Do you want four to five keywords in your profile or 40 or more?

For those updating their profile, we find a lot of them have heard from other LinkedIn coaches who suggest that their headline should have four to six key terms.

Let’s ask this question shall we?  If you can add more key skills, wouldn't you want to do this?

The algorithm that locates talent will allow someone to add 40 or more (see graphic above).

Why do certain career coaches and recruiters recommend a headline with only four to six elements?

It’s because they talk to staffing professionals who request the headline written this way.  Above is one example of what I call the buckets headline.

As a journalist and a LinkedIn coach, I had to wonder if that was true.  So, I spoke to my friend retired Army Sergeant Major Benny Kinsey four years ago.  At the time, Benny was hiring people to work for one of the major car builder’s veteran outreach program.   He showed me through his LinkedIn recruiter account (something that costed him $19,000 per seat) how the placement of the key terms at the end of the about section helps staffing professionals like him.  Benny added the more terms you add, the easier for the LinkedIn algorithm to locate your specific talents.

With that, our brief tour of the LinkedIn profile draws to a close. We hope to have opened your eyes to the opportunities a good profile can provide.

As always we are able to help you refine your profile as well.