LinkedIn continues being one of the most important platforms for establishing a professional online presence and showcasing your skills and accomplishments. With over 930 million users, LinkedIn remains the main platform for recruiters, hiring managers, and professionals seeking potential candidates. In this blog, we’ll discuss the various ways on how to optimize your LinkedIn profile for recruiters to discover you as an LGBTQ+ job seeker.
Photos: Upload professional images
There are two primary photos people see when they visit your profile. They are your profile photo and background banner photo. Be sure to use a professional profile photo.
Upload a current, high-quality headshot (or representation) of yourself
Including a photo on your LinkedIn profile is important for optimizing your LinkedIn profile. But there are nuances for LGBTQ+ individuals who are job seekers, especially trans and non-binary folks.
While a traditional professional headshot is generally recommended to attract attention from recruiters, it’s also important to honor your personal boundaries. Some people, for example, have successfully used illustrations or avatars (such as Picrew) as their LinkedIn headshot, reflecting their identity and comfort level. In the end, your choice should align with what makes you feel safe and confident. But, keep in mind that a clear, well-lit headshot often helps humanize your profile and can make a strong first impression with potential employers.
Upload a customized LinkedIn banner as an LGBTQ+ job seeker
Besides your profile photo, your banner is also one of the first things people see when they visit your profile.
Though it might seem like a small detail compared to the rest of your LinkedIn profile, putting in the extra effort in creating a custom, professional, and well-thought out banner that stands out among other profiles can leave a lasting impression to employers. In your LinkedIn banner, mention your name, what you do at a glance, what value you bring to the table, and your core values and beliefs.
LinkedIn headline: Highlight your unique skills as an LGBTQ+ job seeker
Your headline is one of the first parts of your profile that someone will see, so it deserves the extra attention. Also consider that the words you use in your headline can be searched in LinkedIn’s search feature. Use the 220 characters available in your headline to specifically and selectively highlight the job title, skills, or expertise for which you want to be known for.
Here are some examples of frameworks to use to optimize your headline for keyword searches:
- Role | Specific achievement
- Digital Ads Manager | 6 Years Experience Managing 7-Figure Ad Budgets
- Role | Years of experience in industry
- Human Resources Manager | 8 Years of Recruiting Experience
- Role | Helping (type of company) do (result)
- Social Media Manager | Helping B2B startups manage and grow their social media presence
- Role | Specializing in (specific niche)
- Content Marketing Strategist specializing in blog content and social media
For more LinkedIn headline examples and tips, read my previous blog on LinkedIn headline tips for LGBTQ+ job seekers, freelancers, & DEI professionals.
About: Summarize your unique value
Most recruiters prefer candidates to get straight to the point about their professional ambitions, personal brand, and unique skillset in no more than two paragraphs.
The About section in LinkedIn is a career synopsis or professional summary of your resume. You should summarize the types of industries you’ve worked in, areas of expertise, and projects and achievements you’re proud of. Have a few details of your interests and hobbies outside of work which can help you seem more relatable and personable.
Also, include a clear call to action at the end of your About section. Let people know what you’re looking for and how they can get in touch with you. For example, your call to action can be an invitation to contact you or to visit your website.
Featured LinkedIn content: Highlight and repurpose your key accomplishments as an LGBTQ+ job seeker
LinkedIn allows you to populate your Featured section with posts, newsletters, articles, links, or media. Most recruiters recommend using this area to draw attention to specific aspects of your skills and expertise that are most relevant to the roles you’re targeting.
Besides showcasing achievements like links to articles or case studies, consider repurposing existing content. Here are ways to get creative with how you present your work and recognition to make your profile stand out.
Feature an introductory post
Create a LinkedIn introductory post such as featuring your name, your education path, how you got to where you are now, and your ideal or current career path. An introductory post will help those who don’t know you yet to learn more about who you are and what you are using LinkedIn for.
Feature recommendations/testimonials
When someone leaves a recommendation or testimonial on your profile, it normally sits at the bottom. Transform that recommendation or testimonial into a visual image and feature it at the top of your profile.
Feature media appearances
You can feature links to media appearances on your LinkedIn Featured section by sharing the link to an article or video. Featuring media appearances can help with showcasing your expertise and also be good social proof.
Showcase best-performing posts
Showcasing your best-performing posts in your LinkedIn Featured section can be a powerful way to highlight your expertise and engagement with relevant topics.
Select posts that received high engagement as these indicate strong interest from your network and can demonstrate your influence and thought leadership.
By placing popular posts in your Featured section, you create an opportunity for recruiters and potential employers to see the topics you’re passionate about and the impact you’ve had on your audience. You can also include posts that align with your target industry or role.
Share your newsletter
If you have a newsletter, showcasing it in your LinkedIn Featured section is an excellent way to expand its reach and connect with professionals interested in your insights.
You can feature your LinkedIn newsletter or if you have a newsletter outside of LinkedIn, include a link to recent editions, or even better, a subscription link to make it easy for your LinkedIn network to follow your content.
This not only highlights your expertise but also demonstrates your commitment to sharing valuable information regularly. Sharing your newsletter can attract recruiters and potential employers by showcasing your industry knowledge and your ability to engage an audience consistently.
Include details of your work experience
Include accomplishments
Not only should you include the companies and roles you’ve worked in, you should also detail out your accomplishments. This helps recruiters immediately access your skills and experience without having to go through the extra step of requesting your resume.
Your Experience section should mirror your resume, highlighting your skills and experience in as much detail as possible. Just having job titles and company names are not enough for recruiters to draw meaningful conclusions about your qualifications.
Use bullet points
Use bullet points instead of long paragraphs as they can be hard to read. Have a few bullet points listed, ideally with tangible achievements in your Experience section. List out bullet points describing your responsibilities and any measurable achievements from that position. Recruiters want to know quantifiable metrics along with the soft skills that helped you achieve success and grow your professional professional development.
Make sure to start bullet points with a quantifiable result. Instead of saying “Promoted to my current position where I excelled in sales, increasing them by 12% in the first year”, say “Increased sales by 12% in the first year following my promotion.” Leading with quantifiable results allows someone scanning through your accomplishments to quickly understand your measurable impact.
Include licenses and certifications
Mention relevant licenses and certifications
Including licenses and certifications on your LinkedIn profile is a great way to showcase your professional credentials and highlight your skills and expertise. Be sure to only list licenses and certifications that are relevant to your desired occupation or industry.
Get LinkedIn recommendations as an LGBTQ+ job seeker
Recommendations on LinkedIn profiles help provide social proof to support the claims a candidate makes in other profile sections. If others are vouching for your skills and experience, then you are more likely to stand out as a candidate to recruiters and employers.
Source recommendations through direct relationships
Recommendations from current or past managers can be highly impactful when showcasing your skills and experiences.
Don’t just limit yourself to just managers, though – especially if you’re early in your career. Consider reaching out to peers, fellow students, group members, or colleagues you’ve collaborated with for recommendations as well.
These can provide valuable insight into your work ethic and abilities from multiple perspectives. Giving recommendations to others without expecting anything in return can foster goodwill. And often, people may return the favor over time.
Use keywords in your LinkedIn recommendations to increase visibility as an LGBTQ+ job seeker
A strong recommendation section on LinkedIn can enhance both the visibility and searchability of your profile. To help recruiters find you more easily, it’s important to include relevant keywords in your recommendations.
But what exactly are keywords?
They are the specific terms and phrases commonly used in job descriptions that describe key skills or qualifications. To find the right keywords, search through LinkedIn job boards and look at listings for roles you’re interested in. Use the same terminology that appears in these job descriptions in your recommendations. This will improve your profile’s SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and increase your chances of showing up in search results for recruiters and employers looking for candidates like you.
Optimizing your LinkedIn profile for recruiters helps you stand out as an LGBTQ+ job seeker
Your digital presence is part of your professional brand. It often creates the first impression when someone looks up your name online. Taking the extra time and effort to shape your professional narrative is absolutely worth the investment.
Following this guide on how to optimize your LinkedIn profile can help you stand out as an LGBTQ+ job seeker. It will also help you remain top of mind for relevant roles and increase your chances of landing your dream job in this competitive job market.
Are you a LGBTQ+ job seeker looking for a career-readiness program that will teach you resume building, how to utilize and optimize your LinkedIn for job searching, job interview preparation, and more?
Join TransTech Social’s 9-week G.R.O.W. program! With this program, you will walk away with an updated resume to help position yourself for your next career move, confidence to step into any interview knowing you’re well-prepared, a LinkedIn profile that stands out to potential employers, and so much more! Marketing by Rocio’s founder Rocio Sanchez will be running LinkedIn coaching that will help job seekers like you take your LinkedIn profile to the next level.
Applicants are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis. Apply to G.R.O.W. here.
