Your LinkedIn Glow-Up: Real, Relatable, Ready to Hire

Let’s be real.
LinkedIn can feel like the serious, corporate cousin of Instagram. Suits. Buzzwords. Job titles. Not exactly the kind of place you’d go for fun.

But here’s the thing. If you’re just starting your career, your LinkedIn profile is your digital first impression. Whether you’re a student, a fresher, or figuring out your path, your profile speaks before you do.

So how do you make it not boring, still professional, and totally YOU?

Let’s break it down.

📸 Step 1: Get That Profile Pic Right

This isn’t your passport photo. But it’s not your beach selfie either.

You want to look:

• Friendly

• Professional-ish

• Confident

• Like someone people wanna work with

Quick Fix Tools:

• Remove.bg: Erase messy backgrounds

• Canva: Use free templates to edit and polish

Your face = your brand. Make it pop.

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🧠 Step 2: Your Headline Needs to Say More Than “Student”

Please don’t just write “Student at XYZ College.”

Use this space to tell people:

• What you’re learning

• What you’re into

• Where you’re headed

Examples:

• UX Design Enthusiast | Learning Figma and Building Cool Stuff

• Future HR Leader | Psychology Student | Obsessed with People & Culture

Need help?

Try Resume Worded’s LinkedIn Headline Tool for quick ideas.

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✍️ Step 3: The ‘About’ Section = Your Mini Story

This is not your resume copy-paste zone. It’s your chance to talk like a human.

Answer these:

• Who are you really?

• What do you enjoy working on?

• What have you done so far (even if it’s just college projects)?

• What are you excited about next?

Keep it short. Keep it real.

Tool to Make It Sharp:

• Hemingway App: Helps clean up your writing and make it punchy.

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🧩 Step 4: Add Experience (Yes, Even If It’s Not a Job)

Think of this like your “greatest hits” section.

Add things like:

• Internships

• Freelance gigs

• Campus clubs

• Volunteering

• Personal projects

Break it down:

• What did you do?

• What tools or skills did you use?

• What was the result or what did you learn?

No job? No problem. Just show you’ve done stuff.

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🎓 Step 5: Show Off Your Education and Certifications

List your school or college, of course. But also add:

• Online courses

• Badges

• Certifications

• Workshops

Cool platforms to show off:

• Coursera

• edX

• LinkedIn Learning

• Credly (for badges)

Every little thing counts when you’re starting out.

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💪 Step 6: Add Skills That Match Your Goals

Choose 5 to 10 skills that actually make sense for what you want to do.

Skip stuff like “time management” unless you’ve got real proof. Instead, go for:

• Tools (like Canva, Python, Excel)

• Soft skills that show up in your work (like public speaking, project management)

Need help finding the right skills?

Check out SkillSyncer: It compares your profile to job descriptions and suggests skills you might be missing.

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🔗 Step 7: Personalize Your LinkedIn URL

Make your URL short and clean. Nobody wants to see:
linkedin.com/in/user23918xsk13

Go to your profile and update it to something like:
linkedin.com/in/ritikahalakatti

It’ll look way better on your resume or email signature.

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👯 Step 8: Start Connecting (But Don’t Spam)

Start with people you know:

• Friends

• Classmates

• Teachers

• Mentors

• Colleagues from internships or volunteer gigs

And when you send a connection request, write a short message. Just something like:
Hey! Loved your post on design thinking. Would love to stay connected.

That’s it. Simple. Thoughtful. Human.

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💬 Step 9: Post Stuff. Or At Least Like and Comment.

Not a content creator? That’s fine. You don’t need to post every day.

But every now and then, try:

• Sharing something you learned

• Celebrating a milestone

• Reposting a cool article with your thoughts

• Commenting on posts that interest you

The more you engage, the more people start noticing you.

Bonus Tool:

Use Taplio if you want to start writing posts and need inspiration or ideas.

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🎯 Final Checklist Before You Hit “I’m Open to Work”

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One Last Thing

Don’t wait to be “ready.” You grow by showing up.
Your LinkedIn doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be you, trying, learning, and improving.

So start building. Start connecting. Start telling your story.

You’ve got something valuable to offer. Let people see it.