LinkedIn Profile Optimization

Visual elements

The first impression in the digital environment is purely visual. When landing on a profile, the first thing that captures the recruiter's attention are the header and profile images.

It is essential to replace the default gray background offered by the platform with a banner or cover image that communicates professionalism or context about the candidate's industry.

This image can be an abstract corporate design, a photograph of a work environment related to the industry, or even your own creativity that includes keywords, as long as it maintains sobriety.

Regarding the profile picture, consistency is key. It is recommended to use the same image as in the resume to generate a sense of familiarity and facilitate cross-identification between paper and screen.

The photo should be current, showing a clear face and attire appropriate to the role being sought; a cropped image from a party or in poor lighting can irreparably damage credibility before a single word is read.

Headline and excerpt (About)

The professional headline is, along with the name, the only field that accompanies the candidate in all their interactions within the network (comments, requests, searches).

Therefore, it is a mistake to simply put the current position (e.g. "Accountant in Company X").

You should take advantage of this space to write a value proposition using keywords that recruiters use in their searches, such as "International Tax Specialist | Audit and Risk Management".

This text functions as a self-advertisement. The "About" section or excerpt is the place to develop the professional narrative.

Here you have more space (up to 2,600 characters) to tell the story that cold data cannot convey.

Instead of a list of tasks, it should be written in the first person, explaining what drives the professional, what his or her greatest quantifiable accomplishments are, and what problems he or she is capable of solving for a future company.

It is advisable to structure it with short paragraphs and bullet points to facilitate reading, including at the end a call to action or contact information to invite the connection.

Personalized URL

A technical detail that denotes care and digital knowledge is the customization of the web address (URL) of the public profile.

By default, the platform assigns an address that includes the name followed by a long string of random numbers and letters.

It is essential to edit this configuration to obtain a clean URL, preferably composed of "first-name-last-name" or "first-name-last-name-profession".

This simplified version is not only more aesthetically pleasing, but is also the one to copy and paste into the resume header.

A clean URL takes u