We spend time crafting our resumes, sometimes making them look as sharp as we can but often overlook how powerful a well-written LinkedIn profile can be.

Why LinkedIn? In the last few years, I’ve been sending my candidates' LinkedIn profiles along with their resumes. I’m seeing more and more hiring managers and recruiters turning to your online resume (LinkedIn profile) over the traditional document. This just shows how important it is to keep it updated.

Here are the top things I’d focus on if I were a job seeker:

Headline

Your headline is the bit that sits under your name and tells people who you are. I like to structure it as: Title, Industry and Company | Short description of your skills.

Summary

This is the most forgotten yet one of the most effective tools to generate interest in your profile. In your summary, you should talk about yourself, highlight key achievements, and list your main deliverables. Don’t forget to include the keywords you want to be found for.

Responsibilities

Don’t just list your company and job title. Include five key responsibilities you handle daily. Again, make sure to use the right keywords to draw interest to your profile.

Sign Off

To finish where we started, your LinkedIn profile is your digital resume. Make sure you invest the time to keep them in sync.

I’ve helped many people write, structure, and improve their profiles, so if you need more advice, feel free to reach out on LinkedIn or email me at hello@leaderscout.co.