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I know LinkedIn gets a lot of criticism right now.
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Designers are frustrated with it. The algorithm feels unpredictable. The engagement can feel performative. I get it.
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But most hiring managers and recruiters are still using it every single day.
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When I work with designers on their job search, I usually point this out:
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Recruiters aren’t just browsing casually. They’re actively searching for designers daily. By title, by skill, by keyword.
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And hiring managers do something similar when they’re trying to fill a role quickly.
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Whether you like the platform or not that’s where attention is.
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And in a job search attention matters.
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How LinkedIn actually works in a job search

In most hiring processes LinkedIn shows up in two key moments.

1. After your portfolio

A hiring manager looks at your work, likes what they see and immediately checks your LinkedIn.
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Not to explore.
To confirm.
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They’re asking:

• Does this person look credible?
• Does their experience match what I just saw?
• Does anything feel off or unclear?
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That little gap between interest and confidence is where many candidates can lose momentum.

2. Before your portfolio

Recruiters actively search LinkedIn using:

• job titles
• skills
• tools
• industry keywords

If your profile shows up you either get clicked or you don’t.
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And in most cases, the decision is made in seconds. Not based on your portfolio.
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Based on one line of text.
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The most important line on your entire profile

Your headline.
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That line under your name is one of the most important parts of your entire profile.
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When recruiters scan search results, they don’t see your portfolio or case studies.

They see:
• your name
• your headline
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That’s it.
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Most designer headlines look like this:

"UX Designer"
or
"UX Designer at [Company]"
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​That tells a recruiter your title and where you work. It tells them nothing about what you bring, who you help, or why they should click.
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A better way to write it

Use this simple structure:

[Job Title] helping [who] [outcome] through [approach or specialty]
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​Here it is applied to a real example:

Now a recruiter immediately understands:

• the type of designer you are
• the context you work in
• the outcome you drive

All in one sentence.
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Note: LinkedIn allows 220 characters for a headline and the algorithm gives it the highest weight in search results.

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More examples:

Notice what each one does:
it names a specific audience and a specific outcome.
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Generic headlines appeal to everyone and attract no one. Specific headlines attract the right people.

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One LinkedIn tip most designers never hear

Once you've written a strong headline don't leave it alone.

Update it every two to three weeks by rotating in a new keyword relevant to the roles you're pursuing. This does two things: It keeps your profile aligned with the roles you're actively targeting and it lets you test which version of your headline attracts more profile views.
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It takes two minutes. Most designers never do it. The ones who do show up more consistently in recruiter searches.

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The bigger picture

LinkedIn isn’t perfect.

But it’s still one of the main places hiring decisions start.

And often, decision start with a single line.
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If you want to make sure your portfolio matches the clarity of your LinkedIn before your next application, that’s exactly what a portfolio review is for.

I’ll record a 20-minute video audit and show you what’s working, what’s confusing, and what to fix first.

→ Book your portfolio review — $95
"My callback rate doubled after Anthony's audit."

Talk soon, Anthony

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P.S. If the bigger issue is your overall job search strategy; LinkedIn, portfolio, positioning, and how to put it all together a 1:1 strategy session is where we tackle that directly. $175.

Anthony Faria
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