat.
Don’t just look – interpret this data! It’s a sign of who you are attracting. Therefore, make adjustments to your Headline, About, Skills, Experience, and activity based on these findings.
17 – Swap outdated entries in your Skills & Expertise section.
Perhaps you’ve only given minimal thought to the Skills listed on your Profile – or you haven’t populated them at all.
Now that LinkedIn allows you to add 100 Skills (new in 2024), you’ll want to quickly put new data in this section! It’s used by LinkedIn’s Recruiter subscribers to hunt for candidates with the right qualifications.
If you’ve already populated Skills, review your entries to ensure they still fit the best jobs for you. If you find redundancies, such as Product Management and Product Management Strategy, delete one of these entries so you can add a stronger keyword.
Use job postings to find common skills, then add these to your Skills section; you can even pin your most valuable competencies to the top, where they’ll be featured prominently.
18 – Give a LinkedIn Recommendation – or ask for one.
If you’re wondering how you can help a colleague knee-deep in a job search, here’s an easy answer: write them a LinkedIn Recommendation. Employers often look at this section for clues to a candidate’s strengths.
Not sure what to write? Reference a project or the skills you’ve witnessed in your colleague’s work. You can also mention this person’s reputation as a problem-solver, leader, or highly motivated employee.
On the same note, consider asking for a Recommendation from others who’ve witnessed your skills in action. How to Ask for a LinkedIn Recommendation That Works for You covers the best ways to approach and request a testimonial from your network.
19 – Add sufficient keyword content to your Profile.
Resumes aren’t the only place you need keywords!
Strengthening your keyword density will help your Profile rank higher in employer searches, so add your areas of specialty to your Headline, About, Job Titles, and Skills sections.
To find the right keywords, use job descriptions from postings in your industry, then paste the text into a tag cloud tool such as TagCrowd or WordClouds. You’ll quickly see the most prominent words to incorporate in your Profile (assuming you have these skills).
By adding these terms in the above fields and sections, you’ll stand a better chance of being sought for ideal jobs.
20 – Add content to your Featured section (for a prominent display on your Profile!).
Another benefit to posting on LinkedIn or publishing Articles? You can showcase this content in the Featured section on your Profile.
To get started, view your Profile and click on Add Profile Section, where you’ll see Featured as an option. You can use the prompts to add any of your Posts, Articles, Links, or Media related to your work – including the URL where you’ve published your content.
LinkedIn also allows you to rotate or rearrange the entries in your Featured section, so continue to add and shuffle these items according to the attention they draw from others in your network. LinkedIn and TEDx speaker Sandra Long has describes important changes to Featured in LinkedIn Profile Redesign: 5 Key Takeaways.
21 – Endorse others for Skills you’ve witnessed in use.
Endorsing another user on LinkedIn is simpler than you think – and there’s a host of reasons to do it. For one, you could be featured on their Profile just for doing so.
However, the main reason is that you’ve seen their expertise up close and want to commend them for these skills.
LinkedIn will occasionally prompt others to endorse you for your Skills. You can, of course, hasten the process by asking colleagues for Endorsements or endorsing them for their strengths.
Finding a job on LinkedIn – and throwing your hat in the ring – has never been easier than it is now. However, it’s a good idea to be aware of best practices when using the LinkedIn Jobs function.
For example, there’s an Easy Apply button on LinkedIn that lets employers see your Profile. However, you may want to hold off using it, unless you’ve expertly tuned your Profile to represent your value proposition.
Most career experts recommend submitting both a branded resume and LinkedIn Profile when applying via LinkedIn to ensure you’ve covered all the bases.
This list of LinkedIn tips is just the beginning!
To conduct an effective job search, get comfortable with LinkedIn.
Make this the year you learn how to navigate it, find valuable contacts, issue comments and recommendations, notice changes, converse with others, and apply using LinkedIn Jobs.
You’ll see a corresponding increase in the ROI from LinkedIn by doing so… and set yourself up for more success in the future.
Become the TOP candidate by working one-on-one with a multiple award-winning executive resume writer and former recruiter skilled in positioning 3,600+ leaders for success at Amazon, Eli Lilly, GE, Disney, Google, EY, Kaiser, Oracle, Ericsson, UHC, Intel, Pfizer, UC Health, and others.
Your new, personally branded Resume and LinkedIn Profile will gain attention from Fortune-ranked, niche, PE, multinational, startup, and boutique companies - even in a competitive job market.
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Did you allow LinkedIn to put your current job in your Headline?
If so, you’re among MILLIONS of LinkedIn users who fail to market their own personal brand.
Look around on LinkedIn and you’ll see the same scenario: too many people fail to uncheck that box in their current job that says “Update My Headline.”
As a result, you’re left with Sales Manager at XYZ Companyor VP of Production at AB Manufacturing.This could be one of the biggest obstacles in your job search, because you’re MUCH more than a job title. With so many opportunities on LinkedIn to promote your value to employers, your Headline should be carefully tuned, not left to chance.
Here are the 3 reasons why you should take your current job OUT of your Headline (and what to use instead):
1 – Your Headline should market YOUR personal brand, NOT your employer.
Your current job title probably does a poor job of representing your potential!
Not only was it designed by your employer, it also picks up your company name… and now you have a banner that clearly describes a position you may want to leave.
But when you craft your OWN Headline, you’ll have a valuable opportunity to add a success story, keywords, and job titles that help others find you.
These Headlines show how you can “advertise” your skills for a future job search:
VP Sales & Marketing | 13 Winning Sales Teams Developed to Create #1 Market Performance | Global & US Revenue & Growth Strategies | Fortune-Ranked Technology, Government, OEM, Engineering, & Defense Markets
COO & VP Operations. Fast Turnarounds & Market Share Growth in EMEA, Americas, & APAC Regions. 299% Growth From New Revenue Streams, Corporate Contracts, & Transformation. Board Member, Mentor, Executive Sponsor
Note how each Headline starts with a desired job title, then spells out achievements, keywords, and desirable areas of expertise. Get the inside scoop on how to do this in A Fast Formula for a Powerful LinkedIn Headline.
2 – Your current job might not match your career goals.
Let’s say you’re aiming for the next level up in your career. By tuning your Headline for a promotion, you’ll come up in searches for the target job, not just the one you already hold.
This example shows how an Operations leader can show readiness for the COO position, referencing the skills they are already using and focusing on high-value keywords:
Healthcare Executive. COO-Level Authority for Clinical Operations, Patient Care Quality, Safety, & CMS Ratings. Relentless Drive for Excellence & Patient Satisfaction. Champion for Team Growth & Service Line Development
You can see that this Headline continues to mention Operations, making it possible to be spotted as a senior leader while leaving the possibility open to be found in searches for a COO.
No matter your career level, mentioning your desired role (which you can also add to the About section) helps show your intentions and position you more strategically as a rising leader in your field.
3 – Your current job title is far too SHORT to describe your skills.
This means you’re missing critical opportunities to further describe keywords and strengths. Remember, your LinkedIn Headline is a critical piece of LinkedIn Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
With a longer Headline, you’ll also gain the opportunity to switch out a few phrases or keywords to “test” which version produces more interest from employers.
These examples show Headlines that exceed 200 characters by adding insightful details and leadership strengths:
Chief Strategy Officer. 45% New Growth From Corporate Direction, M&A, Product Strategy, & Operations Improvements. Customer-Centric Product Lines, Outreach, & Technologies Taking Regional Operation to US Powerhouse
Senior Director, Product Engineering – Driving Software Quality & Product Performance With Scalable Solutions. High-Productivity Engineering Team Leader Creating 13 Straight Quarters of Profit in Mobility Startup
Here’s how to remove the current-job default:go to your Experience section, select the pencil icon next to your name, and look for Update My Headline. Uncheck this box and hit Save.
Of course, the next step is to write and display a custom, UNIQUE Headline that broadcasts your personal brand, describes your skills, and markets your top career successes!
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In some fields, lengthy career experience is looked on favorably; there’s little to no need to adjust your tactics.
For instance, CFOs usually serve as a Financial Analyst, Controller, or Director of FP&A earlier in their careers. Unless you’re applying to a company known for innovation, most employers will expect to see the bulk of your experience described in detail, including dates of employment.
First, summarize your effectiveness as a leader with a list of your TOP career moments and achievements, such as:
If you’re reluctant to change your LinkedIn profile because the boss might find out, change your thinking.
Even if you’ve provided a current job title that implies multiple promotions, employers can’t distinguish between you and a comparable prospect for an open role.
First, decide what you CAN share on LinkedIn. Your major projects or client names may have already been published on your company’s website, for example.
Executives engaged in digital or business transformation face a unique challenge: by describing how they’ve upgraded outdated practices or technologies, they could be revealing problems to end consumers.
No matter if you’re seeking the perfect job or just keeping your options open, it’s important to present a strong and compelling story that attracts employers.
When you 
The only problem you might have? Selecting the courses you want from the 
For example, you can choose to openly show your Profile updates or activity, display your email address, let others know when you’re active on LinkedIn, or hide your last name. MANY of these Settings can make finding your Profile difficult.
As mentioned in #1, a commenting strategy will benefit you as a job seeker, especially when you provide feedback on topics relevant to your profession.
First, decide what professional message you want to send with a Poll – and what you want to learn about your audience in doing so. You may want to ask a question related to your field of expertise, or post additional information that helps others consider their Poll answers.
No matter your professional interests, there’s always an audience on LinkedIn.
Now, there are even more opportunities to show what you know by placing a Skills badge on your Profile. Rolled out a while back, Skills Assessments are used to verify specialized knowledge in software development, Microsoft Power BI, Adobe XD, and other areas.
Don’t forget – volatile subjects can take center stage, especially on social media, and eclipse your personal brand. Don’t let this happen with your professional identity!
Think of your About section as a summary of achievements – and use it to tout them!
Perhaps you’ve only given minimal thought to the Skills listed on your Profile – or you haven’t populated them at all.
Endorsing another user on LinkedIn is simpler than you think – and there’s a host of reasons to do it. For one, you could be featured on their Profile just for doing so.
Your current job title probably does a poor job of representing your potential!
This means you’re missing critical opportunities to further describe keywords and strengths. Remember, your LinkedIn Headline is a critical piece of LinkedIn Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
