LinkedIn Profile Mistakes Holding You Back (And How to Fix Them)

If you're applying to roles, sending connection requests, and showing up on LinkedIn — but still not hearing back — your profile might be doing more harm than good.

Now, before you roll your eyes or start telling yourself you “just need to be more consistent,” let’s actually take a beat and look at your profile with a critical eye. From what I’ve seen in nearly two decades of recruiting, most women I talk to are underselling themselves. They’re either following outdated advice, copying and pasting from old resumes, or doing what they think they’re supposed to be doing on LinkedIn without actually considering if it’s helping them stand out.

This post isn’t about making you feel bad at all. It’s about giving you specific, tangible ways to stop blending in and start getting better results from your profile.

Let’s chat for a moment about the most common mistakes I see and what to do instead.

Mistake #1: Your Headline Is Just Your Job Title (or “Open to Work”)

If your headline says “HR Professional Seeking Opportunities” or just lists your current role, you’re missing a key opportunity. All 220 characters of that space are searchable. It’s one of the few pieces of your profile that can help recruiters find you before you even know they're looking.

Instead of using that space to state the obvious, use it to position yourself for what’s next.

Try a format like:
[Role or Title] | [Core Area of Expertise] | Helping [Target Audience] Do [Result]

Examples:

• HR Business Partner | Employee Relations & Compliance | Helping Organizations Build Equitable Teams
  
  
• Marketing Project Manager | Brand Strategy + Launch Execution | Supporting Creative Teams from Concept to Launch
  
  

The goal is to be clear and relevant. Keywords absolutely matter, and this headline needs to match the type of roles you actually want, not just the title your current or most recent employer gave you.

Mistake #2: Your About Section Reads Like a Performance Review

Here’s where most people overthink it and get stuck. They either skip the “About” section altogether or try to make it sound impressive by stringing together as many corporate buzzwords as possible.

Please don’t do that, friend. No one’s reading “Dynamic and results-driven professional with a track record of exceeding KPIs...” and walking away with a sense of who you are.

That section should sound like a slightly more polished version of how you’d introduce yourself in a coffee chat. Who are you? What’s your thing? What makes you good at it? What are you working toward next?

This is also a great place to mention your passion or values if they’re relevant. Not in a forced way, but in a “this is what matters to me professionally” way.

Here’s a possible opener:

I’m a bilingual HR leader with a strong background in talent development and employee experience. I’ve worked across nonprofit, higher education, and tech sectors, and I’m most energized when I’m solving people problems in ways that actually stick.

It’s warm and specific, which is exactly what we’re aiming for.

Mistake #3: Listing Responsibilities Without Showing Impact

Let me say this clearly: no recruiter is hiring you because you scheduled meetings or ran reports.

Unfortunately, most people’s Experience sections read like a slightly reorganized job description. What we’re actually looking for is evidence that you can drive results — especially results that align with the role we’re hiring for.

So if you’re still listing out generic tasks like:

• Managed internal communications
• Handled scheduling and travel logistics

Then it’s time for a rewrite.

Instead, lead with the result:

• Improved internal communication workflows across three departments, increasing open rates by 30%
• Coordinated executive travel and scheduling, streamlining logistics and saving 5+ hours per week

You don’t have to quantify everything, but you do need to speak to outcomes. Think of it like this: what did the work do for the team, department, or company?

Mistake #4: Skipping Visual First Impressions

This one’s quick but super important.

Let’s start with the headshot. No, you don’t need to pay for professional photos. But your picture should be recent, clear, and solo. Not a crop from brunch or a blurry iPhone 6 selfie. Let’s use something clean and current.

Next, I want you to update your banner. Use something that reflects your field, vibe, or personal brand. You can find plenty of free LinkedIn banners on Canva in under five minutes.

And please, update your URL. It takes 30 seconds to remove all the random numbers and create a clean link: linkedin.com/in/yourname. That small change says, “I pay attention to detail.”

Mistake #5: Not Using the Featured Section

This section is completely underutilized. You’d be shocked at how many strong candidates skip it entirely. At the bare minimum, consider adding your resume. Make it easy for recruiters to grab it without needing to send you a message.

You can also add:

• A portfolio or personal website
• A post where you shared your take on an industry topic
• A project or presentation you’re proud of
• Media mentions or awards

This is where you show the receipts. It builds credibility fast — without someone having to dig through your work history.

What to Do Now (Without Overwhelm)

You don’t need to block off your weekend to fix this. Start with just one thing. Maybe it’s rewriting your headline or uploading a banner image. Then revisit another section tomorrow. Bit by bit, you’ll turn your LinkedIn profile into a living, breathing tool that works for you instead of just something that sits there collecting digital dust.

If you’re not sure what to say, what to showcase, or how to tie it all together in a way that actually helps you get interviews?

Start with the LinkedIn Job Search Toolkit — it includes:

• A headline and About section template
• A profile checklist with tips from a real recruiter (me)
• DM scripts to connect with hiring managers or recruiters
• A tracker so you can keep your networking organized
  
  

If you want personalized feedback and a real-time strategy for what to do next — including how to position yourself for remote roles that actually align with what you want — book a Career Clarity Session.

I’ll leave you with this…

It’s not just about being visible on LinkedIn. That’s important, too, but keep in mind that it’s also about being visible to the right people for the right roles. Spend some time working on your profile and watch the recruiter messages start rolling in. 

Chat soon!