Is LinkedIn a mystery to you? Or you are quite familiar with its possibilities, but you feel like you need some additional tips to be more effective in achieving your goal? Or you want to improve your profile so that it is in line with your goal and target group? We have prepared 18 tips on how to hack LinkedIn as a job seeker. Here’s a quick sneak peek at it and why it’s worth to watch the whole presentation: - How to write a unique profile summary that nobody can copy as their own, a tagline that doesn’t say “I’m desperately looking for a job” and how to choose proper profile & background photos - Why your activity should be selective, purposeful and why it’s not worth commenting on everything if you don’t want to be perceived as a spammer - How to build a valuable network (incl. personalized invitations) and how it can help you achieve your goals by e.g. endorsing your skills or giving recommendations - Why you should take care of every detail and make sure your profile is flawless. Tip: always assume your reader is a perfectionist!

1. Hacking LinkedIn
asf
18 tips presented by
&No-bert Yes-ica
for job seekers

2. Tag / Head line
Tag / Head line
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LI mistake #31
I am looking for new
opportunities
I am open to new
challenges
As your job search does
not define you, use your
profession or role
When searching for candidates, a headhunter will use, e.g.
Marketing Director / IT Manager etc. If your tagline says “open
to work”, “unemployed” or “looking for a new job”, you are
not necessarily a more attractive candidate – you might
achieve the opposite. Mention your (future) role or profession.
www.CareerAngels.eu

3. A photo says more than a thousand words
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #32
A photo says more than a thousand words
When someone visits your profile, the first thing they see is your
photo. Who will they see? Remember: first impressions are
lasting! Make sure the photo is of good quality, inviting and
professional. To quote LinkedIn, “having a photo can lead to
up to 9x more connection requests.”
www.CareerAngels.euwww.CareerAngels.eu

4. Personalized link
https://pl.linkedin.com/in/sandrabichl/012394/mink/0234
(by default)
www.linkedin.com/in/sandrabichl
[Note: can be added to your email signature or CV]
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #33
Personalizing the link to you LinkedIn profile shows that you are
familiar with the tool, that you care about your personal
brand and that you are probably at least a bit marketing
or technology aware or both. And a nicely looking link can be
easily added to your email signature or CV.
Personalized link
www.CareerAngels.eu

5. Typos or typoes?
Do a spell check
on your profile and have
somebody proofread it.
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #34
Typos
Bad spelling
Incorrect company names
Your LinkedIn profile is your business card – just like your CV.
Always assume your reader is a perfectionist. You can be
a great fit for a role, but they might reject you because of
the details. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is free of any
mistakes. Plus: the algorithm doesn’t understand typos.
Typos or typoes?
www.CareerAngels.eu

6. To summarize or not to summarize?
no summary
generic summary
You've given your
positioning and branding
some thought and have a
well-written, unique and
professional profile summary.
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #35
When writing a profile summary, ask yourself: what is the goal
of your LinkedIn profile? Do you want recruiters to see you as
a potential candidate? Or find clients? Make sure it’s unique
and well-written. If somebody can easily copy/paste it to use
as their own – it’s not unique enough. Tip: use keywords.
To summarize or not to summarize?
www.CareerAngels.eu

7. Recommendations
only a few...
You've received and
given 10 or more
valuable & credible
recommendations.
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #36
If you decide to activate that feature of LinkedIn, do it right
or not at all. Make sure to keep the balance between received
and given recommendations. Tip: to increase the chances
of receiving recommendations, prepare and pre-write them
for your network.
Recommendations
www.CareerAngels.eu

8. LinkedIn is not Facebook
Sharing personal updates
as wedding, sick dog,
a video of a concert
and alike. Swearing.
Keep it professional
and work-related.
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #37
LinkedIn is not Facebook. LinkedIn is not Facebook. LinkedIn is
not Facebook. LinkedIn is not Facebook. LinkedIn is not
Facebook. LinkedIn is not Facebook. LinkedIn is not Facebook.
LinkedIn is not Facebook. LinkedIn is not Facebook. LinkedIn is
not Facebook. LinkedIn is not Facebook.
LinkedIn is not Facebook
www.CareerAngels.eu

9. Connections
499 or less... 500+
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #38
The more connections you have, the more people can see you
in their search results and consequently, more people can
contact you – which works both ways! If you are a manager or
executive with more than 10 years of experience, it’d be weird
if you’d met less than 500 people in the course of your career.
Connections
www.CareerAngels.eu

10. Up to date or outdated?
You haven't updated
your profile in 2-3 years.
Super bad: especially if
you've changed companies.
Review and update your
LinkedIn profile
whenever necessary.
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #39
Your LinkedIn profile should be consistent with your CV,
therefore always up to date! If you want to be considered
as a potential candidate, a headhunter needs to know your most
recent role and company. Leaving it outdated strongly
decreases your chances of being contacted / finding a job.
Up to date or outdated?
www.CareerAngels.eu

11. Email address
Only one.
Either private
or business.
Multiple, so that
the most important
contacts can find you.
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #40
Imagine that your LinkedIn profile has everything: a good photo,
a well-written summary, zero mistakes. A recruiter sees you
as a perfect match for their project, but… they can’t contact
you, because you don’t have access to your former business
email. To avoid that scenario, include min. 2 email addresses.
Email Address
www.CareerAngels.eu

12. LinkedIn for job search
SPAM everyone
everywhere
(like an elephant in
a china shop).
Use the option
"Career Interest" to
communicate your
preferences precisely.
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #41
The alternative to looking desperate by saying “I’m looking for
a job” in your tagline and posting about it regularly is to
strategically switch on your job search availability to
recruiters and to properly fill out the Career Interest or Job
Seeker Preferences section in the settings of your profile.
LinkedIn for job search
www.CareerAngels.eu

13. Industry vs. Role
Confusing role with
industry.
HR Manager in an
automotive company
= automotive NOT HR
industry.
Use the correct/closest
industry (if multiple apply,
choose the desired one).
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #42
“Industry” is often one of the criteria a recruiter checks
when searching for candidates. Be careful not to confuse it with
your role = if you are an IT Director in a pharma company, your
industry is pharma – not IT. If your goal is to change industries,
select your target industry. It’s not visible on your profile.
Industry vs. Role
www.CareerAngels.eu

14. Invitations
Send invites to
everyone without any
personalized message.
Accept everyone
without filter.
Use LinkedIn strategically
& in a personalized,
professional manner.
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #43
Growing your network is important. Don’t connect with
random strangers. Before sending or accepting an invitation,
check their profile out. If you are the one sending a contact
request, personalize it! It’s always good to let them know
why you want to connect. Otherwise, it might be seen as spam.
Invitations
www.CareerAngels.eu

15. Endorsed skills for candidates
Don't have any or have
irrelevant / incorrect
skills.
Review which skills are
required by your ideal job
ads.
Add the most appropriate
ones to your profile.
Get them endorsed.
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #44
Choose 10 (relevant) job ads that you like the most and make
a list of the required top skills. Review the skills and add the
ones you actually have to your profile. Ask your network to
endorse them. This way you’ll make sure that your profile gets
recommended “top candidate” when applying to fitting job ads.
Endorsed skills for candidates
www.CareerAngels.eu

16. Languages used in the profile
A mixture of
2-3 languages.
1 language / profile.
If it applies: have
additional profiles in
other languages.
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #45
Your LinkedIn profile should be consistent and legible. It also
applies to the language you use. The rule is: all sections of your
profile should be written in one language – don’t mix several
languages. If such a need occurs, you can create an additional
version of your profile in a different language.
Languages used in the profile
www.CareerAngels.eu

17. Activity
Like / Share / Comment
on anything & everything
Think about your
personal brand.
Be selective and
purposeful.
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #47
Your LinkedIn Activity should be selective, purposeful and
in line with your LinkedIn profile goal. When liking / sharing /
commenting something, have your target group in mind.
Don’t react to anything and everything. Don’t be a spammer.
Don’t be a troll. Remember: LinkedIn is not Facebook.
Activity
www.CareerAngels.eu

18. Background Photo
Random.
Too personal.
Bad quality.
In line with
- your company's or
- your own brand.
Alternatively: keep it empty.
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #48
When uploading your background photo, choose one in line
with your company / your own brand and with the goal of
your LinkedIn profile. Alternatively, leave it empty. This is
preferred to having bad quality, random or too personal
photos or stock photos. Our favourite: with watermarks.
Background Photo
www.CareerAngels.eu

19. Connections & Followers
Have less followers
than connections
Be random about it.
Be purposeful in
how you build your
network.
Have at least 10-20% more
followers than connections.
@CareerAngels.eu @Career_Angels_Team@Career Angels
LinkedIn mistake #49
The moment you have any kind of activity on LinkedIn (even a
like), your connections automatically become your followers.
If you have less followers than connections, it means that
people don’t want to see your content. Recommended goal:
have at least 10-20% more followers than connections.
Connections & Followers
www.CareerAngels.eu

20. Is LinkedIn still a mystery to you?
Need to improve your profile so that it is in line with
your goal and target group?
If you are a manager or executive with min. 10 years
of experience, get in touch with Career Angels to
request a free LinkedIn Report.
Send us an email with the link to your profile to
Bichl.Sandra@CareerAngels.eu
Subject: Yes-ica
Yes-ica

21. More tips & free resources (hyperlinked)
LinkedIn Company Page – daily tips & up to date advice
Market Signals – regular updates on the European job market
Hidden Job Market – group on LinkedIn with weekly job ad gems
YouTube Channel – with recorded lectures & webinars
Thank you for reading
these 18 tips!
We have more!