LinkedIn is a crucial tool for professional growth and job hunting. Mistakes in your profile can be costly: potential employers may not find you, struggle to contact you, or get a poor impression if your profile is inconsistent or poorly structured. To avoid this, it’s essential to set up your profile properly.

Why Is It Important to Get It Right?

1. Grammar Mistakes: Typos and errors make you look careless. Employers value professionals who can write well or use tools to check for mistakes.
2. Mixed Languages: Inconsistent language usage (e.g., a headline in one language and the summary in another) appears unprofessional. This issue becomes even more apparent when exporting your profile to PDF.
3. Profile Accessibility: If your contact details are hidden or unclear, you might miss valuable opportunities.
4. Profile Picture: Your profile photo is the first thing visitors see. A good photo builds trust, while a poor one can push people away.

These seemingly small details create the first impression of your professionalism. Let’s go through the key steps to set up your profile correctly.

Step 1: Check Your Grammar

Start by eliminating grammar and spelling errors. We recommend installing Grammarly, a free browser extension for Chrome and Safari that helps detect and correct mistakes. This tool is especially helpful when creating or updating your profile.

Step 2: Profile Settings

1. Profile Language
Ensure your profile is written in a single language. If you work in an international environment, create a duplicate profile in another language (e.g., English).

2. Unique URL
Customize your profile URL to make it short, memorable, and professional. This makes your profile easier to share and more appealing.

3. Profile Verification
LinkedIn offers profile verification. While it’s optional, it can enhance credibility, especially if you work with large organizations.

4. Profile Accessibility
Adjust your profile settings so that your contact information (e.g., email) is visible to potential employers and clients.

5. Notification Preferences
Disable automatic notifications about every profile update. This prevents unnecessary updates from cluttering your network’s feed.

Step 3: Review and Test Your Profile

1. Open Settings & Privacy from the menu.
2. Double-check that your contact information (email, phone) is visible to the right audience.
3. In the Visibility section, fine-tune who can see your profile and contact details.
4. Export your profile as a PDF to check how it appears to others. This ensures your profile looks professional and consistent.

Step 4: Secure Your Profile

Enable two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to your account and protect it from unauthorized access.

Final Thoughts

Now your LinkedIn profile is ready for professional use! Keep it up-to-date, regularly add new achievements, and maintain a consistent tone and style. A well-structured LinkedIn profile is a powerful tool for advancing your career.

Julia Jolkin 👠👠

Top IT Recruiter & LinkedIn Expert

Feel free to contact me if you need:

• A review of your LinkedIn profile to understand how potential employers, partners, or clients perceive it. This will help you quickly find a job or confidently promote your services at any time. Sign up for the upcoming LinkedIn Makeover session.

• A career consultation to revise your career path and skills, especially if you haven’t been to an interview in a while and want to prepare thoroughly.