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If just one word could be used to describe the 2025 job market it would be this: competitive.
While the job market remains robust for most job seekers, Indeed.com reported early in January that “[j]ob growth is currently declining.”
Take note of that: it’s “declining,” but it’s not bad.
Indeed went on to add that “[y]ou have to remember: The hiring slowdown is relative to the all-time highs we saw in 2022. We’ve been coming down from the top of the mountain, but overall, job postings are still at a much higher elevation than they were in 2020, before the pandemic.”
“Finding a job in 2025 might feel trickier than in 2022, when the labor market was red hot, but the slowdown in job gains is not hurting spending right now. Gross domestic product is strong, and the U.S. economy is well-positioned heading into 2025.”
What’s more—the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 found that the fastest growing jobs “include big data specialists, fintech engineers and AI and machine learning specialists.”
(We also expect the market to remain robust for most of the professional positions we fill, such as those in “general” IT, accounting and finance, and more.)
What does this more competitive job market mean for you if you’re looking for work now?
Your LinkedIn profile is more important than ever
Your LinkedIn profile isn’t just your online resume: it’s the cornerstone of your professional brand, and often a recruiter’s initial impression of you. Technology has evolved greatly in just a handful of years, and with hiring practices becoming increasingly digital-first, LinkedIn is now the go-to location for recruiters to search for candidates.
That’s why knowing how to optimize your LinkedIn presence has never been more important for professionals, IT pros and consultants.
At Dexian, we’ve helped thousands of professionals advance their careers, gaining insights into what makes a candidate’s LinkedIn profile catch a recruiter’s eye.
In this comprehensive guide below, you will learn how to create a LinkedIn profile that leads to meaningful career opportunities. But we first want to mention the most important aspect of your job search, and it’s really simple:
Companies hire people to solve problems.
That’s it. Really.
Show a company how your skills and experience solve their problems and you’re golden.
For example, more and more companies are worried that generative AI is becoming exceedingly sophisticated in its capabilities and could therefore create “highly realistic phishing emails and deepfakes that could even fool a CEO.”
Employers of all types, therefore, will be looking for cybersecurity experts to help them solve the problem of ensuring this never happens within their own tech networks.
If you’re an AI cybersecurity pro and you can show how you helped prevent such events, which would be massive problems for any company, a hiring manager WILL take note of you!
Your Profile Header: start with a strong foundation
Consider your profile header section as prime real estate as it’s the first thing recruiters see in search results and in connection requests.
Here’s how to make it work hard for you:
Your profile photo is your first impression. It should be a professional, high-quality headshot with good lighting. (Many people now use AI to create professional headshots, so research your options if a standard photo is not in your arsenal.)
Headshot tips:
- Your headshot should have been taken recently.
- Your face should take up more than half of the frame.
- Use a simple background: you want viewers to focus on your face
- Dress according to the standards of your industry.
- Smile naturally: you want to be seen as approachable.
Your headline should be more than just a job title.
Make it searchable by using keywords and work to keep it engaging.
For example, rather than using “Software Developer,” consider: “Full-Stack Developer | Cloud Architecture Specialist | Building Scalable Solutions w/ AWS & Azure.”
Reinforce your brand with your banner image
Create a custom banner that reflects your professional identity. Tools like Canva can help you do this quickly for free or for a minimal cost.
Some people include one or more of the following in their banner:
- Key skills
- Professional accomplishments
- A call-to-action (CTA) for recruiters
- Contact info/social platform icons
- Current company branding
Write an engaging About section
This part of your profile is your opportunity to tell your professional story. To make it compelling, hook your reader with the first paragraph.
Start with a straightforward statement about the impact you wish to make. As an example:
“I help companies optimize their cloud spending and modernize their infrastructure, saving previous employers more than $2M in yearly cloud costs.”
(Important note: did you see the “hidden” problem solved? For companies, “saving” money is pretty much the same as making money. The largest “problem” they have is “making money.” So saving a business $2 million helped alleviate a major problem.)
Middle paragraphs showcase your experience and savvy.
List your main/core competencies:
- Showcase significant achievements with metrics. (See the “saved previous employers….” sentence, above.)
- Specify relevant training and certifications.
- Share how you approach problem-solving.
The call to action: your final paragraph
Your last paragraph/CTA is a great opportunity to provide clear information for recruiters/hiring managers on how to reach you and the specific types of positions you seek.
Tell your professional story in the Experience section
This section should be more than just a list of past job titles. Use it to show the impact you’ve made.
For each of your past roles:
- Start with a short overview of the company and your responsibilities in your role.
- Remember: focus on what you achieved, not just your duties.
- Use the STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result
- Remember those metrics!
- Highlight the tech and methodologies you used in your role.
Here’s an example:
- Led 5 developers in modernizing company’s legacy systems, resulting in 40% reduction in deployment time and 98% system up time (increase from 96%)
Skills and Endorsements: your strategic section
Your skills are critical tools when recruiters/hiring managers search on LinkedIn. Here are some suggestions for how to optimize this section of your profile:
Feature Your Top Skills:
- Place the skills most relevant to the position you seek first.
- Include your broader competencies as well as specific technologies.
- Don’t forget emerging technologies in your field in which you have experience/knowledge.
- Add the type of soft skills valued in the roles you seek.
Strategize Your Endorsements:
- Update your skills list regularly.
- Ask your current and former colleagues – especially those who can verify your expertise – for endorsements.
- Reciprocate these endorsements, and do so thoughtfully.
- Think about taking LinkedIn Skill Assessments to earn badges.
Recommendations: social proof matters
The quality of the people who recommend you can boost your profile’s credibility.
Some Best Practices:
- Ask current/former supervisors and project leads for recommendations.
- Ask them to highlight specific skills and projects on which you work(ed).
- Provide them with the skills/attributes on which you’d like them to focus.
- Keep updating recommendations so that they’re relevant and recent.
Demonstrate thought leadership in the Activity section
Why? Because it shows recruiters/hiring managers that you’re engaged in your field/sector.
Engagement Strategies:
- Share relevant industry articles and be sure to comment your take on them.
- Post about the projects on which you’ve worked (make sure they aren’t covered by an NDA).
- Engage posts written by leaders in your industry.
- Post original content within your profile that highlights your expertise.
- Join and participate in applicable LinkedIn groups.
Taking your LinkedIn profile a “step beyond”
Additional Tips:
- Make sure to list relevant certificates, licenses, projects, presentations
- Include your volunteer work, particularly if it’s related to your profession.
- Link to your website or portfolio if you have one.
- Keep contact information current.
Moving your career forward
Look at your LinkedIn profile as a “living” page—one that should evolve and change with your career. Update it at least quarterly as needed, making sure it reflects your current goals and skills.
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