How to Perfect Your LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn serves as the most powerful tool for Legal Professionals seeking to grow their careers. As a legal recruiter, I’ve seen first-hand how the right LinkedIn profile can open doors to exciting new roles and opportunities. Here’s a guide to help YOU refine your profile to ensure you are getting noticed within the market.
What a Legal Recruiter Looks for on LinkedIn
It’s important for any professional to have an online presence. LinkedIn is the most prominent social networking tool for professionals—and yet, it remains an underutilized resource for many lawyers, who only seem to update their profiles when they are in between jobs.
Legal recruiters are constantly on the lookout for talent to fill new roles, and LinkedIn is one of the primary sources of potential candidates.
1. Connections
Your network and connections highlight your relevance in the legal market and how well-connected you are within your sector or industry.
Invest time in building and maintaining connections with past colleagues, business contacts, and key industry people. Connections that are relevant to your practice and desired career path can also serve as valuable endorsements.
2. Summary
Think of your LinkedIn Summary as the answer to the universal “tell me about yourself” question that often starts an interview. This section should clearly describe your current role, practice area, and career objectives. It’s the first thing that appears on your profile, so a well-crafted Summary can turn recruiters’ casual interest into a full-on profile review.
3. Experience and Skills
Your experience should tell a cohesive story of your career journey. Focus on the roles you’ve held, the firms you’ve worked with, and how your skill set matches your work experience. Recruiters will look for alignment between your listed skills and past roles, and will evaluate if your experience links seamlessly to the type of legal role they’re trying to fill.
Keep these sections well-written and accurate, remembering that your LinkedIn profile is public. You never know who might be reviewing your background.
Tips to Perfect Your Profile
1. Craft a Compelling Headline And Utilize Keywords Thoughtfully
Your headline is the first thing recruiters see after your name. Stick with the default job title and company. Highlighting key areas of practice or specialisations, like “Family Solicitor | Divorce, High-Net-Worth Finance, and Child Custody Specialist.” This will ensure your profile is seen when searching key words by recruiters.
LinkedIn’s algorithm relies heavily on keywords, so it’s essential to use terms that recruiters will search for. Mirror the language used in job postings or industry standards to increase your profile’s visibility.
3. Leverage Your About Section
The “About” section is your chance to introduce yourself beyond your title. Use this space to craft a narrative about your journey. Highlight significant achievements, highlight cases, and any unique skills that make you stand out.
Structure:
- Who you are: Briefly state your current position and specialisation.
- What you do: Explain your key skills and experiences, mentioning notable cases or achievements.
4. Showcase Your Experience Strategically
When listing your experience, it’s crucial to strike the right balance between detail and conciseness. Instead of merely listing job titles and dates, describe your responsibilities, key cases, and outcomes. Use bullet points to keep it digestible and highlight your role in successful outcomes, client relationships, or team leadership.
For example:
- Led a multi-disciplinary team in a high-profile trust dispute, securing a favourable outcome for the client, resulting in recognition from Legal 500.
- Acted as a lead solicitor in complex matrimonial finance cases involving high-net-worth assets and international trusts.
5. Endorsements and Recommendations Matter
Endorsements and recommendations from colleagues, supervisors, or even clients can add credibility to your profile.
Endorsements: Focus on skills that are vital in your area of law. Don’t be shy about requesting endorsements from colleagues you’ve worked with. You’ve done the work, now lets get recognised for it.
Recommendations: Aim for quality over quantity. A few well-written recommendations from key professionals (partners, colleagues, or clients) can strengthen your profile immensely.
6. Highlight Professional Achievements and Certifications
Whether it’s accreditations from recognised bodies or notable publications, don’t forget to feature your achievements. If you’ve earned the STEP Diploma, been published in a legal journal, or won an award, these details deserve a spotlight.
Keep Your Profile Updated
Lastly, a stale profile signals inactivity. Keep your profile current. An updated profile is more likely to attract the right opportunities and make you appear proactive in your career. And how annoying is it when a recruiter contacting you about a role, but you haven’t been in that sector for years? This is probably due to your profile not being up to date.
Final Thoughts
A polished LinkedIn profile is like a digital business card. We are always on the lookout for talented legal professionals, and with these tips, your LinkedIn profile will catch our eye.
Luck happens when preparation meets opportunity—make sure your profile is well-prepared when the right opportunity is trying to connect with you.
