How Should Mid-Level and Senior Developers Optimize Their LinkedIn Profiles to Attract Recruiters?

💡 Question 1:

If a person has been with the same company for more than 5 years, how do you properly profile them so they don’t look “stagnant”?

📝 Sharon’s answer: When evaluating candidates with long-term experience at one company, we focus on evidence of growth and change within that workplace. This demonstrates flexibility, initiative, and the ability to step outside one’s comfort zone to make a positive impact.

Examples of valuable changes include:

*Career Progression:** Advancement into leadership roles, such as managing teams- Team leaders and so-on, Scrum Master, Tech Lead, Principal, or Architect, shows leadership potential and initiative.

*New Product Involvement:** Participating in the launch of innovative products demonstrates adaptability and the ability to contribute to new ventures.

*Initiating Change:** Spearheading changes in product or R&D that are adopted by the company showcases innovation and influence.

To highlight these changes on a LinkedIn profile, I recommend breaking down experiences by years and titles, emphasizing the evolution within each role.

For example:

Appsflyer (Total Years) – Tech Lead

* (Start Date – End Date) Tech Lead

* (Start Date – End Date) Previous Role and Responsibilities

💡 Question 2:

What is more important for recruiters – a list of technologies or achievements in projects? How to present it in the right way?

📝 Sharon’s answer: Both are important! But a long list is always a shortcoming.

We will need to focus on the languages and the technology we are fluent in, and not write 20 expertises that we are familiar with.

While it’s important to showcase our skills, an excessively long list can be detrimental.

Let’s prioritize the languages and technologies we have true expertise in, rather than diluting our message with a laundry list of areas where we have only passing familiarity.

💡 Question 3:

Need to write that the person is actively looking for a job, or could that negatively affect the odds?

📝 Sharon’s answer: It’s important to note that being in an active job search can sometimes be perceived negatively by potential employers. Some companies prefer candidates who are currently employed, believing that the most talented individuals are always in demand.

💡 Question 4:

How do I add certifications (AWS, Google, Microsoft) to a profile so that they actually work for the candidate?

📝 Sharon’s answer: Absolutely, certifications hold significant value, but real-world experience consistently proves to be the most valuable asset.

While certifications demonstrate knowledge and commitment, they may not have a substantial impact without practical experience to back them up. However, certifications remain extremely important, particularly in specialized fields like networking, CISO, and security.

💡 Question 5:

How do experienced professionals show their value without listing 20+ technologies?

📝 Sharon’s answer: We are seeking candidates who demonstrate versatility and a willingness to learn new technologies. However, an overly extensive list of experiences may raise concerns about the candidate’s depth of knowledge in complex architectures or their ability to navigate challenging technical problems.

💡 Question 6:

What changes to the profile can help a Senior Developer get to the Lead or Architect level?

📝 Sharon’s answer: He/She has to demonstrate Tech-leading positions, or end-to-end projects that he led from scratch to production.

💡 Question 7:

How do experienced professionals show their value without listing 20+ technologies?

📝 Sharon’s answer: We are seeking candidates who demonstrate versatility and a willingness to learn new technologies. However, an overly extensive list of experiences may raise concerns about the candidate’s depth of knowledge in complex architectures or their ability to navigate challenging technical problems.

💡 Question 8:

Does a candidate’s age affect the chances of getting an offer? How can senior professionals adapt LinkedIn?

📝 Sharon’s answer: While it’s true that age can sometimes be a factor in online interactions, a positive attitude and an appealing profile picture can significantly overcome this.

💡 Question 9:

How should experienced developers prepare a profile if they want to move into CTO/VP Engineering?

📝 Sharon’s answer: Either engage in HR managerial positions or Tech positions – but then only small startups with more of a hands-on position, will give this opportunity.

💡 Question 10:

Is it worth listing freelance projects or contract work if there have been many? How to do it in a neat way?

📝 Sharon’s answer: I recommend consolidating the freelance work under a single heading and then highlighting specific projects or notable clients within that section.

Originally posted @ Codecraft Insights