LinkedIn Optimisation
LinkedIn headlines are overrated compared with the About section. Here's why — and here's what actually makes recruiters stop scrolling past you.
Most LinkedIn profiles are a word-for-word copy of the CV, broken into smaller boxes. That's not a presence — it's a filing cabinet. Recruiters don't search LinkedIn looking for a filing cabinet; they're looking for the fastest read on whether this person fits the brief. And the fastest read happens in the headline and the first three lines of the About section before "see more" kicks in.
I know this because I spent years briefing recruiters on what to look for and watching which profiles they flagged and which they scrolled past in under ten seconds. The gap between a profile that attracts inbound messages and one that doesn't isn't usually about experience level. It's about whether the profile answers the right question — the one a recruiter is actually asking when they're scanning for candidates.
We go through your profile section by section. I'll tell you what's working, what's actively hurting you, and what's just noise you don't need. You'll leave with a clear rewrite for the two or three sections that matter most, and a realistic sense of what activity level on the platform actually shifts the dial for people at your career stage.
Questions
FAQ — LinkedIn optimisation
I'm not active on LinkedIn at all. Does that matter?
Less than people think, if the profile itself is strong. Most of the search-visibility mechanics work on profile completeness and keyword density, not on how often you post. Being active helps in specific ways — mostly if you're trying to be known in an industry, not if you're just trying to appear in recruiter searches. We'll cover what's actually worth your time.
My employer watches LinkedIn. Can I update it without signalling I'm looking?
Yes. There's a setting that suppresses activity notifications to your network when you make changes. We cover this. The "Open to Work" badge is also optional and can be set to visible only to recruiters rather than your whole network. There are a few things to be careful about — we'll go through them.
Do you write the content for me?
We work on it together in the session. I'll often draft a section during the call and run it past you, because it's faster to respond to a draft than to start from blank. But the language needs to sound like you, and I'll know fairly quickly in the session what your natural voice is. The version you publish is yours.
Is LinkedIn actually worth the effort?
Depends on the sector and seniority level. In finance, tech, professional services and senior roles generally: yes, meaningfully. In trades, hospitality, and most operational roles: it matters less. I'll tell you upfront if I think the time investment for your specific situation isn't worth it — in which case we'd spend the session on something that is.
Get started
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Send me your LinkedIn URL in advance and I'll have read it before the call. We can get to the useful part faster.
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