The LinkedIn Featured section is your profile's prime real estate for showcasing your work accomplishments and personal brand. Use it to exhibit projects, presentations, or publications that affirm your skills and industry expertise. This section gets quickly indexed by LinkedIn's algorithm as it considers it highly relevant. If you've yet to start a Featured section, navigate to your LinkedIn profile, click 'Add Profile Section,' then 'Featured.' Make it a habit to update this with your latest work samples that align with your job target. Including rich media not only amplifies your expertise but also makes your profile visually engaging.
Choose projects that highlight skills relevant to the job roles you're targeting. Consider including a successful project link, a PDF of a stellar presentation, or an image of an award-winning product you contributed to. Recruiters often search for tangible examples of success in this section, so ensure each item includes a brief, keyword-rich description of your role and the outcome. These examples act like a portfolio, showing your ability to deliver results. Go to your LinkedIn profile, click on the 'Featured' section, and select 'Add' to upload or link your project of choice.
Including LinkedIn recommendations in your Featured section offers social proof of your abilities. While most users simply let recommendations stay buried deep within their profile, highlighting a few glowing testimonials can boost credibility instantaneously. These endorsements provide verbal illustrations of your work ethic and impact. To add them, simply take a screen capture or PDF of the recommendation and upload it to your Featured section. This tactic leverages third-party validation, strengthening your appeal to potential employers.
Visual content has a powerful impact in the digital age, and LinkedIn is no exception. After you identify the projects and testimonials you want to showcase, focus on including high-quality graphics or videos in your Featured section. Media content not only breaks the monotony of text but also catches the recruiter’s eye instantly. Use tools like Canva to craft professional images or convert successful PowerPoint slides into attention-grabbing PDFs. Remember, each piece of media uploaded should be strategically selected to support your candidacy for your target role.
LinkedIn’s algorithm prioritizes profiles that show completeness and relevance, and your Featured section plays an instrumental role. By having a dynamic, well-curated Featured section, your profile becomes more searchable and attractive in recruiter search results. Ensure each post in your Featured section is keyword-optimized with terms prevalent in your industry and target roles. Keywords improve your odds of appearing in search results, making you more discoverable. Think of this exercise as SEO for your LinkedIn profile, directly influencing how often you're found.
Boost engagement by driving interaction through your Featured section. Include a call to action (CTA) with each item you post — whether it's prompting viewers to comment on an article, download a full report, or connect with you for a deeper conversation. A well-placed and thought-out CTA encourages more interaction and network expansion, increasing your visibility in the community. Each piece in your Featured section could be an opportunity for a conversation starter with a potential employer willing to explore your full body of work.
Your LinkedIn profile, especially the Featured section, should mirror the quality and focus of your resume. Consistency across both platforms guarantees a coherent professional image, strengthening your employer appeal. Begin by cross-referencing your resume with your LinkedIn profile to ensure key achievements and roles align. Just as you would optimize your resume with a professional tool like Ghosted, apply the same diligence to your LinkedIn profile for a unified job search strategy. Investing time here can unlock doors to opportunities you hadn't previously seen.
Upload your resume and get a free diagnostic in 2 minutes. No account required to start.
Get my free diagnostic →