If you’re applying for jobs but getting nothing in return, your CV might not be the problem—your LinkedIn profile might be holding you back.
Here’s why: recruiters don’t manually sift through profiles. They use search filters to find candidates with the right skills—if you’re not showing up in searches, you won’t get noticed.
The one-minute LinkedIn tweak that makes a huge difference.
Your headline (the text under your name) is one of the first things recruiters see—and it plays a huge role in search rankings. Most people just list their job title, but a well-optimised headline can significantly increase your chances of being found.
What most people do:
“Software Engineer at XYZ Ltd”
“Data Analyst | Looking for opportunities”
What works better:
“Software Engineer | AWS, Python & Microservices | Building scalable cloud solutions”
“Data Analyst | SQL, Python, Power BI | Turning data into decisions”
Why this works: recruiters search for specific skills, not just job titles. If your headline includes in-demand keywords, you’ll appear in more searches.
Bonus: Optimise your ‘Open to Work’ settings
If you’re job-hunting but don’t want your employer to know, use LinkedIn’s ‘Open to Work’ setting. You can set it to be visible only to recruiters, which increases your chances of being approached.
How to do it:
- Go to your LinkedIn profile
- Click ‘Open to Work’
- Select ‘Recruiters only’ visibility
- Add job titles, locations, and employment types you’re open to
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