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LinkedIn is often the first place you look for job opportunities. The same applies to recruiters when searching for suitable candidates. By optimizing your LinkedIn profile, you increase your chances of being noticed by recruiters and, ultimately, being hired.
Here are seven tricks to help you get on recruiters’ radar.
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Trick #1: Optimize Your Headline
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Don’t just list your role, e.g. “data scientist.” That’s too vague. Go beyond that by adding keywords recruiters search for, but keep it concise. Follow this structure: job title -> specializations -> industry focus.
For example, your headline could be: Data Scientist | Python, SQL, TensorFlow | Machine Learning & Predictive Analytics
Trick #2: Use a Clean Photo and a Technical Cover Image
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Use a clean headshot; ideally, hire a professional photographer. You’ll get far more views, even if your selfie doesn’t look that bad.
For your cover image, create a data-related visual relevant to your industry: a chart, code snippet, or a succinct tagline like “Building models that actually ship.”
Trick #3: Polish the “About” Section
Consider the “About” section your elevator pitch: you have to sell yourself in several sentences.
Please don’t write a generic summary like:
“I am a highly motivated and results-driven data scientist with strong analytical skills. I have experience in Python, R, SQL, and machine learning. I am passionate about using data to drive insights and add value to organizations. I work well both independently and in a team environment, and I am always eager to learn new technologies.”
It’s full of clichés, it’s vague, and it includes no examples of projects, results, or industries. How do you think recruiters will find you if your summary lacks the keywords they search for?
Instead of a generic paragraph, focus on this.
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- Tools you work with -> Python, Pandas, Polars, PySpark, MLflow, cloud platforms, Streamlit
- Biggest wins -> improved model accuracy, increased revenue by X%
- What you specialize in -> recommender systems, NLP, causal inference
Again, the focus is on keywords and maintaining a first-person perspective.
Trick #4: Show, Don’t Just Tell
Don’t just say you build models — prove it.
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Recruiters love proof, and they’ll look for it in the “Featured” section of your LinkedIn profile. Use it to showcase projects, portfolios, media appearances, and featured articles. Add links to GitHub and share blog posts about your projects.
This turns your profile into a mini-portfolio. Seeing working code will often catch a recruiter’s attention, reducing the need to dig into your full portfolio.
Trick #5: Engage Strategically
Posting and commenting once in a while isn’t enough. Being all over the place isn’t good either. You have to engage with the data community strategically and strike a balance between staying visible and not giving an overzealous vibe.
Follow these pathways for increased visibility.
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Trick #6: Use the “Open to Work” Setting (The Smart Way)
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You probably know about the option that slaps the green “#OPENTOWORK” banner on your photo. Be more subtle. Use that option, but update your settings so only recruiters can see you’re looking for work. That way, you attract attention without broadcasting your search publicly.
Trick #7: Fill the “Skills” and “Experience” with Keywords
Yes, keywords again. If they aren’t in your profile, you won’t show up in recruiters’ search results. Recruiters search by tools and techniques, so add them.
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- Core languages -> Python, R, SQL
- Libraries -> scikit-learn, PyTorch, TensorFlow, Pandas, Spark
- Domains -> A/B testing, forecasting, computer vision, NLP
- Soft skills -> interpersonal communication, cross-functional coordination, mentoring, collaborative problem solving
- Industry terms -> feature engineering, time series forecasting, profit optimization, marketing analytics
Mirror your actual experience (don’t lie!) and the language from job ads you’re targeting.
Conclusion
Fill your profile with keywords that reflect your experience and skills — and that recruiters will search for.
Once recruiters find you, the next step is getting them to contact you. They’ll do that only if they see proof of how you solve problems and deliver results, which they’ll typically assess by reviewing your portfolio.
Once you start seeing your profile as an SEO-optimized portfolio, recruiters will start seeing you, too. Make their job easier. Make your job searching more successful.
Nate Rosidi is a data scientist and in product strategy. He’s also an adjunct professor teaching analytics, and is the founder of StrataScratch, a platform helping data scientists prepare for their interviews with real interview questions from top companies. Nate writes on the latest trends in the career market, gives interview advice, shares data science projects, and covers everything SQL.
