Your LinkedIn profile is the first thing a recruiter or hiring manager checks after they hear your name. Getting it right after a layoff is one of the highest-return things you can do — it takes a few hours and works while you sleep.

Step 1 — Turn on Open to Work the right way

LinkedIn's Open to Work feature adds a green frame to your profile photo and signals to recruiters that you are available. The important setting is visibility: you can choose to show it to recruiters only, which is invisible to your connections, or to everyone.

If you are comfortable being open about your situation, show it to everyone. The stigma around layoffs has reduced significantly, and the visibility boost is real. If you prefer discretion, recruiters-only is still effective — recruiters actively filter for this signal.

Step 2 — Rewrite your headline

Your headline defaults to your last job title. After a layoff, you want something that communicates what you do and what you are looking for — not just what you were called.

A formula that works: [What you do] | [Years or Level] | [Open to] [Type of role]

Example: "Customer Experience Leader | 12 years | Seeking VP or Director roles in SaaS or Fintech"

This works because it contains the keywords recruiters search for and tells them immediately whether you are relevant to what they need.

Step 3 — Update your About section

The About section is your 2,000-character pitch. Most people either leave it empty or fill it with generic phrases about being a results-driven professional. Neither works.

Write it in first person. Lead with what you have done and the scale of it. Close with what you are looking for and why. A strong About section reads like a well-written cover letter — specific, confident, and human.

Step 4 — Update your experience end dates

If your last role has ended, update the end date. Do not leave it open — recruiters flag profiles where the end date does not match what the candidate says in conversation. Accuracy builds credibility.

You do not need to explain why the role ended in your profile. That conversation happens in the interview.

Step 5 — Add your most recent skills

LinkedIn's skills section feeds its search algorithm. If your skills are outdated — listing tools from five years ago — you may be invisible to recruiters searching for current competencies.

Add the specific tools, platforms, methodologies, and capabilities you have used in your last two to three roles. Remove anything you would not want to be asked about in an interview.

Step 6 — Request one or two recommendations

A written recommendation from a former manager or senior colleague carries significant weight — especially when you are between jobs. Reach out to one or two people who know your work well and ask directly:

"I am updating my LinkedIn as I explore new opportunities. Would you be willing to write a short recommendation about our time working together? I am happy to do the same for you."

Most people will say yes. Many will ask you to draft something they can edit. That is normal — draft something honest and specific, and let them refine it.

What not to do

Do not use a selfie or casual photo as your profile picture. Do not leave your banner image as the default blue gradient. Do not list every job going back 20 years — focus on the last 10-12 years. Do not connect with everyone indiscriminately — a targeted, engaged network is more valuable than a large one.

Check it once from another browser

Log out and view your profile from a private browser window. This is what recruiters and hiring managers see. If something looks off, fix it before you start outreach.