7 LinkedIn Mistakes That Are Hurting Your Job Chances (And How to Fix Them Fast)

If you’re on LinkedIn, the chances are you’re making one of these seven mistakes on your LinkedIn profile that are hurting your job chances every single day. Don’t worry—I’m Amanda, The Job Chick, and after 20 years in the career ecosystem, I’ve seen everything you could possibly throw at me. I’m here to help. :)

We’re going to fix this fast, so go grab a cup of coffee—or whatever fuels you—and let’s sit down and deal with this sucker right now.

By the time we’re done, your job search will be as slick and smooth as possible. Trust me, you don’t want to miss what’s coming next.

Back in the day when LinkedIn was brand new, I’ll admit—I thought it was a fad. But LinkedIn isn’t a fad, and it’s just as important as your resume these days. Yet, most people don’t put any time into LinkedIn. They just sign up for one, and that’s it.

Big mistake.

Most people leave it at that—maybe they’ve got a profile picture, maybe not. But there are so many things that can go wrong with that approach, and it can hurt your job search. So today, we’re focusing on the seven things I see every day that people are missing or doing wrong on their LinkedIn profiles.

Mistake #1: A Bland Headline

You know exactly what I’m talking about. If you’re feeling a bit of pressure right now, it’s probably because your headline is one of those bland ones I’m about to describe. I see three different versions of bland headlines all the time, and one of them is kind of funny (but we’ll save that one for the end).

The first type is the classic “Experienced Professional Seeking New Opportunities.” What is that? That’s basically just saying, “Hi, I exist.” It doesn’t tell me anything about you, and it certainly doesn’t make me want to scroll down to find out more.

The second type is “X Job Title at X Company.” Listen—you are not your job title, and you are not that company. Don’t put that as your LinkedIn headline.

Job titles vary from company to company, and if you’re looking to level up in your career, your job title is going to change. You don’t want to pigeonhole yourself, especially when recruiters are looking at profiles every day on platforms like Sales Navigator.

And the third type? Well, let’s just say, if your headline is something like “Don’t contact me about crypto,” you’re not using your LinkedIn headline to its full potential. If someone contacts you about something irrelevant, just ignore them! Your headline should be about who you are, what you’ve done, and how you can grab attention. This is your chance to stand out.

Oh and BONUS TIP:

Instead of putting “X Job Title at X Company,” why not say something that really highlights your strengths? Maybe you’re an expert in digital transformation who boosted ROI by 175%. Little things like that really make a difference. Metrics catch the eye, and any numbers you can stick in your headline make it look even better.

Mistake #2: Meh Connections

How many of you out there have 500+ connections that you don’t even know? Back in the day, it was all about adding as many people as possible to get to those big numbers. But the quality of your connections matters far more than the quantity.

Focus on connecting with industry leaders, people in roles you aspire to, and recruiters who are active in your field.

Engage with these connections and build meaningful relationships. After this video, if you’re not already following me, make sure to add me—Amanda Goodall. I’m the only one with pink hair, so you can’t miss me! ADD ME. 

But seriously, the more you immerse yourself in your industry, the better your LinkedIn network will work for you. You’ll get to have great conversations, immerse yourself in your industry, and actually stay in the loop with what’s going on.

A side note: when you’re adding someone on LinkedIn, I’m not a big advocate of adding a message unless you really want to talk to them.

Sometimes those messages are generic and boring. But if you do want to send a message, keep it simple. Mention something specific, like “I saw your post on X and thought it was great. I’d love to connect and learn more about that subject if you ever have time.” If you don’t send a message, it’s not the end of the world. If someone doesn’t add you because you didn’t send a message, maybe they’re not someone you want to hang out with anyway.

Mistake #3: Copying and Pasting Your Resume

Repeat after me: I will not dump my resume onto LinkedIn. I see this all the time—people copying and pasting their resumes directly into their LinkedIn profiles. Your resume and LinkedIn profile are two different tools, and they should be treated as such.

Your resume is your sales pitch, while your LinkedIn profile is your marketing tool. It’s the ad, the commercial, the moving image of you. Your LinkedIn profile should tell more of a story, not just list job duties.

Think of it as bite-sized bits—something people can scroll through easily. Fill out your career history section with one or two bullet points per job, and make sure you include metrics. Your profile picture should be just you, smiling, and your about section should be fully fleshed out.

Your LinkedIn profile should be a completely different version of your resume—kind of a repeat, but not a copy and paste. It should reflect who you are and really stand out.

Mistake #4: Inactive Scrolling

Are you an inactive scroller? I see a lot of people who don’t post much on LinkedIn—they just like a post here and there. That’s not engaging enough.

You really want to become an industry SME (Subject Matter Expert). This doesn’t mean you have to create massive newsletters like I do, but you should interact with your network and share your insights. The more active you are, the more visible you become, and the more recruiters will notice you.

LinkedIn needs to be your professional network. It’s important to focus on engaging with the community because the more you do that, the more people will see you, and the more people will visit your profile. This domino effect will lead to more recruiters and potential employers noticing you, which is the key to success on LinkedIn.

Mistake #5: A Weak Summary

Your LinkedIn summary—or about section—is supposed to be about YOU. It’s your chance to shine. But I see so many people just copying their resume summary here. This is a place for you to stand out, to tell people who you are and what you want to be known for.

Your about section shouldn’t be a boring list of job duties. It should be a reflection of who you are as a professional.

And please, stop stuffing it with keywords—it just looks weird. Focus on making a personal connection and standing out in your industry.

Think of your summary as an executive bio. Go look up the CEOs of major companies like Starbucks or Yahoo and see what their profiles look like. That’s the kind of presence you should aim for in your summary.

And a quick word of advice: don’t use the AI-generated version that LinkedIn offers to write your summary. The AI doesn’t know you—it won’t bring out the right things. You want your profile to look clean, classic, and professional. You can do this yourself because you know your history way better than an AI does.

Mistake #6: Using Buzzwords

This one’s a bit lighthearted, but I’m dead serious—don’t use buzzwords on your LinkedIn profile. I know you might think terms like “guru,” “ninja,” or “rock star” sound cool, but LinkedIn is not the place for that.

These terms might be catchy, but they don’t convey professionalism. Stick to industry-relevant keywords that reflect your actual skills and experience.

Yes, I have “Wicked Awesome Resume Writer” on my profile, but I’m not looking for a job—there’s a different way of branding for a business than there is for a professional.

If you’re a finance analyst, don’t put something like “rock star” or “wizard” in your headline. It’s not going to resonate with recruiters or hiring managers who are looking for professionalism.

There are ways to build your brand and promote yourself, but LinkedIn isn’t really the place to do that with trendy buzzwords. Instead, focus on using keywords that are important to your industry and relevant to your job search.

Mistake #7: Not Utilizing LinkedIn’s Features

Finally, don’t neglect the tools and features LinkedIn offers. Whether it’s adding a cover photo, a featured section, or getting recommendations, these features help you stand out. Make sure your profile is fully optimized to show the best version of you.

Your LinkedIn profile should be fully fleshed out—this includes your cover photo, profile picture, about section, and career history. Every part of your profile should work together to create a cohesive and compelling narrative that reflects who you are professionally.

Remember, it’s not just a copy and paste of your resume. It’s a different version of you—one that’s designed to catch the eye of recruiters and industry professionals.

Your profile picture should be professional and include only you—no group photos, no distractions. The cover photo is another opportunity to showcase something relevant to your career, whether it’s your brand, an industry event, or something that represents your professional journey. The about section should tell your story, and every other section should be filled out with relevant, concise information that highlights your achievements and expertise.

So there you have it—the seven LinkedIn mistakes that could be holding you back, and how to fix them. I told you we’d move fast, didn’t I?

Now, it’s time for you to take action. Go implement these changes right away because your LinkedIn profile is a critical part of your job search.

If your profile isn’t up to par, you’re missing out on opportunities, and in today’s tough job market, you don’t want to make it any harder on yourself.

I really hope this has helped you. You should follow my YouTube Channel too! I’m here to help you with every aspect of your job search, and I put out a couple of videos every single week. You don’t want to miss any of them.

In the meantime, keep focusing on your LinkedIn profile, build up that resume, and make sure to rock your job search. You’ve got this!

Amanda Goodall

The Job Chick

20 Years in the Career Ecosystem, Helping You Land Your Dream Job

www.TheJobChick.com