Your LinkedIn summary is your chance to make a powerful first impression and stand out to recruiters. A well-crafted summary, optimized with relevant keywords, boosts your visibility in search results, making it easier for the right opportunities to find you.
The opening lines are especially critical, as they're the first thing recruiters see. This is your chance to showcase who you are, what you do, and what you bring to the table. This is why a fresh summary always forms an important part of our LinkedIn makeover service.
What Is A LinkedIn Summary?
The LinkedIn summary section is the primary source of information that new and prospective employers use to determine whether to contact you. This is where you tell your audience what you do, what you know, and how you can help. Additionally, you can showcase your unique skills in this section to stand out from other candidates and explain why you would be a perfect match for a job opening.
Also known as the "About" section, it has a limit of 2000 characters. You can use it to share details that would hook a potential employer or connection to send an invite or message to you.
Think of it as an elevator pitch. You can use this section to promote yourself and convey your professional story to the person checking your profile.
Why Do You Need A Great LinkedIn Summary?
72% of recruiters use LinkedIn regularly to connect with potential candidates, and an estimated six people are hired every minute through the platform.
The summary section of your LinkedIn profile is a key place to showcase your professional strengths and highlight your accomplishments. The summary is also a place to show that you are an expert in your field of study and have experience with a particular company or industry.
If you have a profile that's not speaking to the right audience, it can be an opportunity cost for you — because it's taking away from your ability to reach new people or connect with potential employers who would be interested in the skills you bring to the table.
A compelling LinkedIn summary would help recruiters and hiring managers to learn exactly what they need to know about you and encourage them to get in touch with you for any openings in their company. Especially when combined with a compelling LinkedIn headline too! Not having any information in the summary section or adding incomplete information would hurt your chances of receiving interview calls from top tech companies.
How To Write A Compelling LinkedIn Summary To Improve Visibility
1. Make sure your start hooks the reader
Those who visit your profile can only see the first four lines of your summary. Only when they click on 'See more' can they continue reading the rest. It is important that your headline catches someone's attention and makes them want to learn more about you.
One way to do this is to start with a strong opening line. This could be your best skill, something that sets you apart, or something you're most proud of. Take a moment to consider what makes you unique, interesting, or interesting enough to make someone want to find out more about you.
Another approach is to introduce yourself with something you want your readers to know about you. However you choose to start your summary, make sure your first four lines are strong and will keep the reader engaged.
You can consider these opening lines as your opportunity to captivate your audience and make them want to read more. Including value propositions with metrics or social proof can enhance its effectiveness and engagement. The opener should highlight accomplishments that show measurable impact, such as improvements or successes from previous roles or projects.
2. Tell your story
Your LinkedIn summary is your opportunity to connect with potential employers on a human level. It's not enough to just list your qualifications; you need to tell your story.
Share your passions, your goals, and the experiences that have made you the professional you are today. What values drive you? What unique insights do you offer? By sharing your story, you'll create a more engaging and memorable profile that resonates with recruiters.
Write in the first person and use a conversational tone to make your summary feel authentic and approachable.
3. Optimize it to include relevant keywords
As a job seeker, you know that one of the most important things you can do is to optimize your LinkedIn profile. This means ensuring your summary includes relevant keywords to help recruiters find you.
Identify the keywords most relevant to your experience and skills - then sprinkle them throughout your summary, making sure you include your work history and achievements.
But what exactly are the best keywords to use in your LinkedIn summary?
Here are a few tips:
- Use keywords that are relevant to your industry and profession.
- Use keywords that are specific to your skills and experience.
- Use keywords that are commonly used in job descriptions.
- Use keywords likely to be used by recruiters when searching for candidates.
- Never force keywords into your summary at the expense of readability.
Including these keywords in your LinkedIn summary will help ensure that your profile comes up in search results, making employers more likely to find and contact you.
4. Keep it concise
It’s important to keep your summary concise. LinkedIn is often used by recruiters and hiring managers to screen candidates; a long, drawn-out summary can put them off.
Your summary should be a concise snapshot of your professional history and successes. Don't try to cram too much information into this section – you can always provide more details in other areas of your profile.
It’s usually read in seconds, so grab the reader's attention from the start. Use strong language to sell yourself, and highlight your most relevant skills and experience. Remember, your summary is your elevator pitch – so make it count!
By keeping your summary concise, you can make a great first impression on those who view your profile.
5. Highlight accomplishments with relevant data
Don't just tell recruiters you're good – show them. The most compelling way to strengthen your accomplishments is to back them up with hard data.
Instead of claiming to be a "marketing wizard," demonstrate your impact with concrete metrics. "Increased online sales revenue by 48% in 2024" speaks volumes. And it's not just about money.
Did you boost productivity, improve staff retention, or enhance brand recognition? Quantify your achievements whenever possible. These metrics paint a clear picture of the value you bring and make your contributions undeniable.
6. Include a clear CTA
Make sure you end your summary with a solid call to action. This could be like "Connect with me if you're interested in discussing XYZ" or "Feel free to reach out if you need help with XYZ."
A clear call to action will make it easy for people to know how to get in touch with you and show that you're proactive and interested in connecting with others. It also makes it clear that you’re open to having people reach out to you in the first place.
👉 Also Read: How To Follow Up on a Job Application (Phone & Email Sample Templates)
7. Formatting Strategies for Readability
Your LinkedIn summary is for your audience, so make it easy for them to absorb your message. No one enjoys struggling through dense blocks of text.
Use bullet points strategically to draw the eye to your most important qualifications. Keep your paragraphs concise and use plenty of white space to create a clean, uncluttered look.
A well-formatted summary shows you value the reader's time and makes a positive impression.
Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your LinkedIn Summary
Now that you know what you SHOULD focus on when crafting your LinkedIn summary, here are a few mistakes to avoid!
1. Don't mention information you already have on your resume
Your resume is a more formal document that outlines your work experience, educational background, and skills. A LinkedIn summary provides a snapshot of you and your career to potential employers and connections.
While you want to include some of the same information that you would on your resume, you also want to take the opportunity to showcase your personality and give a more detailed account of your professional journey.
Take advantage of your LinkedIn summary to share your story and connect with others.
2. Avoid cliche terminology
Your LinkedIn summary should reflect your professionalism. Steer clear of cliché terminology that can undermine your message. Terms like "ninja," "rockstar," or "thought leader" are often overused and can make you seem less credible.
Focus on showcasing your skills and experience in a clear, concise, and professional manner. Your achievements will speak louder than any label.
3. Don't focus too much on your roles and responsibilities, but rather on accomplishments
When writing your LinkedIn summary, it's important to focus on your accomplishments and not simply your tasks and responsibilities. This will set you apart from other candidates and help you land the job you want.
Sure, your potential employer wants to know what you're capable of, but they're also interested in what you've accomplished in your previous roles. So, take the time to write about your successes, and don't be afraid to toot your own horn a bit. This is your chance to shine!
If you're unsure where to start, look at your previous job descriptions and see what you can highlight from your time in those positions. Chances are, you have more accomplishments than you realize.
Go ahead and start writing them down – you'll be glad you did when you land your dream job.
4. Proofread before you publish
Don't let careless errors undermine all your hard work. A LinkedIn profile riddled with spelling and grammar mistakes makes a poor impression, suggesting a lack of attention to detail.
In today's digital age, there's no excuse for these types of oversights. Use resources like Careerflow’s LinkedIn Optimization Tool to ensure your profile is polished and professional. It's the final touch that elevates your profile from good to outstanding.
How Does An Optimized LinkedIn Summary Affect Your Search Ranking?
An optimized LinkedIn summary can definitely affect your search ranking, especially if you’re active on the platform. If you have a well-written, keyword-rich summary, it’s more likely that you will show up higher in search results.
Most hiring professionals use LinkedIn Recruiter to shortlist candidates for open roles. This tool allows them to search for candidates on LinkedIn using keyword search, Boolean search, and 20+ advanced search filters. LinkedIn Recruiter also allows them to get smart recommendations based on their previous search.
As a job seeker, if you have an optimized summary with relevant keywords for the new role you are targeting, your profile will show up on a recruiter's search, increasing your chances of getting interview calls from top companies without even applying to them.
Of course, having an optimized summary is just one part of the equation – you also need to have a strong profile overall and be active on the site. But an optimized summary is a good start if you want to ensure you are doing everything possible to improve your search ranking.
LinkedIn Summary Examples For Job Seekers
You've read quite a bit about how to write a compelling LinkedIn summary in this blog. But let us look at some good and bad LinkedIn summaries to understand what we just discussed with examples.
Here's an example of a poor LinkedIn summary:
A leader with a proven track record of high accomplishments in several areas and the ability to drive change. I am highly organized, support empowerment and teamwork, am highly adaptable, have strong business sense, am a good communicator, results-oriented, and optimistic.
I have worked as a Software Engineer at a company in India and am looking for new job opportunities.
Let us discuss everything that is wrong in this summary.
- The summary lacks facts and figures. The candidate does not have any metrics to highlight the impact of their work.
- They only talk about their qualities and not accomplishments. The summary is subjective and does not highlight any points that make the candidate a potential employee.
- The summary does not highlight any skills or information about what work they've done. The recruiters don't know whether they'll be a good fit for their open positions, and they would not contact them immediately.
- It is not optimized and does not have relevant keywords. It is less likely that recruiters would use keywords like "highly organized," "optimistic," or "teamwork" to look for Software Engineering candidates. This means their profile wouldn't appear in the search results, leading to a missed opportunity.
What would a good LinkedIn summary look like, then? Read ahead.
I am currently a Software Engineer at XYZ company with 5+ years of experience managing teams of 50-100 members. Responsible for managing more than 30 projects with budgets ranging from $100K to $1.7M.
Before joining XYZ company, I have -
- Founded two startups currently valuing XYZ
- Worked as a Machine Learning Engineer at ABC company
I have also worked on projects utilizing IBM Lotus Notes Domino, IBM WebSphere, and Microsoft .NET technologies.
Please get in touch with me for any new opportunities.
What makes this summary good?
- The candidate has backed every skill with facts and figures to highlight what their accomplishment was.
- The candidate has covered information about their present and past work experience in just a few lines.
- The summary includes their areas of expertise and skills so if a recruiter looks up candidates with these skills on LinkedIn, their profile would rank higher in the search results.
Not sure where to get started? Use these two sample templates to start crafting your LinkedIn summary. Do not use it as it is, make any necessary changes to optimize it for your target roles.
# Student
As a computer science student, I have a strong foundation in programming, software development, and computer science theory. I am experienced in Java, Python, and C++ and have developed several web and mobile applications.
My experience includes web-based, multi-threaded applications and front-end development with the latest web technologies. I have also worked on projects utilizing IBM Lotus Notes Domino, IBM WebSphere, and Microsoft .NET technologies.
I am always looking to learn new technologies and am currently exploring data science and machine learning. Currently seeking full-time Software Engineer opportunities.
Please feel free to contact me on LinkedIn for any new opportunities.
# Experienced Professional
I'm an experienced software engineer with over six years of experience and a reputation for building high-quality, scalable systems.
I've worked as a software developer for companies like Amazon and Facebook. I'm skilled in building complex and robust applications that can handle large amounts of traffic from multiple web servers and database servers. I love working on challenging and rewarding projects, but also measurable by the number of users or views the application has.
Conclusion
Crafting a standout LinkedIn summary is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity in today's competitive job market. By following these tips and incorporating compelling examples, you can transform your profile from a static online presence into a dynamic personal brand statement. Remember, your summary is your chance to tell your story, showcase your value, and connect with potential employers on a deeper level. Don't let this valuable real estate go to waste. A well-written LinkedIn summary can be the key to unlocking new opportunities and advancing your career.
Ready to take your LinkedIn profile to the next level👇?
Try Careerflow's LinkedIn Makeover Tool today and see the difference a professionally optimized profile can make!
