9 steps to a stronger linkedin profile

9 Steps to a Stronger LinkedIn Profile

In 2017, LinkedIn reached 500 million users from over 200 countries — with more than 10 million active job posts and information on over 9 million companies. All of which means that, whether you’re a recent grad searching for an entry-level job in your field or a mid-career professional looking for a company switch, this site is a powerful tool. You can find job openings, research companies, and be found by recruiters. And the stronger your profile is, the more use you’ll get out of it. Below, we have some tips and tricks to help you hone your LinkedIn page to make it more visible and more impactful!

First, make sure everything’s up-to-date.

This may seem like it should go without saying, but much as with a resume, it’s very easy to let the sections of your LinkedIn profile fall to the wayside. Make sure your experience section lists all the roles you’ve been in (not just what you were doing the last time you were looking for a job). And fill out all your recent accomplishments, organization involvement, and volunteer work. Showing your recent activity both inside and outside of work is key.

While making these updates, use keywords throughout your profile.

Sprinkling the right words into your profile can increase your visibility — and your authority, once people find and view your profile. Utilize key industry words to show the people searching for a graphic designer or a back-end web developer that you actually know what you’re doing.

And while you’re at it, avoid those vague, general buzzwords that are often used but don’t actually tell the reader any helpful details about you. There are so many people claiming to be “focused,” adding your name to that list isn’t going to set you apart from the crowd. Every year, LinkedIn releases a list of the ten most overused buzzwords on their site. The 2017 list includes:

  1. Specialized
  2. Leadership
  3. Passionate
  4. Strategic
  5. Experienced
  6. Focused
  7. Expert
  8. Certified
  9. Creative
  10. Excellent

Of course, this doesn’t mean you need to avoid these words at all cost or that they’ll add no value to your profile. There’s even a whole “Certifications” section you should definitely utilize. It’s just that these buzzwords shouldn’t be the bulk of what you write. Instead, place a greater emphasis on words that are industry-specific and showcase what you actually do.

This includes your headline and summary.

Take some time to craft a personal, detailed summary to tell people about you — this is also a great place to use keywords and get your main points across. A quick note, though: part of your summary is cut off unless the reader clicks “Show more.” Keep in mind that only the first 220 characters will be immediately visible on a desktop, and 92 characters on mobile. For more tips on crafting your summary, check out the balance’s Tips for Writing a Great LinkedIn Summary With Examples.

LinkedIn

And instead of sticking to a standard job title for your headline, use a more creative description that tells people what you do. Both your headline and summary are often underused, even though they take up prime profile real estate. After all, they’re right at the very top of the page, underneath your profile picture.

And speaking of your profile picture…

Be mindful of your photo as well. Use a clear, professional photo, such as a headshot. Avoid grainy pictures that don’t cast you in a professional light — that picture of you holding a beer while out with your friends is a definite no. It’s also usually best to avoid photos with other people or your pet (unless your line of work involves pets). If you want to add more personality to your page, you can do this with your cover photo (but still no photos of you holding a beer).

But your profile picture isn’t the only place you can use imagery.

 LinkedIn also allows you to upload media to your profile. This is a great opportunity to showcase projects you’ve worked on and materials you’ve created for your job. In your Summary or Experience section, link to an online portfolio or website you created or upload projects you’ve completed. Showing is much more effective than just telling.

Take advantage of content sharing.

Besides adding media to your profile that people can view when looking at your page, you can also engage with shareable content. Similar to Facebook or Twitter, you can post text updates and share articles, photos, or videos. LinkedIn also allows you to write an article directly on the site. Be active on LinkedIn by sharing articles (either your own or somebody else’s), or by liking, sharing, or commenting on other posts. The more active you are, the more visible you are, and the more you showcase your authority in the field.

Clean up your URL.

Speaking of increasing visibility, did you know you can personalize your URL? By default, LinkedIn assigns a bunch of random numbers and letters to your URL — which isn’t helpful when you want to appear at the top of searches. But this is an easy change to make. On LinkedIn, head to the menu labeled “Me” at the top of the page and click “View profile.” On the right-hand sidebar, you’ll see a box marked “Edit public profile & URL.” Here you’ll be able to edit your URL to something like “linkedin.com/in/firstname-lastname” to make yourself more findable.

Then, clean up your endorsements and request recommendations.

Endorsements, like summaries, are often underused. That’s understandable, considering the vast array of endorsements that exist and how so many of them seem to be unrelated to what you do. With the right management, though, this section can help bolster your profile. You can remove unwanted endorsements (like that time your college friend endorsed you for “pizza” as a joke) and reorganize them so that the most important ones are at the top.

In addition to endorsing your skills, connections on LinkedIn can also recommend you. To request a recommendation, navigate to the connection’s profile and click the “More” button underneath their heading. In this dropdown menu, you can request a recommendation — or, share the love and recommend that person yourself. Treat your profile as your own personal Yelp page and rack up reviews.

And finally, help people find you outside of LinkedIn.

It’s a big internet out there, and chances are you’re on more websites than just LinkedIn. By linking to these other sites, you can give people a multidimensional view of who you are. There are a couple different methods to add websites and your Twitter account to your LinkedIn contact section.

To add websites — be it a blog, your company’s site, your author’s page for a publication, anything — go to the “Contact and Personal Info” section in the bar on the right side of the page and click the edit icon. In the window that pops up, you’ll be able to add various websites.

LinkedIn

A useful trick here: when you select a website type, like “blog” or “company,” these general labels will be what displays on your page. If you’d like something more personalized, such as the name of your blog, select “other” and enter what you want to appear on your profile in the bar labeled “type (other).”

To link your Twitter account, click the menu in the upper-righthand corner labeled “Me” and head to the “Setting & Privacy” section. Under “Partners and Services,” you be able to change your Twitter settings to connect your account. Links to both your Twitter page and any websites will be viewable under the “Contact and Personal Info” section on the right-hand sidebar of your profile.

One thought on “9 Steps to a Stronger LinkedIn Profile

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to get more info sent straight to your inbox!

What to Expect: Realistic Outcomes

Climb’s Comprehensive Access Solution can offer a strategic balance of increased enrollments and upfront cashflows compared to traditional lenders. While no financing solution guarantees 100% collection, our data-driven approach maximizes both upfront cash and long-term repayment rates.

Typical Partner Results:

  • 15-30% of students qualify for Climb Loans with upfront tuition delivered to the school shortly after course start
  • 45-60% of students qualify for 0% APR* payment plans
  • Enrollment increases of 20%+ reported by partner schools**

**Results vary by school and student demographics. This represents performance reported by individual school partners and should not be considered a guarantee of your specific outcomes.

The bottom line: CAS is designed to maximize your net tuition recovery while eliminating the administrative headaches of student financing.

Maximizing Your Results

Pro Tip: Schools that require student deposits and set up automatic payments during enrollment see significantly better repayment performance across all financing options. These simple steps can meaningfully improve your outcomes.

FAQs

We use a comprehensive, AI-driven assessment that goes beyond traditional FICO scores to better serve career training students:

  • Climb Credit Score: Over 150 data points specifically designed for vocational students
  • Debt-to-Income Ratio: Reliable predictor of payment performance
  • FICO Score: Used primarily for interest rate assignment

Key advantages of our approach:

  • Soft credit pull until loan funding (no credit impact during application)
  • The majority of students receive instant decisions
  • Students can apply with co-borrowers directly in the application
  • More accurate placement into appropriate financing products

We use a comprehensive, AI-driven assessment that goes beyond traditional FICO scores to better serve career training students:

  • Climb Credit Score: Over 150 data points specifically designed for vocational students
  • Debt-to-Income Ratio: Reliable predictor of payment performance
  • FICO Score: Used primarily for interest rate assignment

Key advantages of our approach:

  • Soft credit pull until loan funding (no credit impact during application)
  • The majority of students receive instant decisions
  • Students can apply with co-borrowers directly in the application
  • More accurate placement into appropriate financing products

Students are placed into funding brackets (Elite, Standard, Enhanced) based on our AI assessment. Higher-credit students generate higher upfront payments to your school, while students with limited credit are seamlessly directed to our 0% Payment Plan.

These brackets are established using data from over $1 billion in career training loan originations and may be adjusted periodically based on updated repayment trends.

Important note: Regardless of which bracket a student falls into, they are considered fully paid by your school once funded. The student’s repayment obligation exists exclusively between Climb and the student.

Elite Access not available for Computer Science programs. Upfront percentages vary by industry and loan terms.

Once Climb disburses upfront funding for a student loan, that student is considered fully paid by your school. You will not receive any additional payments for that student—the single upfront payment is complete and final.

From that point forward, the student’s repayment obligation exists exclusively between Climb and the student. Your school has zero liability if the student defaults, and you keep the full upfront payment regardless of the student’s future payment performance.

They’re automatically offered our 0% Interest Payment Plan, ensuring no student is turned away while maintaining steady monthly cash flow for your school.

Higher-credit students generate larger upfront payments (75-100% of tuition), while students with limited credit use our 0% APR* Payment Plan for consistent monthly revenue. Both options are risk-free for your school

Absolutely. Climb complements existing payment options like scholarships, employer-sponsored programs, and internal financing.

Absolutely. Climb complements existing payment options like scholarships, employer-sponsored programs, and internal financing.

Typically, within 5-10 business days after your partnership agreement is signed.

Comprehensive onboarding webinar, continuous partner support via AI-assisted chat and live email—and real-time borrower assistance with our live-chat-available student success team.

No. Climb fully manages the administrative responsibilities—your team simply monitors your school’s performance via our intuitive School Portal.

Your school is fully protected either way. For Climb Loans, you keep the entire upfront payment with zero liability. For Payment Plans, you only receive what students actually pay, with no risk to your school.