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LinkedIn optimisation guide
A step-by-step visual guide to building a LinkedIn profile that attracts international remote employers - written specifically for Botswana tech graduates.
The All-Star profile - why it matters
LinkedIn has an internal completeness score for every profile. Profiles that reach "All-Star" level appear significantly more often in recruiter searches than incomplete profiles - the algorithm actively promotes complete profiles. All-Star requires completing all of these:
All 6 steps in this guide contribute directly to reaching All-Star status.
Professional photo + banner
Profiles with a photo get 21x more views and 9x more connection requests than those without.
Why this matters
Your photo is the first thing anyone sees - in search results, connection requests, comments, and messages. The banner behind your photo is free advertising space that most people leave blank. Both are visible before anyone reads a single word about you.
What to do
Upload a clear, well-lit headshot - head and shoulders only, plain background, facing the camera. For the banner: use a dark, simple background in your brand color - not a holiday photo, not a collage, not the default LinkedIn blue gradient.
✓ Do this
Headshot: plain background, good lighting, smile, facing camera. Banner: solid dark green or simple abstract background.
✗ Not this
Group photos, holiday photos, sunglasses, selfies, blurry images, or the default blue LinkedIn banner.
- →Turn on 'Open to Work' in your profile settings - it adds a green frame visible in all search results and increases recruiter messages
- →Your banner also appears when people hover your name anywhere on LinkedIn - make it intentional
- →LinkedIn data shows adding your location to your profile increases views by up to 23%
What it looks like on LinkedIn
Compelling headline
Your headline is the most important field on your profile after your name - it appears in every search result, every connection request, and every comment you make.
Why this matters
The headline is searchable. When a recruiter searches for 'React Developer Botswana' on LinkedIn, your profile only appears if those words are in your headline or skills. Most people waste this space with just their job title or 'Student at BAC' - which is not searchable and tells employers nothing.
What to do
Use a three-part structure separated by pipes: what you do | your key tools | what you're looking for. Be specific. 'React Developer' is better than 'Software Professional'. 220 character limit - use all of it.
✓ Do this
Software Developer | React & Next.js | Building full-stack apps | Open to Remote Roles
✗ Not this
Student at BAC · or · Computer Science Graduate · or · Aspiring Developer looking for opportunities
- →Include the exact job title you're targeting - recruiters search for 'Frontend Developer', not 'Tech Person'
- →LinkedIn's algorithm uses your headline to match you to recruiter searches
- →Your headline also appears in Google search results for your name
What it looks like on LinkedIn
About section
Profiles with a complete About section get 3.9x more profile views. Your first 300 characters appear before the 'see more' button - those characters do the most work.
Why this matters
The About section is the only place on LinkedIn where you tell your story in your own words. Recruiters who are interested in your headline will read this next. The first 300 characters are shown before anyone has to click anything - if those characters don't hold attention, they won't read the rest.
What to do
Write in first person. Structure: Hook (one sentence that is interesting enough to read more) → What you build and with what tools → What you're looking for. Keep it under 300 words. Never start with 'I am a...' - that is how every generic profile starts.
✓ Do this
Built a platform connecting Botswana's tech graduates with global remote work - from Gaborone. I'm a full-stack developer specialising in React, Next.js, and Supabase. I build products that solve real problems, with a focus on clean code, fast performance, and shipping things people actually use. Currently completing my BSc in Computer Systems Engineering at BAC while running RemoteReady BW - a career prep platform for Botswana tech graduates. Actively looking for a remote developer role where I can contribute from day one. Open to full-time, contract, or project-based work.
✗ Not this
I am a hardworking and dedicated student with a passion for technology who is looking for opportunities to grow my skills in the IT industry.
- →Your first 300 characters are visible before anyone clicks 'see more' - the first sentence must work standalone
- →End with a clear call to action: what you want and how to reach you
- →LinkedIn's All-Star profile status (which improves search ranking) requires a complete About section
What it looks like on LinkedIn
Featured section + experience
The Featured section appears before your experience on LinkedIn - most people leave it completely empty. Pinning your portfolio or a project here is the most underused opportunity on the platform.
Why this matters
LinkedIn added the Featured section specifically because data showed that users who pinned content got significantly more recruiter contact. It's the first thing visitors see after your photo and headline - before they scroll to experience. If you leave it empty, you lose the highest-visibility real estate on your entire profile.
What to do
Pin your portfolio URL, your RemoteReady BW public profile, or your best project in Featured. For Experience: Job Title, Company, Dates on one line, then 2-3 bullet points starting with action verbs. At least one bullet per role must include a number or a measurable result. No formal job experience? List personal projects and university projects exactly like jobs.
✓ Do this
Featured: pin your portfolio link. Experience: 'Built a 3-track career prep platform used by 50+ graduates using Next.js, Supabase, and Tailwind CSS'
✗ Not this
Leaving Featured empty. Experience: 'Responsible for various development tasks and helping the team with coding work.'
- →Pin up to 3 items in Featured - portfolio, live project, or your RemoteReady BW public profile
- →Personal projects count - list them exactly like jobs with a title, dates, and bullet points
- →Action verbs that work: Built, Led, Designed, Reduced, Increased, Implemented, Deployed, Created
What it looks like on LinkedIn
Skills & endorsements
Profiles with 5+ skills get 17x more profile views. Skills with endorsements from real connections rank higher in recruiter searches.
Why this matters
LinkedIn's search algorithm uses your skills section to match you to recruiter searches. A recruiter searching for 'React developer in Botswana' will only find your profile if React is listed in your skills. Skills endorsed by others rank higher than self-added skills with no validation.
What to do
Add at least 10 specific technical skills - tools, languages, and frameworks you can speak to confidently in an interview. Then endorse 5 classmates or colleagues on their skills - most people reciprocate within 48 hours. Pin your top 3 skills so they appear first in every search.
✓ Do this
React, Next.js, JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, SQL, Supabase, Git, Tailwind CSS, Figma, PostgreSQL, Node.js
✗ Not this
Communication, Teamwork, Microsoft Office, Hard Worker, Attention to Detail, Fast Learner, Time Management
- →Pin your 3 most important skills - they appear first and get the most visibility
- →The most-searched tech skills: JavaScript, Python, SQL, React, TypeScript, AWS, Node.js
- →Only list skills you can discuss confidently in an interview - endorsements mean nothing if you can't back them up
What it looks like on LinkedIn
Custom profile URL
LinkedIn profile URLs are indexed by Google. A clean custom URL means your profile appears in Google search when someone searches your name.
Why this matters
The default LinkedIn URL has random numbers - like linkedin.com/in/masego-makati-4829301b7. That's unprofessional, impossible to remember, and harder for Google to index. A clean URL looks better on your CV, is easier to share, and critically - appears in Google search results with your name and headline. Anyone who Googles you will find your LinkedIn profile.
What to do
Go to your profile → click the pencil icon next to your public profile URL (top right of your profile page) → Edit your custom URL → Set it to linkedin.com/in/firstname-lastname. If your exact name is taken, add your field: linkedin.com/in/masego-developer.
✓ Do this
linkedin.com/in/masego-makati or linkedin.com/in/masego-makati-dev
✗ Not this
linkedin.com/in/masego-makati-4829301b7 or linkedin.com/in/mm2024bac
- →Add this URL to your CV header, email signature, portfolio, and RemoteReady BW profile - everywhere
- →Set it once. If you change it later, your old URL stops working immediately
- →Your headline also appears in the Google result - another reason your headline must be strong
What it looks like on LinkedIn
Done with all 6 steps?
Create a free account to save your LinkedIn URL, tick off the steps you've completed and earn your LinkedIn Optimised badge.
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