LinkedIn Is Huge for Job Visibility – Here’s How to Stand Out

LinkedIn is a critical asset: are you using it effectively?

LinkedIn is huge for job visibility

I know, I know: “Duh, Jonathan!”

I’m amazed, however, with how many people struggle these days with using LinkedIn effectively.

I wanted to share some thoughts here and pull together some of the amazing resources that are available via search engines, too.

Jonathan Dunnett, speaker growth strategist and CI Fellow

Optimizing your LinkedIn Profile

People create mental associations about you. It’s how we learn.

Think about it: what was the last thing you learned? How did it start.

You generally start with “topic” – the Muntjac deer, for instance. Basically an odd looking deer.

After you look at the topic, you start to quickly scan words and pictures for association:

“Is this a big deer?”
“Do we have those where I live?”
“Does it have horns?”
“Does it look like the deer I know?”

Think about whatever the last thing was that you learned: how did you process that information? Typically, it’s a topic, and then we start to associate things with that topic.

People do the same thing when they look at your LinkedIn profile.

Small muntjac deer with antlers standing in green grass

The Majestic Muntjac Deer (Credit: Wikipedia)

What’s the story you’re communicating?

Your photo, your headline, your profile summary: these are the “is this a big deer?” components. As people look and scan, they are creating anchors about you: “oh, Steve is a ___________”.

We liken people to those that we know, and we ascribe something to them so we can understand.

Unless we can’t… and then you’re in trouble.

Creating confusion on your LinkedIn Profile Hurts Networking

If you like bread, you might like Dan: “The bread wizard.” It’s quirky and memorable.

Dan gives succinct punches of humour with his profile, giving you some “artifacts” (“how big is that deer?”) to help you quickly understand him.

As you think about your own profile, it’s important (as much as possible) to ensure that there is a thread – there is a story there.

Sarah Hart’s LinkedIn Profile. Find out more about her on her website.

Should I get ChatGPT to help me?

I like large language models: they can be very helpful: just don’t use 3 at once (ask me how I know).

Here’s what I would suggest instead:

1. Look up the best practices for LinkedIn. Generally speaking, as you consider the top 5-10 results, you SHOULD start seeing some common points of “do” and “do not.”

2. Find 5 profiles you love: analyze them. What do they do well? What can you learn from them? Look how clear Sarah’s profile is:

“Leading brands aren’t just polished-
they’re designed to be a glitch you can’t ignore

Because attention in 2025 is currency.
And the ones breaking patterns are the ones cashing in.

So, if you want to be remembered as the leader,
you’ve got to show up differently.

That’s where I come in.”

That’s a movie in 30 words, right? There’s no doubt what Sarah is going to do: she’s going to help me break through with a brand that glitches (in a great way).

3. Trim the fat. If there are things getting in the way of clarity, get rid of them.

If you’re going for a role in cyber security, do I need to know that you previously flipped burgers?

Unless that is the only experience you have to convey, and you can frame this in how you understand systems, diagnose issues, show leadership, and other beneficial ways that you want people to think about you and your story, then you should definitely cut that from your narrative.

We shouldn’t be thinking about “deer” and then be introduced to “rabbits”, right?

So, my encouragement to you? Consider what story LinkedIn is communicating about you: it’s important to understand that.

Get 2-3 friends (or strangers) to ask you “what does my LinkedIn tell you in terms of a story?”

If you’re not happy with the results, make it better! Wishing you every success!

LinkedIn Is Huge for Job Visibility – Here’s How to Stand Out

Join the Newsletter