How to Improve Your (Tech) LinkedIn Profile Before Relocation

With more than 30M companies and 20M open jobs listed on LinkedIn, it’s no wonder that 90% of recruiters use it for hiring purposes. Obviously, those who are recruiting for tech roles aren’t an exception.

So, having a powerful LinkedIn profile is more than important for finding a decent job, both with relocation and not. Polish yours up today with this quick guide.

Step 1. Headline and summary

Apart from a profile picture, these will be the first things every recruiter sees. 

Start with the headline. Use the following formula:

Position+Company | Your primary skills (keywords) | Zing (something that differs you from other candidates)

✓ Software Developer at Amazon | NodeJS, React, Ruby, Rails, AWS | Agile Evangelist, Public Speaker

✗ Junior Software Developer at Amazon

Note: If you're a junior professional aiming to get a mid-level position, better omit the 'Junior' part, as well as the words like ‘aspiring’.

Polish the summary. It shouldn’t be too short (consider writing at least 40 words), but don’t overdo it with the length. Avoid buzzwords like ‘team player’, ‘familiar with’, ‘thought leader’, etc. Include relevant keywords. Since you’re looking for a job with relocation, don’t forget to add the words ‘relocate’ or ‘relocation’. For more tips and expert advice, check out this article. 

Opposite strategy. Recruiters strongly rely on keywords and boolean search when looking for prospects. For example, here is one of the boolean search strings for finding a Python developer: (programmer OR developer) AND python AND (mysql OR postgresql) AND (django OR flask) AND (chef OR puppet OR sentry). 

So, if you want to be reached by the most determined recruiters only, better omit the primary keywords from the headline and summary of your profile. If you’re a Java developer, don’t use the word ‘Java’ — mention Spring, Hibernate, and other relevant technologies instead.

Additional resources. If you have a GitHub/Behance/Dribble/whatever profile you’re proud of, add it as a custom website under your contact info.

Bonus tip: Never state that you need visa sponsorship in the headline and/or summary of your profile. This won’t increase your odds of finding and getting a tech job offering relocation.

Step 2. Filling other sections

Generally speaking, all parts of your profile should be filled and contain the right keywords. That is especially true for the Experience, Education, and Skills sections.

Experience. Simply stating the company and your position is not enough. Describe what you achieved in each position, not your tasks or duties. Do this in a bulleted form. Use active verbs (‘reduced’, ‘developed’, ‘achieved’, etc.) and prove your accomplishments with numbers when it’s possible.

For example:

• Designed, built, and launched to the Google Play Store XYZ, a React Native-based Android app for free textbook rental.
• Achieved over 5,000 downloads and 300+ positive reviews in less than six months.

Courses and certifications. If you’ve completed any relevant ones, take the time to mention them, especially if you’re only making the first steps towards an IT career. It’s one of the ways to show potential employers that you're committed to continuously learning and growing your skillset. 

Step 3. Final touches (settings)

Let recruiters know that you’re up for a new challenge. Click on the 'Career interests' section of your profile, and choose the appropriate status. ('Actively looking' might be the best choice.)

Turn on the visibility of your profile. Go to 'Me' > 'Settings&Privacy' > 'Edit your public profile', and switch on 'Show' for all the components.

Profile URL. Personalize your profile URL — if available, your name+surname is the perfect option. 

✓ https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith

✗ https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-smith-468rff715f48

Bonus tip: Try switching your location to one of your potential destinations. That will make local recruiters pay attention to you. Moreover, you can combine tourism with a job search. If you’re visiting one of your possible destinations, don’t waste a chance to go on a couple of interviews.

And the last but not the least, if you’re in search of work abroad, make sure your profile is completed in English. 

Voila! Your profile is now ready for the job search.