How much does the SKILLS section matter on LinkedIn?

During my LinkedIn training sessions and keynotes, I’m often asked how much LinkedIn Skills matter on your profile, or better yet “Why do people endorse me for skills I haven’t listed?”

I originally thought this section didn’t matter at all, but I’ve come to find that the Skills and Endorsements section not only helps you to rank higher in LinkedIn search results, but it’s very important for Recruiters and the Job Search functionality.

According to LinkedIn, members with 5 or more skills listed are contacted (messaged) up to 33x more by recruiters and other LinkedIn members, and receive up to 17x more profile views.

A customized testimonial is much more personal and carries a lot more weight than simply a one-click endorsement, but acknowledging your connections for relevant skills is a gentle nudge that you’re interested in keeping in touch with them. Be sure the endorsements are relevant to the skillset your connection has.

Also, the LinkedIn Premium for Job Seekers often highlights the skills the employer is looking for, and whether or not your skills match that role.

For more information visit: https://premium.linkedin.com/jobsearch

To optimize the skills on your own profile – so that your connections can endorse you properly is as follows:

• Click on Me > View Profile and then scroll down to the “Skills” block and click on the pencil or “Add a new skill”

• Choose from a list of relevant skills you feel fit your skill set.
• Focus on the top 3 skills, as these are the ones that appear most prominently (you can feature up to 50 skills on your profile).
• Some skills may seem redundant, but repetition of keywords is important.
• Ensure all your skills are up-to-date and relevant. You can delete irrelevant skills by clicking on the “X” listed to the left of the specific skill. You can also re-order the skills by “dragging and dropping” each block.

You don’t need to spend a lot of time making sure your skills and endorsements are optimized, but they are an important component of your profile so take a few minutes to make sure it’s up-to-date.

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Leslie Hughes is a LinkedIn Optimization Specialist, Professor of Social Media, Corporate Trainer, Principal of PUNCH!media and author of “CREATE. CONNECT. CONVERT”

Leslie was called a “Social Media Guru” by CBC Radio and was featured on CTV’s “The Social” discussing how to manage your digital identity. Leslie has been working in digital marketing since 1997 and founded PUNCH!media in 2009.

PUNCH!media clients include The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada, Guardian Life Insurance Company of America and TVO.

PUNCH!media’s goal is to empower through education and help executives gain confidence in their online presence so you convert higher-paying clients.