Blog · 12 November 2026 · 3 min read
What a recruiter notices first on your LinkedIn profile
I've looked at thousands of LinkedIn profiles as a recruiter. Most of the time I decide whether to keep reading in a few seconds. That sounds harsh, but it's also good news: the parts that matter are small and easy to fix.
Your headline does most of the work
When I search, I see your name, photo and headline in a list. If your headline is only your job title and company, you look like everyone else. Add the kind of work you do and who you do it for. "Sales Executive at ABC" becomes "Sales Executive helping SaaS companies grow renewals | CRM and pipeline reporting".
The first two lines of your About section
Only the start of your About section shows before "see more". Don't spend it on "passionate professional with a proven track record". Say what you do and one result you're proud of.
Numbers in your experience
"Managed key accounts" tells me very little. "Looked after 30 accounts and grew renewals by 18%" tells me a lot. If you don't have exact figures, use honest estimates and be ready to explain them.
The words I search for
Recruiters search by keywords. If you want to move into a new role, the skills for that role need to appear in your profile: in your headline, your About section and your skills list. If they're not there, you won't show up, however good you are.