Get The Most Out of LinkedIn Using These 3 Types of Skills

Updated June 18, 20221.3k

Get the most out of your LinkedIn skills section by featuring skills in a way that makes them stand out to hiring managers and recruiters to land your dream job!

How to Leverage Your LinkedIn Skills Section

When you are looking for a new job position, your networking sites, specifically your LinkedIn profile, can play a crucial role. LinkedIn is the first place many hiring managers go to learn more about you and potentially hire you. LinkedIn allows you to display more information than you might fit on your resume. The LinkedIn skills section can be a great tool for you to increase your chances of getting hired. Very often the endorsements section and top skills will drive targeted traffic and many more people will end up seeing your profile.

Three Types of Skills To Add to Your LinkedIn Profile

You need to be specific when filling out your LinkedIn profile and post your most valuable and highly sought-after skills. Posting all your skills will only make your profile look cluttered and the valuable points will drown in the sea of information. There are three main types of skills you can add to your LinkedIn profile.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are technical skills that make you a valuable candidate for your desired position. These key skills are the top priority to mention on your LinkedIn profile. The wealth of knowledge, experience, and skills you’ve accumulated in your previous positions are crucial to show you as a valuable candidate for future opportunities, as some skills are industry-specific.
Soft Skills

Do not overlook your soft skills. Soft skills are all skills that come naturally to you or the skills you’ve developed so far in your life and career. Emotional intelligence, communication skills, leadership, time management, creativity, listening skills, and adaptability are highly sought-after skills on the job market, regardless of the position you are applying for. Do not underestimate your experience and consider all the soft skills you’ve mastered over the years. Think about natural talents and traits you have been often complimented for by your co-workers, employers, acquaintances, and friends. These are skills that you want to highlight in your skills section.
Unique skills

Consider traits you’ve been praised for in your previous positions. Did you receive any awards? What are your skills that particularly impressed your employers? Which accomplishments are you especially proud of? You can list all of this in your LinkedIn skill section. Adding this type of information will make your profile stand out.

Updating Your Skills Section

As your experience grows, so does your skillset. You should review your skill section at least once a year and make edits if necessary. Delete skills that are out of date or unnecessary to list, such as simple skills that are a building block of a more complex skill you’ve since learned. This can be helpful for industries in which candidates must possess a large number of technical skills. Always feature your most important skills up top so recruiters will notice them first.

LinkedIn Skills & Endorsements

A LinkedIn Learning certificate is a great tool you can use to your advantage. Since it first launched, LinkedIn has been constantly improving this feature and it has become a very valuable tool to both improve your skills and also showcase them on your profile. This option can be used when you have some spare time to invest in learning or when you want to verify specific skills.

When you finish the LinkedIn Learning course, anyone who visits your profile, including your potential employers, will see your certificate. This can show recruiters that you are a determined person who works diligently to improve their skill set.

When you add your skills, training, and endorsements to your profile, it will help to optimize your homepage for the LinkedIn algorithm. This will work to your benefit and your profile will be seen by many more people than before.

FAQ: LinkedIn Skills

What skills should I post on my LinkedIn profile?

Think about your past experiences and analyze which of your skills are the most valuable for the positions you are aiming for. For inspiration, look at LinkedIn members you admire in similar positions. If you have a similar skill set to theirs, it can be a great idea to list those skills on your LinkedIn profile.

Is it mandatory to list my skills on LinkedIn?

It is not required to list your skills on LinkedIn. However, a great skills section will improve your chances of getting new opportunities from recruiters during your job search. If you use LinkedIn to network with other people in your industry, your skills section can leave a great impression on everyone who comes across your profile.

Do I have to take skill assessments?

Taking a skill assessment will earn you a verifying skill badge that can make your profile look more credible. If you know how to use Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, you can take a short assessment and the badge will show up on your profile. A skill badge can enhance your profile when you don’t have much work experience. If you are switching jobs or career paths or are new to the job market, it is recommended to build up your relevant skills as much as possible.

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About The Author

Cindi Cervone Carlson

Cindi Cervone Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Cindi is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing a dynamic, world-class organization dedicated to delivering outplacement consulting, training, support, and executive coaching. Cindi started her career at Challenger as a client who had lost her job. Over the past nine years, she has risen from an entry-level, part-time professional to Senior Vice President.