LinkedIn profile tips every UAE professional should know

LinkedIn has the potential to accelerate your career—whether you’re actively looking for new opportunities or not.

As of 2022, the social media platform revealed that they currently have 810 million users, a figure which is up from the 467 million mark it released in October 2016. With this much reach on offer, it’s worth taking a few minutes to run through these guidelines to check your LinkedIn profile strength. Find out how to get the most from your account with our LinkedIn profile tips.

Related: How does the recruitment process in the UAE work?

1. Common LinkedIn profile mistakes

Before you start improving your profile, it’s a good idea to look at a few common LinkedIn mistakes to see where you might be going wrong.

An unprofessional profile photo

Profiles with a professional headshot get 14 times more views than those without, proving that it’s just as essential as your experience, headline or summary. Common LinkedIn profile picture mistakes include using a company logo instead of your face, using a family photo, or failing to upload a picture at all.

Not filling out the summary section

If you aren’t actively looking for new job opportunities, filling out the summary section of your LinkedIn profile can seem like a chore not worth doing.

In fact, your summary acts as a personal introduction for recruiters and is a good place to add keywords. Our experts recommend including a paragraph on who you are, one on what you do professionally and one that details what your company does.

This is a chance to grab the attention of potential employers and recruiters and gives context to everything else on your profile.  

Basic spelling and grammar errors

The best LinkedIn profiles are watertight when it comes to spelling, punctuation and grammar. Your LinkedIn profile should undergo the same amount of scrutiny that your CV does with regard to error-checking. One minor error could cost you a great opportunity.

Not adding your skills or qualifications

Include all of your relevant experience, recent jobs, passions, skills and education that demonstrate to businesses that they should hire you.

By having these hidden you are making yourself invisible to potential companies and recruiters. Nada Enan, Senior Manager Marketing and PR, LinkedIn MENA shared this common mistake in an article published by Gulf News.

2. How to write a great LinkedIn profile as a UAE professional

There are some simple steps you can take to instantly improve how easy your profile is for head hunters and recruiters to find and how effective it is at selling your skillset, personality and experience.

Tailor it to attract your ideal recruiter

Much like writing a cover letter, think about the kinds of roles and recruiters you’d like to appeal to and tailor your LinkedIn profile to match. Your dream job could go to someone else just because you didn’t articulate your specialty effectively.

Use targeted keywords

The best LinkedIn profiles are easy for recruiters to find, and clearly show your experience and employment history. In order for recruiters and head hunters to find you, you’ll need to add some keywords to your profile.

Think about the roles you’d like to be considered for and include some relevant keywords in your job title, skills and summary.

Highlight your achievements

Using the experience section of your profile to talk about responsibilities you had in previous positions is a common error that many people make. Instead, use it as a way to advertise yourself, your brand and to highlight your achievements.  

Make your headline count

Aside from your name, your LinkedIn headline is a crucial element in standing out and attracting the right attention. The recommended formula is to say what you are, say who you are, say why you make work/life better and to give proof that substantiates it.

Ask for recommendations

Don’t be afraid to approach past and present colleagues for recommendations and endorsements. It’s a good way to strengthen the content on your profile and helps to ‘verify’ your skillset.

Related: How to prepare for a job interview

3. Put our LinkedIn profile tips into practice

Use these LinkedIn profile tips to reassess your profile and try making changes to any weak areas that can be improved. Whenever updating your profile, always keep these tips in mind to maximise your chances of  grabbing the attention of head hunters, improving Linkedin strength and attracting recruiters and potential employers.

If you’re looking for new opportunities, you can use your LinkedIn profile to upload your CV to the Robert Half website and maximise your hiring chances. For more guidance on recruitment and interviews or LinkedIn advice, contact us.