This breaks down, step by step, what it takes to create an optimized LinkedIn profile. Your profile will stand out from the millions of others if you follow all 10 steps.

1. How do I make a LinkedIn Profile?
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2. Profile Picture
Rule of thumb = look at
other people's profiles
that are in your industry.
If your industry always
wears suits and ties, don't
have a profile picture with
a polo on.
Vice versa, if your
industry is more laid
back, don't take a
headshot with a suit and
tie.
You don't need a
professional headshot.
Smartphone cameras
work just as well.
Be approachable in the
photo. You want
someone to see it and
think "I can see myself
working with you".
Lighting is key here. Find
a place with lots of
natural light.
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3. Background photo
Showcase your brand,
what you like, and what
industry that you want to
get into.
If you want to get into the
sports industry, find a
way to incorporate your
favorite teams in this
banner photo.
If you really like building
products, showcase that.
Use canva.com to create
a 1584 x 396 template.
Use stock photos from
unspash.com for the
image.
If you aren't creative, ask
a friend who is to help!
Get rid of the standard
blue background they
give you. Use this space
to stand out.
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4. Your headline
One of the most
important places on your
profile to help you show
up in search results.
Find 5 of your favorite job
descriptions that you
want to do and stick them
in jobscan.co
This will give you specific
key words that pop up
the most in the job
descriptions
Ex. email marketing
Instead of putting
"student at x | interested
in email marketing
Say
Using email marketing to
grow company email lists
by 30%
Take those key words and
find interesting ways to
put them in an attention
grabbing headline.
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5. Your headline pt 2
This section is so
important that it needed
a second part.
The attention grabbing
part should be the first
half of the headline, but
the second part is more
tactical.
This is where you put the
job titles that you'd like to
work in the future.
Ex of good a good
headline:
Branding | Storytelling |
If you're still reading this,
then I marketed right.
Stand out. Finding a job is
more than just having a
resume or Linkedin.
You don't need to put
"student" in your
headline
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6. Summary
First 300 characters are
most important. These
characters need to make
people want to click "see
more".
Find a way to connect
with someone quickly.
A reminder that this isn't
just where you
regurgitate your resume.
Ex. of a good first 300
characters:
With professional
experience in Content
Writing and Digital
Marketing, I bring creative
and fresh ideas to the
world of content. My
content is focused on
gaining engagement and
creating a brilliant brand
presence online & offline.
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7. Summary body text
Tell your story while
weaving in
accomplishments.
Use this section to
elaborate on the highs
and lows of your journey
so far.
Are you creating
something? Was there a
crazy situation that
happened at your student
club? This are all
important.
People see your resume
before your Linkedin.
Don't make them read
the same thing twice.
If I read your summary,
do I learn something that
I never knew about you? I
should read it and think "I
really want to learn more
about this person".
This place should be used
for everything that can't
be written on a resume.
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8. Featured section
This is where you get to
show some of your work.
Link projects, your
resume, personal
websites, etc.
The sad truth is many
people lie on their
resumes. That makes
recruiters second guess a
lot of what they see on
paper.
Show. Don't tell.
Ex. have excel skills?
Create a video of you
doing a pivot table or
manipulating data to
complete a school project.
Again. Show. Don't tell.
Overcome that worry that
recruiters feel by
providing visual evidence
that you can do what you
say you can do on your
resume.
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9. Expereince
BUT you can also stand
out by again, linking to
your work.
This is where you can
copy and paste your
resume.
Show. Don't tell.
A good resource is to
google "harvard action
verbs".
Again. Show. Don't tell.
Use action verbs and
leverage real data points
whenever possible.
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Anyone can say anything,
but if you have proof, no
one can deny it.
Projects that you do in
college count for
experience too.

10. Find more cheat
codes on the
Declassified College
Podcast
Link in bio
Listen on
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