1️⃣ Unprofessional Profile Photo Your profile picture is the first impression for your profile. Make it count! Use a close-up photo of your face with a smile. Look directly into the camera. Use a high-quality picture, ideally 400x400 pixels. Choose a clean background color. You can use remove.bg to remove your background. You can also use an AI tool like InstaHeadshots. 2️⃣Weak Headline After your profile photo and banner, recruiters look at your headline. An easy format is “[Role] at [Company] | [1-2 Key Skills] | [Social Proof]” 3️⃣Not Using Your Banner Everyone who comes to your LinkedIn profile will see your banner, it is an important space to use effectively! - Have a clear, simple message about what you do and why people should follow or connect with you. - Include social proof like “Featured in Forbes” (if true) to build credibility. 4️⃣ No Examples of Your Work (in the About or Featured section) To stand out in a crowded market, add a bit about yourself and your story in your About section. No generic or AI-generated text! - Use the Featured section to link to your website or a LinkedIn post that showcases work you’ve done in the past. - Bring your CV to life with real examples. 5️⃣ SEO Unfriendly Profile LinkedIn is a search engine, and keywords on your profile are how recruiters find you. How to Fix It: - Optimize these sections: Headline, About, Experience, and Skills. - Use industry-specific keywords that recruiters are likely to search for. - Use these keywords in your experience too! 6️⃣ Not Getting Recommendations Recommendations from colleagues, managers, or clients add credibility to your profile. How to Fix It: - Request recommendations from people you’ve worked with closely. - Give suggestions to help them focus on specific skills or projects. - Give recommendations to others; they might return the favor. COMMENT “LinkedIn” and I’ll send you my full list of 10 LinkedIn Profile Optimizations! 👇