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If a recruiter for your dream job landed on your LinkedIn profile right now, would they instantly see you as the perfect fit?

Or would they see someone who’s great at what they used to do - but not quite positioned for where they want to go?

This is one of the biggest mistakes I see job seekers make. Their LinkedIn profiles are detailed and impressive but don’t align with the roles they actually want. And when your profile doesn’t tell the right story, recruiters won’t reach out.

(if this is you, keep reading! And consider grabbing my LinkedIn Guide for Job Seekers HERE to get step-by-step guidance to fix this)

Meet Alex: A Consultant Who Wants to Lead HR

Let’s take Alex, for example. Alex has spent the past 12 years as a management consultant specializing in change management and organizational transformation. She’s worked with Fortune 500 companies, helping them navigate leadership transitions, culture shifts, and large-scale operational changes. But now, she’s ready for something different - she wants to transition into a Head of HR role at a scaling tech company.

The problem? Her LinkedIn profile doesn’t show that she’s a great fit for HR leadership. It highlights her consulting expertise but doesn’t position her as someone who can lead an internal HR team in a high-growth environment.

What’s Wrong with Alex’s Profile?

Here’s where Alex’s LinkedIn is working against her:

✅ Headline Misalignment – Her headline says “Senior Manager, Organizational Change | Consulting | Business Transformation.” This tells recruiters she’s a consultant, not a future Head of HR.

✅ The Wrong Story in Her About Section – Alex’s About section focuses on her ability to advise companies through transformation - but doesn’t showcase her ability to build and lead an internal HR team.

✅ Experience Focused on Consulting, Not HR Leadership – Her experience section emphasizes her role as an external advisor, rather than highlighting her hands-on impact in driving people and culture initiatives.

✅ Skills & Endorsements Aren’t HR-Aligned – While she has endorsements for “Change Management” and “Business Strategy,” key HR skills like “Talent Strategy,” “Employee Engagement,” and “People Operations” are missing.

The Fix: Repositioning Alex’s LinkedIn for HR Leadership

To shift her profile from consultant to HR leader, Alex needs to rewrite her LinkedIn to reflect where she’s going - not just where she’s been.

Step 1: A Headline That Signals Readiness for HR Leadership

Instead of her current consulting-heavy headline, Alex updates it to: “Building High-Performing, People-Centric Organizations | Head of HR | Organizational Transformation | Future of Work”

Now, any recruiter searching for an HR leader sees her as a relevant candidate immediately.

Step 2: An About Section That Sells Her HR Value

Before, Alex’s About section focused on her consulting expertise. Now, it’s rewritten to position her as a strategic people leader:

This shift makes it clear that she’s not just a consultant—she’s a future Head of HR.

Step 3: Reshaping Her Experience to Highlight HR Readiness

Instead of framing her past consulting experience in purely advisory terms, Alex highlights her hands-on impact in shaping people and culture.

🚫 Before:

✅ After:

By repositioning her experience, she’s showing that she’s already done the work an HR leader does - just in a different context.

Step 4: Updating Skills & Endorsements to Match HR Leadership

Alex adds and prioritizes skills like:

✔ Talent Strategy ✔ Leadership Development ✔ Employee Engagement ✔ People & Culture ✔ Organizational Development

She also reaches out to former colleagues for endorsements on these skills, ensuring they rise to the top of her profile.

Step 5: Engaging with the HR & People Strategy Community

Alex starts posting about trends in people operations, leadership development, and company culture.

She comments on content from HR executives and shares insights from her consulting background that are relevant to scaling tech companies.

This helps LinkedIn’s algorithm associate her with HR roles - and signals to recruiters that she’s already thinking like a Head of HR.

The Result? Recruiters Now See Alex as a Fit for HR Leadership

With these updates, Alex’s profile is optimized for her next role. Now, when recruiters search for a Head of HR at a scaling tech company, her profile rises to the top - and when they land on it, they instantly see why she’s a strong candidate.

Does Your LinkedIn Align with Your Career Goals?

If you’re making a career shift, your LinkedIn profile needs to tell the right story. A misaligned profile means missing out on recruiter searches, networking opportunities, and job offers.

If you want a second pair of eyes on your LinkedIn, I’d love to help. Reply to this email and let me know what role you’re targeting - I’ll share 2-3 quick wins you can implement right away!

Want some step-by-step guidance on how to optimize your profile? Grab my LinkedIn Guide for Job Seekers HERE.

Until next week!

Beckie

P.S. Know someone who’s struggling to get recruiter traction on LinkedIn? Forward this email to them - they’ll thank you later!

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