Changing careers? Here's how you can give your LinkedIn a makeover

We take a look at some of the best ways to make your page stand out in a new sector

Many people working in the social change space have come from elsewhere, seeking a job with more purpose. 

If you’re one of those people that is looking to jump sectors, you’ll know that there’s a bit more involved than just submitting your corporate CV to a few organisations. 

Most recruiters and employers look to LinkedIn as an important part of the recruitment process, but if you’ve spent 20 years working in the commercial space, reframing what you’ve got to offer can be a little tricky. 

So how do you give your profile a makeover that will catch the eye of a prospective employer? 

Ditch the auto-generated headline 

When you create a LinkedIn profile, the platform will generate an automatic headline with your current job title. In a piece for the Harvard Business Review, Jane Heifetz suggests getting rid of that and coming up with something creative, and expanding it so that it’s to do with the sector you want to work in, not the one you’re currently in. 

For example, let’s say you’re a marketing manager for a bank, change your headline to reflect your general marketing skills instead. 

Relevance is key

While the bulk of your experience might be in your old sector, if you’re trying to jump into a new field, putting that information at the top of your “About” section is fairly pointless. Instead, try highlighting transferable skills such as leading a team of people, managing projects, or even your passion for social change and why you want to work in the social change space as a way of standing out. 

Put in the work 

Just because you’ve got a past, doesn’t mean you can’t create your future. Writing posts, leaving comments, and sharing content that is related to your desired sector is a great way to expand your network and make yourself known to people already working in the for-purpose space, as well as demonstrating the passion and skills you could bring to a new job.  

Think outside the square

It might not have been important in your last role, but demonstrating that you have the drive to help others and create change is critical in the social sector. Update your experience to include any kind of volunteering that you have done. LinkedIn provides a “volunteering” section for your profile, but including it as part of your main work experience will highlight how important it actually is.