Introduction to 4 LinkedIn Hacks

Home to professionals, recruiters, and Fortune 500 companies, LinkedIn is a powerful platform from which to leverage your career. According to statistics, 44% of LinkedIn users land jobs that earn over $75,000 a year.

However, to stand out from the 660 million other users on the platform, you need to get smart about your profile. Otherwise, your page will simply become a place that people wish you “Happy birthday,” and you’re not sure you remember who they are.

The good news is that by utilizing a few insider LinkedIn hacks, you can go from the bottom of the pile to having headhunters fight over you. Read on to discover the top tips for pushing your profile into the search results.

1. Maintain Your Profile Before Job Hunting

LinkedIn pages act as online resumes, something that many people forget until the time comes to hastily update them in preparation for job hunting.

This strategy might have worked in times when your resume simply lived on your desktop, but nowadays, search algorithms and ranking factors make this a bad idea.

To increase the ranking and visibility of your profile, you must maintain and update it as you acquire new skills and roles—not only when you are pounding the pavement for a placement. This will also ensure you make a good first digital impression on people with whom you are interacting in your current job.

2. Implement SEO for Your LinkedIn Profile

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of placing strategic keywords in online text in order to make you come up higher on search results. While SEO is utilized heavily in web design and online marketing, it is just as important for your personal LinkedIn profile.

By intentionally placing throughout your page keywords for which you wish to rank in LinkedIn's searches, you will increase the chances of being found when a recruiter searches for these terms.

3. Use a Professionally Taken Headshot

Nothing speaks to professionalism more than a crisp headshot.

This is why you would be wise to invest in having a headshot taken for your LinkedIn profile.

At all costs, avoid using selfies, especially those with other people or pets in them, or wearing clothes that do no project your chosen professional brand.

4. Make Changes to Your Page to Increase Dwell Time

Dwell time is the amount of time visitors spend on your LinkedIn page. If the dwell time on your page is low, LinkedIn will not display your profile to as many people. This is because a low dwell time indicates to LinkedIn that your page does not provide much value.

Conversely, if you implement strategies to increase dwell time on your page, LinkedIn will take this as a sign that your profile is of interest to people and will display it more prominently in searches.

Some strategies to increase dwell time:

• Providing links and media
• Attaching portfolios
• Adding publications
• Incorporating white space

If these or any of the other strategies we have mentioned are not something you wish to wrap your head around, keep in mind that you do not have to DIY your LinkedIn profile. You can take advantage of our professional resume services that include LinkedIn optimization and guidance as well as interview training and much more.

Now You Know About Some of the Best LinkedIn Hacks

Now that you know about some of the LinkedIn hacks that will get recruiters fighting over you—you may be ready to put your profile to work for you.

If you do not have the time to upgrade your LinkedIn page to these standards or to research the other LinkedIn hacks that exist (such as page settings and URL personalization), be sure to check out our services, as well as our reviews. Feel free to contact us for more information or to request a free 30-minute Career Success Consultation.