LinkedIn profile tips: how to build a strong profile

Here are LinkedIn profile tips that make it easier for recruiters to find you and understand what you can do. A strong LinkedIn profile is not a copy of your CV. It has to work when someone searches for a job title or a skill, and when an employer looks you up after reading your application. We go through the profile from top to bottom, with examples you can use straight away, and with a few points that matter when you are job hunting in Norway.

Profile photo and background image

Your photo is the first thing people see, and a profile without one quickly looks unfinished. It does not need to be taken by a photographer. What matters is that your face fills most of the frame, the light is good, you look into the camera and you look the way you do on a normal working day.

Avoid holiday shots, sunglasses, group photos with you cropped out and pictures that are years old. The background image at the top can say something about your field, such as a photo from your workplace, a building site, a laboratory or just a calm colour. A plain background is better than a blurry photo.

LinkedIn headline: examples that work

The headline is the text right below your name. It appears in search results, in comments and in lists of people, and it is often the only thing a recruiter reads before deciding whether to click. You have up to 220 characters, but the first few words matter most, because the rest is often cut off.

If it only shows your job title, you are not making good use of the space. A strong LinkedIn headline says what you do, what you are good at and ideally what you are looking for. Use the words an employer would search for. Some examples:

Accountant | Year end, VAT and reporting | Tripletex and PowerOffice
Nurse with emergency department experience | Looking for a permanent post in Bergen
Frontend developer | React and TypeScript | Building fast, accessible websites
Recent business graduate | Analysis, Excel and Power BI | Looking for a first role in controlling
Store manager responsible for 12 staff | Sales, operations and training

The About section: say who you are and what you can do

The About section is the place for a short, personal introduction. You have up to 2,600 characters, but three to five short paragraphs are enough for most people. Only the first lines are shown before the reader has to click to see more, so lead with what matters most.

Write in the first person and the way you speak. A simple structure is what you do now, what you are particularly good at with one or two concrete examples, what you are looking for next and how people can reach you. Avoid empty words such as 'passionate', 'results driven' and 'team player' unless you prove them in the next sentence.

An example of an opening: 'I am a payroll officer with six years of experience in a group with 800 employees. I like tidying up routines, and last year I cut two working days a month from our payroll run.' It is much like a good CV summary, just a little more personal.

Experience with results, not just duties

Under Experience you add your jobs with employer, title and dates. Many people stop there, but it is the description under each role that convinces. Write two to four points per role, and focus on what you achieved, not just what you were responsible for.

Titles and dates should match your CV. Recruiters compare them, and differences raise questions. If you have had several roles with the same employer, you can group them under one company so your progression is clear. Here is how to lift a description:

Weak: 'Responsible for customer service.' Better: 'Handled around 60 enquiries a day and raised customer satisfaction from 4.1 to 4.6 out of 5.'
Weak: 'Worked with social media.' Better: 'Grew the Instagram account from zero to 8,000 followers in a year on a small budget.'
Weak: 'Project follow up.' Better: 'Led three construction projects at the same time and delivered all of them on budget and on schedule.'

Skills and the keywords recruiters search for

Recruiters search LinkedIn much the way you search the web. They type in a title, a few skills and a location, and get profiles that contain those words. If a word is not on your profile, you will not show up, however good you are.

Find the keywords by reading five to ten job ads for the role you want. Note the titles, tools, specialist areas and certifications that keep coming up. Add them to your headline, your About section, the descriptions under Experience and your list of skills. In Norway, use both the English and the Norwegian term when both are common, for example 'project manager' and 'prosjektleder'. Look especially for these kinds of words:

Job titles: both the title you have now and the title you want.
Tools and systems: for example SAP, Visma, Excel, Salesforce or AutoCAD.
Specialist areas: for example procurement, year end accounts, B2B sales or intensive care nursing.
Certifications and authorisations: for example a trade certificate, nursing authorisation or a project management certification.
Location: the city or region you want to work in, so you appear in local searches.

Open to Work: visible to everyone or recruiters only

With the Open to Work feature you show that you are looking for a job. You choose job titles, locations and type of work, and who can see it. If you choose all LinkedIn members, your photo gets a green frame with the text #OpenToWork. If you choose recruiters only, it is only visible to people using LinkedIn's own recruiting tools.

If you are out of work or have just finished your studies, the visible frame is usually fine and can bring you messages. If you are employed and want to search quietly, recruiters only is the safer choice. LinkedIn tries to hide it from recruiters at your own company, but cannot promise that nobody there will see it.

Norwegian or English LinkedIn profile?

Choose the language of the jobs you are applying for. In many Norwegian sectors, such as health, the public sector, construction and retail, Norwegian is the natural choice, and employers will often expect it. In technology, oil and gas, shipping, research and international companies, recruiters often search for English titles, so an English profile makes sense.

You can also have both. LinkedIn lets you add a profile in another language, and people who use LinkedIn in that language will see that version. Whichever you choose, stick to one language per profile and do not mix Norwegian and English paragraphs. If you are applying for jobs in English, read our guide to CVs and cover letters in English.

Frequently asked questions

How long can a LinkedIn headline be?

The headline can be up to 220 characters. Only the first few words are shown in many places, so put your title and your most important keyword first.

Should I turn on Open to Work?

Yes, if you are looking for a job. If you are out of work, you can show it to everyone. If you are employed, choose recruiters only, but bear in mind that LinkedIn cannot promise that nobody at your own employer will notice.

Should my LinkedIn profile be in Norwegian or English?

Use the language of the jobs you are applying for. Norwegian suits most Norwegian sectors, while English is common in technology, energy, shipping, research and international companies. You can also add a profile in a second language and have both.

Does my LinkedIn profile have to match my CV?

Facts such as titles, employers and dates should match, or it raises questions. The style can be freer. On LinkedIn you can write more personally in the About section, while your CV should be shorter and tailored to each job.

How often should I update my LinkedIn profile?

Update it whenever you get a new job, a new role, finish a course or achieve something you are proud of, and do a full review before you start applying. It is easier to write down results while you still remember them.