"5 Ways to Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile for Recruiters" – Tips to improve visibility and attract opportunities.

Hi everyone,

welcome to my very first post about recruitment optimisation and how to boost your chances of landing the job you deserve. As a senior recruiter and headhunter for some of the largest organisations in the world, one thing that never gets easier to see is when brilliant candidates miss out on great opportunities they’d excel in.

Day after day, I speak to amazing people who’ve been struggling to land a job, go months without interviews, or reach the final stage multiple times but never quite make it. Have you been in a similar situation?

This blog is where I’ll be sharing insider tips and tricks to help you stand out in today’s competitive market. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how decision-makers, HR, talent acquisition, and recruiters see you, and more importantly, how you can use this to your advantage. There are no taboos here—we’ll talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of hiring processes.

Today, I want to focus on something that’s often overlooked by candidates: their LinkedIn profile. It’s your personal brand, yet many treat it like just another social media page. People tend to either do the bare minimum—listing their education and work experience—or they simply copy-paste their CV into LinkedIn without adding anything more specific. While that’s a good start, it’s often done vaguely.

So, let me give you a new perspective on this powerful tool. What if I told you that by spending just 2 hours, you could transform your profile into a magnet that attracts job opportunities directly to you? Imagine hiring managers, recruiters, and HR teams reaching out to you, asking you to join them.

That’s exactly what a well-crafted LinkedIn profile can do. With a bit of effort, you could passively generate interest, making the market—and the money—come to you! Exciting, right? Let’s dive into the details on how to make that happen.

1. Keywords

We’ve all heard how important keywords are, so I won’t harp on that too much. Instead, let’s talk about whether you’re using the right ones for your industry or dream job.

Recruiters and hiring managers typically use something called Boolean Search to find candidates. It’s essentially a chain of keywords that help us sift through thousands of profiles to find the perfect match.

For example, say a client is looking for a Data Engineer with experience in AWS, SQL, and ideally banking. We would search something like: "Data Engineer" AND AWS AND SQL AND (bank OR banking OR finance).

Understanding this process shows how vital it is to get your keywords right. A candidate may have all the right experience, but if they use vague terms like “cloud experience” instead of specifying AWS, they might not show up in the search. Mistakes like this can lead to missed opportunities, especially when recruiters aren’t always technical experts themselves.

Your goal? Make yourself as visible as possible. Include keywords for every tool and technology you’ve used—whether it’s Excel, CRM, SQL, or Python—because recruiters often add more filters to narrow down large candidate pools. The more relevant keywords you include, the higher the chance you’ll show up in their search.

2. Job Title

Job titles are another big one—often misunderstood or misrepresented. Different organisations use different job titles for essentially the same roles. For instance, you might see Java Developers, Java Engineers, or even Full-Stack Engineers, all describing people who do very similar jobs, but the keywords vary slightly.

I’m a fan of using two job titles if your role has been cross-functional. For example, let’s take managers who are hands-on with their work. Many get promoted to management but still spend 50-70% of their time “in the trenches.” When recruiters search for hands-on consultants, these candidates may be overlooked because their title suggests they’re only in a management role.

Research how your role is advertised elsewhere, and tweak your LinkedIn job title so it’s visible to more people. Most of the time, the people who reach out to you aren’t as knowledgeable or technical as you, so you’ll need to help them understand your skills and relevance as clearly as possible.

3. Response Rate on InMails

Here’s a feature most LinkedIn users aren’t aware of. As a LinkedIn Premium member, recruiters like me have access to the entire LinkedIn database, including some hidden gems like your “engagement rate” on InMails.

As recruiters, we can filter candidates by job title, location, skills, and more. But we can also see your InMail engagement rate—how likely you are to respond. This includes people who are:

• Open to work: Actively looking for new opportunities.

• Active candidates: Those who have shared a profile update, public CV, or work at a company that might be undergoing layoffs.

• Rediscovered candidates: Candidates who have previously been saved or messaged by someone at the company.

What’s even more interesting? The algorithm favours candidates who are more likely to respond, even if it’s just to say “I’m not interested.” So, the more active you are, the higher your chances of appearing in searches.

4. Uploading Your CV

Did you know you can upload your CV directly onto LinkedIn? It’s a great idea because recruiters and hiring managers can quickly assess your experience. If you’re worried about being flooded with messages and phone calls, simply upload a version of your CV without your contact details.

5. About Section

The “About” section of your profile is where you can really shine. It’s a chance to explain your expertise and highlight your unique experience. This is especially crucial for mid-level and senior candidates.

If you’ve changed career paths, this is the perfect place to explain your transition—whether you’ve moved from consulting to management, or from recruitment to tech. And don’t forget, the keywords in your “About” section are also used in Boolean searches, so make sure to include them.

A tip I love? Create a summary of your experience in bullet points or a table, with years of expertise for each skill.

For example:

• Full-Stack Developer – 12 years

• Java Development – 9 years

• SQL – 7 years

• Banking Industry – 3 years

This approach often convinces me that I need to interview that candidate!

There are plenty of ways to boost your chances of landing the right job, and this is just the beginning. Applying for jobs is a skill in itself these days, and optimising your LinkedIn profile is a great first step towards turning the job market in your favour.