Not Into Social Media? If You’re a Job Seeker, You Still Need LinkedIn
I work with a lot of clients who tell me they don’t love social media. Honestly? Same here. LinkedIn is the only platform I use, strictly for professional purposes.
So I get the resistance. But if you’re a job seeker, I have to be honest: LinkedIn is too valuable to ignore.
Most people think of LinkedIn as a place to search for job postings or make connections. And it is. But more importantly, it’s a tool that allows recruiters and hiring managers to find you. Once your profile is in good shape, it can work quietly in the background as a passive job search tool—helping you show up in search results and getting you noticed without much ongoing effort.
Of course, LinkedIn shouldn’t be your only strategy for landing interviews. But it can absolutely work to your advantage, especially if you make a few key improvements that increase your visibility and findability.
LinkedIn = Search Engine + Social Platform
Think of LinkedIn not just as a social media site, but as a giant search engine. Recruiters and hiring managers are constantly searching for candidates based on keywords—skills, job titles, locations, and more. If your profile includes the right terms, the algorithm is more likely to surface your name in search results.
So how do you make that happen?
Here are my top recommendations—the highest-impact updates that require the least amount of effort:
Headline & Photo
These are the first two things anyone sees about you on LinkedIn. Make them count!
Photo: Use a current, professional-looking image (clear, well-lit, and ideally just you).
Headline: Make it attention-grabbing and keyword-rich. Look at others in your field for inspiration, or use ChatGPT to brainstorm a few options.
Open to Work
Turn on the “Open to Work” feature to quietly signal recruiters that you’re job searching. You can keep this private (only visible to recruiters) or public (visible to everyone).
Location
Use the broader metropolitan area rather than just your city—for example, “Los Angeles Metropolitan Area” instead of just “Los Angeles.” This increases your chances of appearing in relevant recruiter searches.
About
This is your professional summary—like the “Summary” section of a resume. Keep it concise and impactful:
Introduce who you are and what you bring.
Focus on facts and measurable results rather than buzzwords.
Use keywords related to the role you’re targeting.
Experience
If you’ve already updated your resume, great—reuse that content! The simplest approach here is to just copy your bullet points directly into your Experience section.
Important note: If you’re currently unemployed, you still want to list a current position. Otherwise, you may not show up in searches for people with your most recent title. You can create a placeholder role using your target job title (e.g., “Senior Product Manager”) and use the company line for your target industry (e.g., “Healthcare Industry”) or “Seeking New Opportunity.”
Education
If you graduated more than 10–15 years ago, consider removing the graduation dates to reduce age bias.
Skills
This section is crucial. Recruiters often search directly by skills, so you want to take full advantage of LinkedIn’s 100-skill limit. Use as many as you can, and be sure to include both technical and soft skills that align with your goals.
Interests
Follow companies you’d love to work for. If you apply to a job there, LinkedIn’s algorithm may rank your application higher just because you follow that company. Also, join relevant industry groups, alumni associations, or professional networks—they’re great sources of job leads and connections.
Final Thoughts
Even if you’re not a fan of social media, LinkedIn is a unique and powerful tool for job seekers. With just a few smart updates, you can increase your chances of being discovered—and let your profile do some of the job search work for you.
Have questions? Not sure where to start? I’d love to help—feel free to reach out! Schedule a Discovery Call with me here.
Hi, I'm Katy! As a Career Coach and Certified Resume Writer, I'm passionate about supporting individuals through career transitions–not just to land a new job, but to rediscover a sense of purpose. If you're looking for practical, actionable guidance paired with a holistic approach to career transitions, let's talk! I'd be honored to support you in the next steps of your journey. Access The Clearing's Job Search Readiness Checklist or schedule a free Discovery Call with me HERE.
