This is a comprehensive guide to best optimize your LinkedIn profile to simply crush it! These are best practices that work for both students and professionals looking to get more visibility and begin creating economic opportunity. Learn how to best market and brand yourself.

1. T h i s i s h o w y o u ' l l c r u s h i t !
W W W . G E R M A I N L O U I E . C O M
A G U I D E T O
ELEVATE
YOUR
PROFILE
ELEVATE
YOUR
PROFILE

2. PROFILE BREAKDOWN
Take a clear headshot wearing the appropriate attire to represent your personal
brand. Nothing fancy is necessary. To elevate your photo, use tools like Canva
and remove.bg to create a profile photo that pops!
Create a winning LinkedIn Banner. The proper dimensions are 1584px x 396px.
Consider including: (1) a relevant background photo (2) logo(s), products and/or
service offerings (3) social media links & personal portfolio (4) areas of expertise
(5) call to action.
Be strategic and consider highlighting skills that would best position yourself
for where you want to be in 1, 3, or 5 years.
Profile Photo & Banner
Use your headline to show: "[Role/Department] at [Company] | Industry of
Interest | Unique Statement"
Updating your headline on the LinkedIn Mobile App allows you to utilize more
characters than the desktop version.
If you are looking for opportunity in a specific region, set your location to that
location. This could be jobs, networking events, speaking engagements, etc.
Headline & Location
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3. Craft an impact statement to
incorporate your strengths,
passions, and purpose.
Share accomplishments,
interests, clear call to action,
skills (experienced and in
progress), link to external
portfolio (website or github),
and contact information.
Include keywords that are
relevant to your field. (Analyze
job descriptions to get an idea
of things to include)
Be sure to incorporate rich
media that highlights relevant
projects.
Summary
This is more than just a
resume. Take advantage of
the digital space to list all
work experiences.
Try to list at least 3
roles/experiences: leadership
positions and work.
Be specific and unique with
job titles to incorporate
keywords.
Tell a story with your
experiences OR list clear
bullets following the format:
"Accomplished 'X' measured
by 'Y' using 'Z'."
Again, include rich digital
media where possible:
external links, images, pdfs,
etc.
Experience
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4. Begin listing any educational
programs: University attended,
study abroad and summer
programs, etc.
Include extracurricular involvement,
honors and recognitions, relevant
coursework, projects, and more
digital media!
Benefit: allows affiliates to find you
utilizing the Alumni feature (and
the reverse!)
Education
List all certifications and e-learnings
courses completed (LinkedIn
Learning, udemy, coursera,
Hubspot, Google, etc.)
Allows recruiters to find you based
on specific qualifications
Licenses & Certifications
Utilize this to showcase your
interests and involvement within
your community
Similar to the experience category,
be specific with your volunteer role
and include descriptions or
measurable accomplishments that
highlight your impact.
This is a great place to continue
incorporating keywords relevant for
your industry!
Volunteer Experience
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5. Pin your 3 most relevant skills
necessary in your industry.
This will be commonly
endorsed by your network.
List all relevant soft- and
technical- skills
Remember to endorse others
you have worked with!
Skills & Endorsements
This is one of the most
important sections - the font
is the LARGEST here. This area
can serve similar to a letter of
recommendation.
Ask for recommendations
from previous employers or
colleagues you have worked
with. Provide guidelines of
specific areas you may want
them to highlight.
I recommend giving
recommendations in return.
Recommendations
Incorporate as much
information as you can where
possible.
Including Honors & Awards
creates additional credibility.
Let others know about areas
you've received recognition in!
Accomplishments
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6. BONUS TIP!
Download your profile as a PDF and upload it to www.resumeworded.com. This
website will critique your profile and provide you with some feedback to best
optimize and improve your profile.
Share this with someone who
needs to see this to elevate and
crush their profile! Need help or
have questions? Contact me via
LinkedIn or my personal website.
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