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What recruiters actually see when you apply on LinkedIn

It’s totally demoralizing: you see the “LinkedIn Easy Apply” button, you click submit, and then you never hear a word. What’s actually happening on the other side? I’ve captured a real picture of what recruiters see when reviewing your application. Follow these five tips to ensure you stand out!

  1. Your profile picture is one of the first things the recruiter sees: choose a professional one.
  2. Proactively follow companies you’re interested in and connect with others who work there. Hiring managers can see this activity & it shows enthusiasm.
  3. My application was auto-archived by the recruiter’s software because I answered “no” to one of the pre-screening questions that appeared before I submitted my profile (noted in the screenshot as “must-have qualifications”). While you should always be honest when answering these questions, you can use them as a reality check to make sure the role you’re applying for is a good fit.
  4. When applying through LinkedIn, the hiring manager will see the job history you enter on LinkedIn before they ever look at your resumé — so make sure each is updated and in agreement with the other.
  5. Add skills to your profile that are relevant for the jobs you’re applying for: these may show up as a “skills match” to the hiring manager or recruiter.