5 Key Elements of a Killer LinkedIn Summary

Even as it enters its 16th year, LinkedIn remains one of the most popular sites not only for job hunting and recruitment but also for social networking.

When you are on LinkedIn, you’re constantly marketing yourself, and at any point in time, a potential employer could “drop by” your digital CV and check you out. This is why it’s crucial to keep your profile up-to-date and engaging. You likely only have a few minutes to impress your future client or employer, so you have to make those first few seconds’ count. Read on to find out more about how to make the most of your LinkedIn job search right now.

LinkedIn Hacks

Want to learn more about how to get a job on LinkedIn? Here are a few basic tips you can use to ensure that you get the attention you deserve.

Your Title & Skills Summary

Having an eye-catching, unique title is a part of your personal branding and not something you should neglect. Consider using something like “wordsmith,” instead of “writer” or “creator” instead of “artist,” and make it as specific as possible beyond that.

Another thing that you can and should do with any type of summary is to include a short list of 4-8 very specific skills or competencies in a succinct way close to the top of your summary – for instance:

Skills: Strategic content creation, Facebook Ad creation, WordPress, email list automation

The point here is just to make the first few lines of your profile really stand out as something unique, clear and detailed without cramming so much in that your visitors will feel overwhelmed and not stop to say hello.

Clearly List Your Specs

This may seem obvious, but keeping your LinkedIn profile as up-to-date as possible, including your current position, is an essential part of a successful job hunt.

Having things like your education and location listed on clearly your LinkedIn webpage is another seemingly tiny detail that could actually make or break a recruiter’s decision to reach out in a matter of seconds. This is of course especially true if you are looking to find jobs in your area. Your educational background is important too as it reinforces various connections through the various schools you attended.

Use LinkedIn Like You do Social Media

You can also easily post things like blogs, videos, slideshows or images in the feed section, just like you can on Facebook. If you get into the habit of posting here daily or weekly just like you might on other social sites, you have the potential to generate a lot more traffic. And don’t forget to use eye-catching images and titles when you do create and share these posts.

Search by Topic

Did you know that you can actually design your search based on keywords and hashtags, just like on other sites? Check out their directory and start searching for posts, job ads, courses people and general information on the topic of your choice.

LinkedIn Professional

LinkedIn Premium is an awesome tool for those who are serious about their networking and job searching. One key thing that it allows you to do is reach out to your connections via InMail. And given the increased access that you have to all kinds of people, the basic Job Seeker rate of $30 a month is well worth it.

Recommendations & Endorsements

LinkedIn makes it easy to request a recommendation via a current job post. All you do is see how you are connected to the hiring manager and ask for a recommendation from someone else. Endorsements are also something that you can just do for others for free in the hopes that they will reciprocate. Don’t hesitate to message people you trust and who know your skills and ask them to endorse you for various skills on our list.

5 Killer Ideas for Your Summary

Here are a few angles you can play around with when it comes to your summary. Remember that there are no right or wrong answers here – choose a way that suits your personality, experience and business goals in a natural way.

1. Focus on Accomplishments

Focusing on your key accomplishments is a good idea no matter what your field, background or interests – why? Because employers want to see proof of what you can actually do, not just what you say. But you still should try to frame it in a unique way.

Here’s an example of a boring LinkedIn lead summary:

“I’m a graphic designer who has built 20 websites.”

A better one would be something like:

“I’m a graphic artist with extensive experience in print and digital marketing. I’ve helped (x) brands with major campaigns such as …”

Then you point them to their portfolio right away.

This is an excellent option no matter what kind of work you’re looking for—whether it’s freelance or in-house.

Gone are the old days when you had to physically “bring” your portfolio into the interview. Clearly showing your past work gives people an opportunity to quickly assess you, which not only shows off your color but can also save everyone a lot of time and energy in the long run.

2. Get Personal

If you’re really looking get people’s attention in a sphere that is focused on relationship-building or story-telling (for instance), you may want to consider opening with an interesting personal statement that shows off your storytelling or writing skills. This type of summary will likely end up showcasing soft skills, although you still want to include your brief list of core competencies no matter what somewhere within the first section of your profile as well.

A personal approach works well if you are either in an industry where soft skills matter more, or where you are less experienced and wanting to get a foot in the door. It also works well if you are focused on using LinkedIn more for actual networking than specifically job-hunting. When people know something interesting about you and your personal story, they will be naturally intrigued.

3. Keep it Simple

If you’re not sure where to start, start at the beginning and lead with the basics. You will want to tailor your wording according to the type of professionals you’re hoping to attract, no matter what. If you are in a field that might attract more technically-minded people, if it makes sense to keep it simple and to the point, including a lot of numbers.

For instance:

“I have five years of experience in digital marketing and am currently working as the lead content strategist at x company.”

Of course, you’ll want to say more than this and include a list of core competencies somewhere within the first 100 words or so as well.

4. Try a Blended Approach

Not sure which of the above to use? Why not try using a combination of two. For instance, you can open with some accomplishments then include a personal story below. This is a good strategy if you want to showcase a mix of accomplishments and metrics. You’ll want to keep it professional while ensuring that you’re saying things in a unique way – just imagine the coolest boss you’ve ever had and what you’d be saying to them if you walked into the office excited about a new project.

5. Use LinkedIn Mobile

If you’re paying for the service and you’re on your phone a lot especially when you’re out, it’s a good idea to get the mobile app so that you can be the first one to respond should a potential employer or recruiter reach out. It’s also a nice idea to have this on your phone so that you can make updates to your profile while you’re out and about – it’s probably a better use of time than scrolling Facebook!

Conclusion

Who your summary attracts, in the end, will depend on a lot of different factors, and some of that might just be luck. What’s important is that you incorporate keywords and phrases that might catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. The key to the success of your LinkedIn marketing is going to be keeping it professional but still genuine.

Your LinkedIn job-hunting experience is going to be a lot smoother if you pay attention to the little details in your profile, and your summary is really key to catching people’s attention. But try not to stress about it too much - everything is an experiment, and this can be a really fun way to get to know yourself better.

And don’t hesitate to ask for feedback, endorsements or networking support from friends and other professionals in your field!

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