LinkedIn hacks A-Z: How to create a profile that opens up more career opportunities

Micky Weis

15 years of experience in online marketing. Former CMO at, among others, Firtal Web A/S. Blogger about marketing and the things I’ve experienced along the way. Follow me on LinkedIn for daily updates.

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How do you get the most out of your LinkedIn profile?

I have a dream of passing on my knowledge to you, who are just getting started on LinkedIn, because I believe everyone deserves a job, and LinkedIn is the future path to getting one.

Here are my own data from the past year on LinkedIn Nearly 1,000,000 views

This guide can be used whether you are employed or job-seeking. It’s also ideal for those who want to expand their network.

I often find that many people ask for tips and tricks for their LinkedIn, and I recently participated in a debate about how to get started – especially if you are job-seeking.

I don’t know if I can be called an expert, but I’ve gained a lot of experience over the past few years, and as I mentioned, I’ve received a handful of job offers by now. If my knowledge can help more people get jobs in Denmark, it’s worth it, and it’s certainly worth the time!

I hope you find this post useful and that you share it with others in your network who may need a job, are seeking a broader network, or simply want to use a social media platform that can help them move forward in life.

Get your profile in order

The most important – and first – step is to create a profile and optimize it at the same time. This will give you a good start. There are a few things you can easily do – in addition to simply creating the profile – namely, adding all the basic information about yourself.

I’ll go through them bit by bit in the following sections.

Your profile headline – who are you?

Your headline should catch people’s attention – it’s the first thing they see. It doesn’t necessarily have to be your job title, but if it is, make sure to spice it up a bit so others find it interesting.

I think you get my point: It’s about making yourself attractive; you shouldn’t lie, but you also shouldn’t undersell yourself. It’s a bit like ‘professional dating’ or job dating, as we call it.

Your job title

Avoid writing “I’m looking for a job” as the first thing. You haven’t planted your seeds, so you can’t harvest yet. As mentioned earlier, it’s normal to be job-seeking – most of us have been there.

The challenge is that people need to know what you can do before they want to hire you or recommend you to others. I receive between 20-30 inquiries per week via LinkedIn from fantastic people who want to find a job.

That’s why I have a monthly to-do list where I contact great companies in my network to see if they need people – and if they do, I share it in my network.

So be proud of who you are – take care of the basics mentioned above so you can quickly get your profile in order. A photo and headline are a minimum, but I would also recommend writing a summary, as it makes it easier for others to recommend you.

Add your friends

When you create a profile on LinkedIn, you can invite your friends to the platform via email. This often provides a good “foundation” of connections on LinkedIn. You’ll use these connections later on, so what you post can be distributed further in your network, which you’re building.

Your friends also know who you are and what you can do, so they’re the best to “vouch for you,” whether you’ve worked with them or not. It’s a bit of the “fake it till you make it” saying that applies here – especially if you’re young and don’t have much experience yet.

When you add your friends, you can benefit from getting their input on your profile to get an honest opinion. Is it comprehensive enough? What does it convey? Etc.

Profile picture on LinkedIn

Avoid adding your Instagram profile picture, where you’re pouting or shirtless. People judge you based on what they see. A good tip is to choose a picture where you ‘appear’ as a smiling and happy person.

We also live in a superficial society, for better or worse, so if you have a picture, it shows that you’re serious about it.

Here’s what my profile looks like including a cover photo and profile picture.

Add your skills

You’ve probably seen those little pluses you can give each other under the profile. It’s like a “simplified” recommendation. If I click on your plus, I acknowledge one of your skills.

It’s obviously a great thing that others recognize your skills because it gives outsiders the impression that you’re good at what you do. It’s a clear advantage if your skills are recognized because it allows your potential employer to see that you excel in certain disciplines and that others have noticed this.

If you acknowledge other users on LinkedIn, you’ll often receive acknowledgments in return – reciprocity is important! The more contacts you get, the more endorsements you can also receive.

Work for free

It might be that a project doesn’t make sense financially, but instead, you can earn a diploma, a certification, or a recommendation for completing this project.

We’ll look at this in the next section.

When I was very young, I worked in many odd places – both unpaid and paid, of course.

For example, as a teaching assistant (the hardest job I’ve had mentally. Anyone who says it’s not hard to be a teacher or educator should spend 6 months in these roles).

Additionally, I worked in the nightlife industry, as you might know, and I slept in an office in Aarhus (Mejlgade) while we tried to get a startup off the ground – I even often showered at Fitness World.

I worked for free on the aforementioned startup project that we wanted to get off the ground – but I learned so much: I met Henrik Bondtofte, who introduced me to SEO & link building, and I met Michael, who taught me how to be self-employed. (He was really tough on me).

It gave me thick skin, a lot of experience, and something to put on my CV, which I still benefit from 10 years later. Additionally, I also met Konrad and Mike through that adventure, who later founded Miinto – the world is small, and LinkedIn is a brilliant platform that can make the world even smaller.

Everything you do has a significant influence on how you become as a person, but it also naturally has a big impact on your CV – which is the core of your LinkedIn profile.

For example, I enjoy hearing from people who work for humanitarian causes because the development they’ve undergone as people often reflects in their new work or their way of interacting with others.

So don’t underestimate the things you’ve done just because they don’t have a fancy title. They can still have value – even unpaid jobs.

And this resulted in this recommendation from Christian.

I’m not including this in the post to be self-congratulatory, but rather to say: I’m damn proud of having worked with Christian, and this recommendation has opened countless doors for me. Hard work pays off!

Add all the jobs you’ve had

… But Micky, I don’t know much, and I haven’t had many ‘real’ jobs?

There are so many opportunities to learn today. You can buy all kinds of books and take all kinds of courses. Technology has given us many good and bad things, but one of the best things it has given us is that we can learn anything we set our minds to – and I think the whole “online education” universe is just getting started – so take advantage of technology’s many facets!

Read books – Amazon offers all kinds of books at low prices.

In my younger years, I never read – especially not during my high school education, because I couldn’t see the point. I regret that today, but in the last 3 years, I’ve read over 150 books.

Not so much into books?

There are audiobooks, podcasts, YouTube interviews, documentaries – in other words, there are many great media to seek out new knowledge: Knowledge that you can share on your social media and reference when engaging in a debate.

Take relevant courses

Another thing the internet has given us: Courses. There are countless courses available in all sorts of areas. Even major universities like Harvard and Stanford now offer external e-learning. You can even pay a small symbolic amount and get a diploma: A feather in the cap for your LinkedIn profile.

Of course, it requires that you can discipline yourself to take a course and complete it: So start easy – start by taking courses in a genre that really interests you. That will whet your appetite. It’s better to be a little overqualified for the first course if it gets you through: There are plenty of courses to challenge you.

I’m working on computer science, and I thought I knew A LOT about computers: It turns out I don’t, at least not in this context and certainly not at this level.

Here are 3 of my Google certifications – quite a nice extra addition to one’s CV besides the knowledge you naturally gain by taking these courses.

Summary – who are you?

You may have noticed that you can add text under your title and picture. This is called a summary, and here you can advantageously write a little about yourself.

I’ve tried it myself – you can read my profile text right here.

Remember that keywords also influence how you rank in search results. So make sure to write a text that also includes words potential employers will search for.

Just like with search engine optimization on Google, you shouldn’t spam your text with keywords, but consider including terms from your industry. It makes you appear competent and also gives you the chance to be found in searches.

Extended job description

When you add jobs, make sure to include some extra information about what you did in the specific role you held or hold. You can also write a bit about what the company does in general.

Evaluate your efforts

You can always see how you’re performing with the data LinkedIn sends back to you as a user. In addition to verbal feedback from colleagues.

Profile strength

These are my numbers for a week. It tells me that my activity was better this week compared to the previous week. That way, I can always optimize my efforts. Since LinkedIn is the social media I spend the most time on, it’s nice to know that what I’m doing is working.

Be active and proactive

Don’t worry: You can start building your network and LinkedIn profile at any time – there’s no bad time to start. I receive so many messages from young people and older people who are afraid to start.

Share your passion

I love following passionate people; it’s energizing and life-affirming, no matter what they do. Every person is unique, and that’s what makes our species exciting – in my view. So make sure to share your passion, your knowledge, and your opinions – it often creates very real debates.

I blog, as you can see on my site, but I also share job opportunities from my network, I share other articles from the industry, and I share the books I read. In general, I share the things that interest me. If people find it interesting, they can follow me, or they can choose not to.

I write what I write because it inspires me, not because I’m trying to play a specific role on LinkedIn.

Be careful about being an “expert” from day 1

A funny story from my own life (personal experiences are the best to base things on) is that earlier in my life (before I got on LinkedIn), I thought I was an expert in Excel. Ohh… how wrong that assumption was.

It’s like playing football in a very small town with a few thousand inhabitants where you’re the star, and then moving to Aarhus or Copenhagen – you find out that you’re not as good as you might have thought.

And that’s perfectly fine! – But realize it: be humble and learn from those who are better and older than you.

The more you learn, read, and research as you get older, the better you become at understanding that there’s A LOT you don’t know. And what’s the fun in knowing everything?

You have no idea what jobs are out there

This is a game-changer for your mindset. I’ve received job offers from London, Dubai, Singapore – it’s not that they’ve always been the coolest jobs I’ve been offered, but it broadens your horizons when you get insight into all the opportunities out there – even outside little Denmark.

You find out what they’re looking for abroad and what they expect. It’s about being curious when you get in touch with their HR manager (there’s a chapter about this further down).

LinkedIn has given us the opportunity to search for jobs worldwide, and all recruitment agents also have a global perspective – there’s a higher chance of finding a better candidate when there are millions and millions to choose from instead of just a few.

Read my comprehensive guide to recruiting digital profiles

You can never have too strong a network

As mentioned, it’s never too late to build a strong network – fortunately. I started when I was 19 because I was in the nightlife industry as a young man, and it gave me a good idea at an early age of how important a network is.

My experience

A good network is based on mutual willingness to give – not to receive. Many people think they need a network to “get” or “receive” – that’s a very wrong assumption, and you’re often quickly seen through.

It’s a bit like a friend you haven’t talked to in a long time starting a message with “How’s it going?” and in the same sentence writing, “I was wondering if you could get me …… “ – you might as well skip the first part.

I love when young entrepreneurs send me a message on LinkedIn because they’ve been struggling with an SEO problem for a month, and it just doesn’t make sense. I can hear that they’ve put in the effort, and they’ve absorbed all the knowledge they could, and often I can, in a few minutes, send them in the right direction.

It enriches me, but if I had to start from scratch with the same people, it might have taken me 20-30 hours, and it would have become an irritation.

Keep LinkedIn updated – even if you get a job

Also a game-changer – let’s make it clear: Anyone can become unemployed, and I hate seeing people who have lost their drive because they’ve lost their job: Again – that’s why I’ve spent over 1,000 hours writing blog posts about marketing to help people become smarter and, in addition, spend 5-10 hours per month responding to young passionate individuals on LinkedIn and also sharing relevant job offers from my network.

It’s not just because I wish everyone well, but also because I’m aware that I could end up in the same situation, and then it’s nice to have a few plus points in my favor.

So: When you get a job, remember that the world can change tomorrow – make sure to keep your LinkedIn updated; you might have completed a new course, gained new responsibilities, or similar – update!

It takes time

All good things come to those who wait – no, just no, that quote doesn’t hold if you want to be realistic. – All good things come to those who work hard and have patience.

It’s taken me many years to build a really strong LinkedIn profile because I naturally had to work at the same time. Life isn’t a journey towards a goal – we’re not getting out of here alive anyway. It’s a journey, and on that journey, I strive to learn, as it makes me happy.

Most people want ‘this and that,’ but they want to achieve it here and now, not in the 1-2 years it might take.

For example, I really wanted to play guitar because I saw an acoustic concert with Ed Sheeran, so I downloaded Yousician and borrowed a guitar. Man, I was terrible. And the most fascinating thing about learning to play guitar: You can’t skip the learning curve, in other words: You have to practice and start from scratch.

The same applies to LinkedIn. You can use all the tips I give you here, and I promise you’ll get a good start, but it requires that you keep updating and optimizing once you’re up and running.

Learn to enjoy the process of getting better, smarter, and living a more fulfilling life by meeting interesting people.

Focus on what you can do

Don’t waste time on the things you can’t do – there will always be more of them than the things you can do. Focus on what you’re really passionate about, what you’re good at, and what you want to do. It will also rub off on the people you connect with.

Anything that’s forced has a short lifespan.

Does the number of connections matter?

There are many different opinions on how many connections you should have.

As a rule, I approve everyone unless they’re sellers from India (if you know the type, you know they don’t stop no matter what you do).

You can always choose to “unfollow” a person later.

The same goes if I want to be in a network with someone – I usually always send a greeting if I haven’t met the person before.

Otherwise, I use the opposite button of “unfollow” – namely, follow.

Most people genuinely want to help you

I’ve had over 50 cups of coffee per year for the last 3 years. Because I’m genuinely interested in other people. I’m aware that the better you feel, the better you are at helping others – in my opinion. I’m currently a consultant in my own company, so why not spend a little time giving others the joy you experience in everyday life?

I’ve met many interesting people through LinkedIn. Most recently, for example, I’ve talked and had coffee with Andreas Dirksen, founder of Plusbog.dk, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with Imran Rashid (author of Sluknu). I also met Nanna Bergmann through ARLA, who now works for Google, and I’ve met young passionate individuals like Daniel Johansen and Kristian Scharling.

Because I’ve always focused on giving instead of “taking,” I receive between 3-5 inquiries a day – and it’s not to toot my own horn because I’ve done the opposite. “I need, I want – me, me, me” – try turning it around: The more you contribute, the more you get in return.

Give, give, give and comment

In principle, it’s mostly about giving value to others, so you get value in return.

“Bring more value to the marketplace – Jim Rohn.”

It’s a bit like that with LinkedIn, without it being in a wrong way – of course, you shouldn’t just give for the sake of giving.

You should give something that makes sense, and the more you know, the

more curious you are, and the more knowledge you seek, the more you can give.

If you find interesting groups, be active in them, or seek out good debates on LinkedIn – that means you find, for example, groups about marketing, which is my interest, and then you participate in debates, and you see what others are writing about, and in that way, others will also perceive you as an authority.

For the guys: LinkedIn is not a dating site

This one is for the guys because I hear more and more women experiencing being contacted by men on LinkedIn. My advice: Just don’t.

Yes, she might have a nice profile picture and seem interesting, but don’t date on LinkedIn.

It’s often a bigger problem for women than for men (let’s be honest), but it applies to both genders.

Just don’t do it. If you find someone interesting, follow them and comment.

Catch up after meetings and lectures

If you attend meetings, lectures, or courses, whether you’re unemployed or a director, you’re sure to meet a lot of cool people. Make sure to “link” up with them afterward via LinkedIn. That way, you can constantly expand your network.

In addition, people who have met you will also be more likely to network with you because they remember you.

When I give lectures, I often get 20-30 “connections” after it’s over, and I also encourage people to ‘link’ up.

That way, we can help each other, and who knows: Maybe there are future employees, partners, or other good connections among them?

Find role models and companies to follow

I make a point of being inspired by others whom I think are doing well. These include Morten Aalbæk, Jesper Buch, Christian Stadil – but also others like Sasa from Obsidian, whom I think adds a lot of value to LinkedIn in my network, or Jesper Hvejsel, my former boss, because he only shares what he considers absolute top-class, and it often is for me too.

Write to HR managers

I know some HR people are going to hate me for this, but I’ve really gained gold from doing this.

I found HR people from Apple, LEGO, Zalando, Rocket Internet, Spotify – all sorts of big companies. Even when I wanted to take a course at Harvard, I wrote to the professor who gives the lectures through eDX to hear what you go through in the course.

Again: If you ask politely – respecting other people’s time – there are an incredible number of people who are willing to help. Helping others gives most people a good feeling inside.

It’s a bit like if you’re in a job interview and don’t get the job – call afterward directly, and ask what you can do better. I was literally about to pee my pants the first time I did it, but I learned so much.

You need to stand by your LinkedIn and its content

Don’t lie: Remember this, even though it’s digital and not face-to-face, don’t lie.

I once went to a job interview at Dansk Supermarked for a larger digital position. They had printed out my LinkedIn, including CV and summary, because that’s what I use and what’s most updated.

Then they started diving into it – fortunately, I had complete control over it because my cases were – and are – real, and I understand the buzzwords I use: In other words, I wasn’t trying to bullshit my way into the job.

So don’t lie because you’ll get caught.

If you’re unsure if you’re good enough, you can write it, but start by saying it in the interview. If you write “SEO EXPERT,” then expect to be questioned on the farthest corners of SEO. (remember the section about the expert role from earlier)

Do I get more out of LinkedIn Premium?

Not from what I’ve experienced – I’ve had it several times, and the idea of being shown more and getting more inquiries seems very limited to me. Maybe I’ll test it again soon, now that LinkedIn was sold to Microsoft – I still doubt it’s worth the money.

You should at least optimize your profile first before it becomes worthwhile, so your time is better spent on that than using your hard-earned money to buy a gold icon.

Conclusion on your LinkedIn profile

There’s only one thing to say: Get started, and if you’re already started – high five from here. No matter what, I hope you find something that makes you happy in everyday life and contributes positively to your life.

Can we help each other get more people into jobs?

Feel free to share the post below – maybe you have a friend, a partner – or someone in your network who could benefit from this advice. You never know when you might be in the same situation.