Your guide to choosing keywords that will boost your visibility on LinkedIn, practical steps to appear to employers in search results

Many job seekers create a profile on LinkedIn, but they do not realize that their appearance in search results depends not only on experience or the number of followers, but also on the keywords they use in writing the profile. These words are not just a random description, but digital tools that determine who sees you and who does not.

For example: If your profile contains generic words like ambitious or hardworking instead of digital marketing or customer service, you reduce your chances of being seen.

A strong portfolio is not only organized but also optimized for search engines within the platform. This starts with choosing the keywords that employers actually search for in the market when searching for candidates.

Example: A company looking for a data analyst would write Data Analyst, not an ambitious person who loves numbers.

First: What are companies looking for?

Companies do not search for the word CV or opportunity seeker, but rather enter precise words such as job titles, skills, tools, programs, certificates, and even geographical locations sometimes, for example, project manager, performance management, data analysis, digital marketing, information security, Python, Excel, PMP certification.

Example of a job ad asking for Marketing Specialist would have words like Social Media Strategy or Google Ads and you should repeat these in your profile if they apply to you.

Second: Choose words that truly express you.

Don't fill your profile with words that don't reflect your real experience. Effective keywords should be realistic and serve your professional goal. Write what you actually have, not what you wish you had. Focusing on honesty builds stronger trust, even if you reduce the number of words used.

Example: If you haven't used Power BI before, don't write it off just because it's popular. Stick with Excel if that's what you already have.

Third: Put the words in the right places on LinkedIn.

The professional title is the first thing that appears in the search results and should contain the title you are targeting. The bio plays a huge role in explaining who you are and allows you to mention several key skills and experiences. You should describe the tasks in market language and not internal language. Use clear words such as managing a team or developing a strategy instead of general descriptions.

Example: Don't just write about managing a successful team, but write about managing a team of 7 people and achieving a 20% growth in project results.

Fourth: Review job advertisements as a source of words.

The simplest way to choose the right words is to review job advertisements in your field and read the terms that appear frequently. These are the words that employers themselves use and are the key to writing a profile that matches their search method. Don't guess. Use the language they speak.

Example in accounting the words that are repeated are: budgeting, internal auditing, QuickBooks, IFRS and these are words that should be included

Fifth: Update your file periodically.

Keywords are not enough to be written once, but rather need to be reviewed continuously according to changes in the market and specializations. Monitor what is in demand in the market, add new skills, reformulate the profile according to the stage you are going through professionally, and make sure that everything you write serves the image you want to build about yourself.

For example, if you start learning new tools like Google Analytics or ChatGPT, add them to your portfolio after your first real experience with them, even if it's simple.

Finally:

Being visible on LinkedIn isn't a coincidence, but rather the result of smart choices and strategic word choices that express who you are and reflect what employers are looking for. When your language is their language, your chances not only increase, but you also begin to stand out, making it harder to ignore.