In today’s competitive job market, it’s no longer enough to simply have a LinkedIn profile, it needs to stand out. With over 1 billion members on the platform, recruiters, clients, and business leaders are scrolling through countless profiles every day. The ones that grab attention are those that are well-optimised, polished, and clearly showcase an individual’s strengths.

Whether you’re job hunting or just building your personal brand, your profile is often the first impression you make. A strong presence can open doors to new opportunities and expand your network.

Here are our top tips to help you refresh and optimise your LinkedIn profile so you can make the right impression and attract the right opportunities:

Create a strong headline

Don’t just list your job title, use your headline to showcase your expertise and value. Think about how you want to be found, the right keywords here make your profile more discoverable in LinkedIn search results.

Instead of: “Marketing Manager at XYZ Ltd”
Try: “Marketing Manager | SEO | Content Strategy

Perfect your profile picture

Your photo is the very first thing people notice, it instantly shapes how you’re perceived. A clear, high-quality, professional headshot builds trust and makes you more approachable.

• Use natural lighting and a neutral background
• Dress appropriately and avoid busy or distracting patterns
• Avoid group shots or casual selfies

Optimise your summary

Your LinkedIn summary should read like an elevator pitch, concise, impactful, and focused on you. It’s the place to highlight your achievements, what drives you professionally, and the unique value you bring. Think about the roles you’re targeting and what terms recruiters might be searching for. This will increase your chances of showing up in the searches.

Tips for writing your about section:

• Use the first person to make it approachable
• Focus on outcomes and impact, not just tasks
• Include relevant keywords for SEO discoverability
• End with a call-to-action (e.g., “Connect with me to discuss…”).

Showcase your experience

Go beyond listing job titles, employers, hiring managers and recruiters like to see real results. If you’ve helped increase sales, improve efficiency or grow a team, show it! Real results stand out much more than generic responsibilities. Use metrics where possible to show the scale of your achievements.

Example:

Change “Responsible for managing marketing campaigns.” to “Led a multi-channel marketing campaign that increased inbound leads by 40% in six months.”

Think of each role as an opportunity to prove your value:

• What challenges did you tackle?
• How did you make processes better or teams stronger?
• What measurable results can you point to?

Using bullet points makes your experience scannable, which is crucial as hiring managers typically skim profiles quickly. By highlighting real results, you show not just what you did, but how well you did it.

Customise your LinkedIn URL

A small but powerful change you can make is to customise your LinkedIn profile URL. Instead of a long, default link full of numbers, you can create a clean, professional URL that’s easy to share on CVs or email signatures.

For example:

Change linkedin.com/in/john-veal-5827391b to linkedin.com/in/johnrveal

This not only looks more professional but also helps with personal branding and makes your profile easier to find in searches. You can edit your public profile URL in the “Edit public profile & URL” section of your LinkedIn settings. If your name has already been taken by someone else, add in an extra letter for your middle name or even add in your company’s name at the end of the link.

Ask for recommendations

A strong recommendation is like a testimonial, it builds trust and credibility. Don’t be afraid to ask clients, managers, or colleagues to leave one for you.

To make it easier for them (and more impactful for you), be specific about what you’d like them to highlight, for example, a project you worked on together, the results you achieved, or the strengths you demonstrated.

Tips for collecting recommendations:

• Personalise your request — explain why you’re asking them in particular
• Suggest a project or achievement they could reference
• Offer to write one in return
• Aim for a mix of voices such as managers, clients, and colleagues

Keep it fresh

An optimised profile isn’t a one-off task. Regularly update your headline, about section, and featured content to reflect new projects and achievements.

Your LinkedIn profile is often your first impression to employers and hiring managers. By following these tips, you’ll not only stand out from the crowd but also attract more connections on LinkedIn and the right opportunities.

Would you like more advice on your job search? Get in touch with us today.

As the job market continues to evolve, so too does the conversation around hiring. With more companies prioritising skills over traditional degrees, the old debate of whether a degree or experience matters more has gained new momentum. Nobul recently conducted a LinkedIn poll asking the question: What’s your top priority when hiring if a degree or qualification is not legally required?

The results were:

• 73% said skills and experience.
• 25% opted for a balance of both.
• Just 3% chose degrees and qualifications.

So, what does this shift in hiring priorities mean for both employers and candidates?

The changing landscape: skills first, degrees second

More companies are shifting away from traditional qualifications in favour of experience and practical skills, especially in fast-paced, innovation driven industries like software development, digital marketing, and design. These sectors are increasingly embracing skills-based hiring, placing greater value on a candidate’s ability to deliver results over their academic credentials.

But why are companies making this shift?

• Skills are directly tied to performance. Employers are increasingly prioritising candidates who can demonstrate their abilities over those who simply have the qualifications. For example, an applicant can show their skills by solving a problem in a real-time task. This focus on practical competence ensures that new hires can hit the ground running from day one.
• The talent pool is growing. By relaxing degree requirements, companies open the door to non-traditional candidate, those who may not have a degree but possess hands-on experience or have upskilled through alternative education paths. With this approach, companies can tap into a much larger and more diverse pool of talent.

The minority voice: degrees still have a place

While the majority of respondents to the LinkedIn poll prioritised skills and experience, 25% still believe in a balance between qualifications and hands-on ability, and just 3% think degrees should remain the top priority. For certain industries and roles, this minority view still holds weight.

For example:

• Regulated industries such as healthcare, law, and finance require formal qualifications for legal and safety reasons. In these industries, degrees are non-negotiable.
• Some companies and industries can require formal education to ensure that professionals have a deep understanding of complex concepts that can’t always be demonstrated through practical experience alone.

Moreover, some employers argue that degrees still signal a level of discipline, problem-solving ability, and commitment. While skills are crucial, a degree might offer employers a degree of assurance.

Implications for job seekers: skills matter more than ever

For candidates, this shift presents both challenges and opportunities. While a degree is no longer the golden ticket to landing a job, the focus on skills and experience means that job seekers must find new ways to stand out in a competitive market.

• Build your LinkedIn profile as a portfolio. An optimised LinkedIn profile showcasing your achievements and projects you have worked on is an essential asset. It’s no longer just about what you studied; it’s about what you can actually do.
• Invest in continuous learning. Demonstrating a commitment to ongoing skill development can help set you apart from other candidates. Employers want to see that you’re adaptable, and that you have the drive to learn and grow.
• Leverage your experience. If you’ve gained hands-on experience through freelance work, volunteer projects, or internships, don’t overlook these valuable opportunities. They demonstrate your ability to apply your skills in real-world settings, which many employers value just as much (if not more) than academic credentials.

What does this mean for employers?

For employers, this shift to skills-first hiring comes with a few key considerations:

• Rethink job descriptions. Are your job descriptions overly focused on degrees or traditional qualifications? If so, it might be time to refocus on the skills, competencies, and experiences that are critical to success in the role. What are the actual requirements for someone to excel in the position?
• Update hiring processes. Traditional interviews often don’t effectively assess practical skills. Consider integrating skills assessments into your hiring process. This will offer a more accurate measure of a candidate’s ability to do the job. When using projects or assignments, make sure they are realistic and directly relevant to the role, rather than hypothetical exercises that don’t reflect the actual work. Avoid asking candidates to produce unpaid work that benefits the company. Instead, focus on smaller, representative tasks or examples that allow them to showcase their abilities without being exploitative.
• Expand your talent pool. By embracing skills-first hiring, you open up opportunities to engage with talent pools that might have previously been overlooked. People from non-traditional backgrounds—such as career changers, self-taught professionals, or those with unconventional experiences—bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to the table.

A new era of hiring

As the conversation around hiring continues to evolve, it’s clear that skills are taking centre stage. While degrees and qualifications may still hold value in certain fields, the growing trend towards skills-first hiring marks a significant shift in how companies are evaluating candidates.

For candidates, this means there’s a greater emphasis on demonstrating your skills and experience. For employers, it’s an opportunity to rethink your hiring processes and open the door to a broader, more diverse talent pool.

As we move forward, it’s likely that the balance between degrees and practical skills will continue to shift. Companies that adapt to this changing landscape will be better equipped to stay competitive and innovative, while candidates who embrace skills development will find themselves more attractive in a fast-moving, skills-driven job market.

Ready to rethink your hiring strategy?
At Nobul, we help employers build smarter hiring processes that attract the right talent. If you need help attracting top talent or refining your interview process, our team can support you every step of the way.

Get in touch with us today to start hiring better.