In-House Counsel

Quick Ways To Refresh And Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

Having a strong personal brand on LinkedIn is synonymous with a catchy billboard that lights up on the highway as hundreds of thousands of commuters pass by on any given day.

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linkedin-logoAs of today, LinkedIn has more than 800 million members (compared to 750 million-plus in June 2021), making it imperative for you to optimize your LinkedIn profile in order to attract potential business clients, company executives and founders, and legal recruiters. The platform is continually undergoing new updates and releases based on workforce changes and social needs — including the recent launch of the career breaks feature and enhanced job search features that allow users to now concentrate a search based on remote, hybrid, or onsite opportunities.

Having a strong personal brand on LinkedIn is synonymous with a catchy billboard that lights up on the highway as hundreds of thousands of commuters pass by on any given day. If you’re stuck in a career rut, refreshing and optimizing your LinkedIn profile (and seeing the results from that update) is a huge confidence booster. While your resume is necessary to submit to a job posting, your LinkedIn profile casts a much wider net for you to be seen, noticed, and approached for opportunities when you aren’t even actively looking. Thus, it isn’t something you should overlook, especially in a rapidly changing workforce.

Here are some quick ways to refresh and optimize your LinkedIn profile that will dramatically increase your views and results in search appearances:

Update your headline with more than just your job title. My favorite formula for a powerful LinkedIn headline is simple: Job title and company name, plus three areas of expertise (or your main practice areas). Consider including your industry (e.g., healthcare, oil and gas, or fintech) as well, especially if you’re going to stay in that industry and want to be known for it. The search bar at the top of LinkedIn is the functional equivalent of hitting a search on Google. Think about the keywords that recruiters, hiring executives, or business clients would use to find someone experienced in your niche practice areas.

Give your profile photo and cover photo a fresh new look. While I always recommend hiring a professional photographer (my favorite database for finding a local headshot photographer is the Headshot Crew by Peter Hurley) to take a high-resolution headshot for your LinkedIn profile, if you’re short on time, there are a few apps you can use to refresh the look of your profile, such as Facetune or Photoshop. LinkedIn has photo filters and editing features as well to help you refresh the brightness and color of your profile photo.

Utilize the LinkedIn summary section. Your LinkedIn summary is synonymous with the inside of a book jacket. It’s the quick synopsis of your career story that enables readers to know what makes you tick, why they should connect with you, and the value you bring to the table. The beauty of the professional summary or “about” section on LinkedIn is the valuable real estate it gives you to optimize your profile. Don’t forget to include powerful keywords that generate increased visibility and a higher-ranking personal brand. Readers of your LinkedIn summary will be able to see just over 200 characters on the mobile version ahead of hitting “…see more” and over 300 characters on the desktop version. Thus, those first 200 characters are key to grabbing the reader’s attention and making them want to continue reading on. Write a first-person compelling summary for readers to know about you, your skills, your value, and what you’re passionate about in your career or work.

Customize your cover or background photo. The LinkedIn cover photo is a terrific way to personalize your profile and elevate your brand messaging. Ideas for a simple LinkedIn cover photo include city skyline, corporate building or headquarters, stock image of an office desk or conference/boardroom, favorite travel destination, a hobby photo (favorite trail you like to run on), or an achievement (TEDx stage appearance). You can also utilize Canva to create a savvier LinkedIn cover photo.

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Keep your experience section current and accurate. Make sure job titles and dates of employment line up on your resume and LinkedIn profile. Include any new or recent coursework, certifications, or professional development that would enhance your profile. If you want to link to your law firm bio or a recent publication, consider using the “Featured” section of the platform so viewers of your profile can click on the media.

Make sure your skills are relevant and targeted for your current career path. The skills I have listed in my LinkedIn profile as a professional writer, career coach, and personal branding expert are vastly different than the skills I’d list if I was still practicing law. Look at what you’re coming up for in recent searches by looking at your profile’s dashboard. You can additionally review job postings to see the repetition in keywords and add those to your profile.

These are just some quick ways to refresh and optimize your LinkedIn profile. Don’t be afraid to update your profile even if you’re not job searching. Watch your LinkedIn profile views skyrocket just from implementing the suggestions I outlined in this article. Please do connect with me on LinkedIn and report back.

Wendi Weiner is an attorney, career expert, and founder of The Writing Guru, an award-winning executive resume writing services company. Wendi creates powerful career and personal brands for attorneys, executives, and C-suite/Board leaders for their job search and digital footprint. She also writes for major publications about alternative careers for lawyers, personal branding, LinkedIn storytelling, career strategy, and the job search process. You can reach her by email at wendi@writingguru.net, connect with her on LinkedIn, and follow her on Twitter @thewritingguru.  

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