A LinkedIn profile checklist for job seekers
Recruiters search LinkedIn to find candidates, and hiring managers often look up an applicant's profile before an interview. Your profile doesn't need to be long. It needs to be complete, consistent with your resume, and easy to find for the job titles you want. The checklist below covers the parts that matter most for a job search, and the sections after it explain each one.
Profile checklist
- A recent, clear photo
- A headline that names the job you want
- An About section written for that job
- Experience entries that match your resume's titles and dates
- Skills that match the postings you're applying to
- A custom profile URL
- Location set to where you want to work
- Open to Work settings chosen on purpose
- Featured links to work samples, if your field uses them
Photo and banner
Use a recent photo where your face is clearly visible, with plain lighting and a simple background. It doesn't need to be a studio portrait, and a well-lit phone photo works. The banner image behind it is optional, and a plain color or a simple image related to your field is fine.
Headline
Your headline defaults to your current job title, but you can write your own, and as of October 2026 LinkedIn allows up to 220 characters. Use the title you're aiming for, plus a specialty or two, like "Operations coordinator, logistics and vendor scheduling." Recruiters often search by job title, so the words they're likely to type should appear in your headline. Avoid slogans and long lists of adjectives, which take up the space without helping anyone find you.
About section
The About section holds up to 2,600 characters, and only the first few lines show before a reader clicks "see more." Use those lines to say what you do, the kind of work or employer you're looking for, and one or two results you're proud of. Write in the first person, since a LinkedIn profile is a more conversational document than a resume, and the LinkedIn import guide explains where the two should differ.
Experience
Your job titles, employers, and dates should match your resume. A recruiter who sees two different start dates for the same job will wonder which one is right. Each entry can carry a short description or a few bullet points with results, and LinkedIn lets you attach skills to each role, which links your skills section to real jobs.
You don't need to copy every resume bullet into LinkedIn. The profile is a general record, while each resume version is tailored to one posting, so a few strong lines per role are plenty.
Skills and endorsements
Add the skills that appear in the postings you're applying to, using the same spelling the employers use. Put the ones most relevant to your target role near the top, and remove old skills that point toward work you no longer want. Endorsements from colleagues are a small extra signal and aren't worth chasing.
Custom URL and location
LinkedIn assigns your public profile a URL that often ends in a string of numbers. You can edit it from your public profile settings to something like linkedin.com/in/firstname-lastname, which looks cleaner on a resume and is easier to type. Set your location to the city or metro area where you want to work, since recruiters often filter searches by location.
Open to Work
The Open to Work feature lets you list the roles and locations you're interested in, with two visibility choices. "All LinkedIn members" adds the green #OpenToWork frame to your photo, so anyone who views your profile can see it. "Recruiters only" shows your interest to people using LinkedIn Recruiter without the frame. LinkedIn says it takes steps to hide this setting from recruiters at your current company but can't guarantee complete privacy, so think about that before turning it on while you're still employed.
Featured section and recommendations
The Featured section can hold links, documents, and posts near the top of your profile. If your field runs on work samples, such as writing, design, teaching, or sales, put your two or three strongest pieces there, and the guide to video and portfolio attachments covers which kinds of samples help. One or two recent recommendations from a manager or client add useful detail, especially when they describe specific work.
When the checklist is done, put your custom URL in your resume header and your cover letter signature, so a reader can move straight from the application to the profile. The public profile settings page also shows a preview of what people who aren't signed in to LinkedIn can see, and it's worth checking that view once before you start applying.