Making LinkedIn Work for You

A lot of people use LinkedIn like an online CV. And to be fair, that’s a decent starting point. But if you really want LinkedIn to do something useful for you, it needs to do much more than list your jobs and qualifications.

The real question is not “Does my profile tell people what I’ve done?” It should be “Does my profile clearly show how I help people?” That’s the shift that makes the difference.

People don’t come to your profile because they want your life story. They want to know whether you can save them time, make them money, help them solve a problem, or give them confidence that you understand what they need. If your profile answers that quickly, you are already ahead of the game.

First impressions matter

When someone lands on your profile, they decide very quickly whether you look relevant, credible, and worthy of their time. That means your headshot, banner, and headline all matter.

You want to look professional, of course, but you also want to look like someone who understands the people you want to reach. Your headline should not just say what you do. It should give people a reason to keep reading.

The same goes for your banner. It should reinforce your message, not just fill space. Think of the whole top of your profile as your first chance to say, “Here’s who I help, and here’s why that matters.”

The About section should say more

One of the most common mistakes I see is people using the About section to repeat their CV. That’s a wasted opportunity.

This section should help people understand what you do for others. Keep it clear, focused, and easy to read. You do not need to use every character available. In fact, it often works better when you don’t.

The best About sections demonstrate that you could be useful. They make people think, “Yes, this person gets it.” That is what you want.

Be selective with skills

LinkedIn gives you a lot of space to list skills, but that does not mean you should list everything you’ve ever done. It is usually far better to keep it focused.

Choose the skills that actually support what you do now, or what you want to be known for. If someone is looking at your profile, they should be able to quickly see why you are relevant to them.

Too much noise makes it harder for people to understand your value. Clarity wins every time.

Write for the reader

This is probably the biggest point of all. When you write posts or articles on LinkedIn, write for the person reading it, not for yourself.

Ask yourself 3 questions:

What do they care about?
What do they want to learn?
What would be useful to them right now?

If you can answer those questions, your content will immediately become stronger. Keep it simple, keep it useful, and keep it human. You do not need to sound corporate or over-polished.

You just need to sound like someone who is honest, empathetic and knows what matters to the people you want to reach.

Keep it consistent

LinkedIn rewards people who show up regularly. You do not have to post every day, but you do need to be present.

A steady rhythm works better than a burst of activity followed by silence. If people see you sharing useful thoughts, engaging with others, and staying active, they are much more likely to remember you.

The good news is that you can plan ahead. You can batch-write your content, schedule posts, and make life much easier for yourself. That means less stress and more consistency.

Engage properly

LinkedIn is not just about posting your own content and waiting for magic to happen. You also need to take part in other people’s conversations.

That means commenting thoughtfully, responding to engagement, sharing relevant content, and being visible in a genuine way. It does not mean arguing on people’s feeds or trying to sell at every opportunity. Nobody enjoys that. And frankly, it rarely works.

A better approach is to be helpful, professional, and constructive and, if you find something is ‘Informative, then say why. That builds trust, and trust leads to conversations.

Quick wins make a difference

You do not always need a complete overhaul. Often, a few smart changes can make a noticeable difference very quickly.

A stronger headline, better About section, a more focused set of skills, audience-led content and informed engagement are all quick wins that can improve how your profile feels and how people respond to it.

That is exactly why I offer a 1-hour Tutored Review for £149 +vat, designed to identify practical Quick Wins for LinkedIn. For members of The One Network, this is discounted from £199 +vat.

It is a focused session where we look at what is working, what could be better and what changes will help you make your profile more effective straight away. If your LinkedIn profile feels more like a CV than a business tool, this is a straightforward way to change that.