What’s the Best Way for Women in Tech to Showcase Their Skills on LinkedIn?

Boost your LinkedIn with a professional profile, sharing content, and showcasing projects. Get recommendations, list certifications, engage with LinkedIn Learning, participate in groups, use multimedia, stay active, and optimize for keywords to enhance visibility and showcase your tech expertise.

Boost your LinkedIn with a professional profile, sharing content, and showcasing projects. Get recommendations, list certifications, engage with LinkedIn Learning, participate in groups, use multimedia, stay active, and optimize for keywords to enhance visibility and showcase your tech expertise.

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Monique Montanino
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Create a Compelling Profile

Make sure your LinkedIn profile is comprehensive, highlighting your technical skills, certifications, and experience. Use a professional photo and create a headline that summarizes your expertise and ambition. Tailor your summary to reflect your passion for technology, your career achievements, and your future goals. This is your first impression, make it count.

Add your insights
Monique Montanino
Executive Career Coach at Resume Tech Guru
Mon, 04/08/2024 - 17:38

According to Earthweb, “58 million companies are listed on the LinkedIn platform, and 87% of recruiters use it to scout new employees.” Based upon a database of 30 million profiles, career expert Zippia estimates there are over 210,000 technical recruiters in the U.S.

Do you have a LinkedIn Allstar Profile for these recruiters? Let's check out what you can do to make that happen.

Here are 10 actionable LinkedIn tips to become a recruiter attraction magnet.

1. Safety Check: If you don't want your colleagues or the boss to know you're updating your profile, head over to your LinkedIn visibility settings. Select "Off" for the item under "Visibility of Your LinkedIn Activity."

2. Images: It’s time to update your headshot if more than five years old. Professional photographers charge $250 and will come to your location. Or have your significant other take a new photo.

Studies indicate we don’t select our best photos. A free data science-backed analysis is available at photofeeler.com based on how competent, likable, and influential you appear in your photo.

Make the best use of the background space behind your photo by showcasing your professional brand with an image. Royalty-free images can be found at Pexels.com and Unsplash.com. You need to log into linked.com vs. use the phone app to change the image.

3. Headline: I develop headlines for my clients with 3 components in mind, including industry-recognized title, domain expertise, and competitive differentiator. To make these 3 items stand out, I insert separator symbols such as the pipe vertical line (|) key or Unicode bullets (■ ●). As far as an industry-recognized title, it’s easy to discover what by conducting a LinkedIn job search. For example, I searched for a client recently for a role in the US, and “Chief Information Officer” provided 2x more job postings (4K) vs. “CIO” (2K). You can cover your bets and post it as “Chief Information Officer (CIO)” on your LinkedIn Profile.

4. About Summary: Think of this section as your elevator speech when the recruiter asks, “So, tell me about yourself.” My advice to clients is to respond not like you are on the firing line. Instead, why not take the same approach you use with someone at a business conference, explain what you do, and your philosophy regarding leading successful teams and achieving incredible results?

The reality is that most people on LinkedIn write about themselves in the 3rd-person. Weird, it’s your profile, not an introduction at a keynote ensued by a laundry list of skills that they're capable of since the beginning of time. Let's turn that around and position yourself for the next executive role you want. When you're hiring someone, what impresses you in the interview? It's time to interview yourself or ask colleagues or a significant other.

One of my favorite summaries has a line that caught my attention and made me smile: “Leader with a talent for driving strategic relationships with clients and finding mutual wins in complex negotiations. I have negotiated with terrorists; executives do not intimidate me.” It’s from a former sales executive colleague of mine at CenturyLink. Do more of that, please. We’re here to be dazzled, not bored.

5. Industry & Location: This one is quite simple. Use the crowd sourced categories in the drop-down menu.

Think like a recruiter vs. being micro-specific to where you live. I used to live in a small county of 20,000 called Port Ludlow, WA. No one outside of the state was familiar with the town, so I would say it was near Seattle. A large segment of my tech exec clients work at Microsoft in Redmond, WA. We always use the larger metro area of Seattle, WA.

6. Job Description: Similar to your resume, it’s best to keep things short and simple for each of your job descriptions. Begin with your overarching responsibility statement. Follow up with 2-3 bullets of accomplishments applying the Amazon STAR method. Each bullet begins with an action verb and should contain a metric related to the Situation, Tactics, Actions, and Results you accomplished.

7. Education: Select the drop-down menu for a list of degrees, which is crowdsourced on how recruiters search. If your concerned about ageism, skip the graduation dates. Exception for removing dates is if you recently completed an executive MBA.

8. Skills: Please add to your skills section or take a minute to delete insignificant items. It will help with ATS matching for the job listings. You have up to 50 skills, so if you max out, please delete current skills with zero endorsements or items not related to your next role regardless of if 100 people endorsed you. Prioritize industry terminology that recruiters utilize vs. internal corporate babble. What AWS vs. Microsoft discusses in meetings is the same but within different vernaculars, so cover all your bases.

Areas of expertise categorize your skills:
• Industry Knowledge
• Tools & Technologies
• Interpersonal Skills
• Other Skills

Did you know the top 3 skills on your profile are ranked in quantitative order, and you can change them?
1) Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
2) Click View profile.
3) Scroll down to the Skills & Endorsements section and click the Edit icon.
4) In the pop-up window, click and drag the Reorder icon (4 horizontal bars) located to the right of the corresponding skill you'd like to reorder.

Have colleagues endorse three interpersonal skills and, here’s a tip, tell them which ones. It’s an efficient way to increase your skill rankings where they matter to you.

9. Recommendations: I know it's sometimes challenging to ask for help but get over it. Perhaps you had the same Dutch-like parents that trained me from an early age that it's better to give than receive? I muster the courage and ask for recommendations. It’s OK to receive LinkedIn recommendations; you've earned it.

I tell my clients to ask for recommendations and be extremely specific about a skill they want to highlight. The ones about “she’s a nice person” don’t convey to a recruiter or hiring manager what executive leadership benefits you bring to the table. Request recommendations for leadership qualities such as:
• Strong vision for the future
• Ability to establish trust
• Leadership style that reflects your team
• Delegation to direct reports
• Mentor capabilities for the development team
• Being a master communicator
• Fire up team motivationally

Here are the steps to take:
1) To request a recommendation from your profile: Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
2) Select View profile. Scroll down to the Recommendations section and click.
3) Ask to be recommended.
4) Type the name of the connection you'd like to ask for a recommendation in the “whom do you want to ask?

10. Open to Recruiters: Armed with your All-Star profile, you’re now ready to notify recruiters that you’re open to being contacted. Yes, you’ll initially receive some odd “doesn’t even vaguely represent me” requests but give it a whirl.

Here’s how you tell recruiters you're available without letting your network or boss know.
• Click on the "Open To" dropdown that appears below your photo on the left-hand side
• Select “finding a new job”
• Add 4 job titles: limited to 4
• Tip: Conduct a job search based on various titles in LinkedIn to see how many job openings exist within your geography and rank order the top 4 titles.

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GUNJAN PALIWAL
Sr. Product Development and Marketing Manager, AI/ML Ads Products at Meta
Mon, 04/29/2024 - 03:53

Share industry trends and insights: Stay informed about the latest trends, innovations, and developments in the tech industry and regularly share your insights on LinkedIn. Posting about emerging technologies, market trends, or industry news can position you as a knowledgeable and forward-thinking professional. and also add become thought leader

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Supriya Dixit
Vice President Marketing & Chair of Sustainability Committee at SG Analytics
Tue, 08/13/2024 - 05:40

Your summary is your personal elevator pitch. It should tell your story, highlight your accomplishments, and convey your passion for technology. Aim for a narrative that reflects your career journey, skills, and future aspirations.

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Niyati Daftary
Cybersecurity Researcher at Gartner
Mon, 08/26/2024 - 04:08

To effectively showcase their skills on LinkedIn, women in tech should complete their profiles with a professional photo, compelling headline, and detailed summary.
They should outline their job experiences with clear descriptions and quantifiable achievements, highlight significant projects, and list relevant technical and soft skills.
Encouraging endorsements and obtaining recommendations adds credibility, while showcasing certifications and completed courses demonstrates continuous learning.
Engaging with content by sharing insights, writing articles, and participating in discussions within tech groups helps build visibility.
Networking strategically by connecting with industry leaders and attending virtual events, along with utilizing LinkedIn features like the "Featured" section, ensures a dynamic and updated profile that reflects their expertise and industry knowledge.

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Share and Publish Content

One of the most effective ways to showcase your skills is by sharing insightful content related to your field. This could be through publishing articles, posting updates about industry trends, or sharing interesting findings. Regularly engaging with content also demonstrates your ongoing commitment to learning and staying current in the tech industry.

Add your insights
Chaquinta Fisher
I.T. Support Manager at McLennan County
Wed, 04/10/2024 - 15:51

In my experience, sharing content from peers in a related field often prompts for engagement from others in your network seeking the same information. Sometimes, those you are connected to are potentially unknown to those whose content you share, thus increasing the network opportunities of like minded individuals for collective thought opportunities.

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Highlight Projects and Portfolios

LinkedIn allows you to add projects to your profile. Take advantage of this feature by showcasing the work you're most proud of. Include descriptions of your role, the technologies used, and the outcome of the projects. Links to online portfolios or project demos can also give a direct insight into your capabilities.

Add your insights

Gather Recommendations

Recommendations from colleagues, supervisors, or clients can significantly enhance your profile. They offer a third-party validation of your skills and work ethic. Politely ask people you've worked closely with to provide a recommendation on LinkedIn – these testimonials can be incredibly persuasive to potential employers.

Add your insights

List Certifications and Courses

If you have completed any relevant certifications, boot camps, or courses, make sure they are prominently listed on your LinkedIn profile. This not only showcases your technical skills but also demonstrates a commitment to professional development and a passion for learning.

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Utilize LinkedIn Learning

Engaging with LinkedIn Learning not only helps you acquire new skills but also allows you to add these courses directly to your profile. This shows a proactive approach to professional development and highlights your dedication to advancing your technical expertise.

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Engage in Groups and Communities

Being active in LinkedIn groups related to your field can increase your visibility and show your engagement in the tech community. Participate in discussions, offer insights, and connect with other professionals. It’s a great way to build your network while showcasing your knowledge and passion for technology.

Add your insights

Use Visuals and Multimedia

Enhance your profile by adding videos, slides, infographics, or other multimedia elements that demonstrate your work. If you’ve spoken at a conference or webinar, include a video or slide deck. Visuals can be much more engaging than text alone and can give a dynamic overview of your skills and achievements.

Add your insights
Sowmya Kumar
Senior Data Scientist at Microsoft
Mon, 04/15/2024 - 16:40

Regularly post articles, comment on posts, and share content that reflects your professional interests and expertise in technology. This demonstrates your ongoing engagement with industry trends.
Writing articles on LinkedIn about recent projects or technology trends can also position you as a thought leader.

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Be Active and Consistent

Regular activity on LinkedIn can significantly increase your visibility. Consistent posting, commenting on other posts, and engaging with your network keeps your profile active and shows that you are an engaged member of the tech community. This consistency can help keep you top of mind among your network and potential employers.

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Optimize for Keywords

Ensure that your profile is optimized for keywords related to your skills and the roles you’re interested in. Recruiters often use specific keywords to search for candidates, so including these throughout your profile in your headline, summary, and experience sections can increase your visibility in search results and showcase your relevant skills.

Add your insights

What else to take into account

This section is for sharing any additional examples, stories, or insights that do not fit into previous sections. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Add your insights
Amy Forsee
Senior Enterprise Architect at State of MO
Fri, 05/17/2024 - 10:13

I think all of these recommendations are great. I would only add that how you showcase your abilities can be specific to what skills you want to highlight. As an Architect, I cannot just put all my work out there for everyone to see, it sometimes has proprietary information that you do not want published. This means I rely heavily on my experience profiles, certifications and recommendations.

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