4 Ways to Brag Effectively on LinkedIn Profiles

Jillian Richardson, a 31-year-old executive ghostwriter based in Brooklyn, specializes in helping executives and founders enhance their LinkedIn presence through profile optimizations and content that incorporates humor. She observes that many professionals understate their achievements, despite LinkedIn being an ideal platform for showcasing career highlights and future goals.

Richardson stresses that in a crowded digital space, uniqueness must be highlighted repeatedly to gain visibility. Professionals often face light-hearted teasing from friends for increased posting, but she views this as maintaining discernment and boundaries rather than inauthenticity. Her key recommendations center on four profile areas to brag effectively: crafting a customer-oriented Headline as a single sentence; filling the About section with customer success statistics, case studies, and testimonials; pinning impactful content like newsletters or high-performing posts in the Featured section; and actively seeking Recommendations by requesting past testimonials or kind words from colleagues and clients.

These strategies aim to demonstrate value, build trust, and differentiate users in their industry, ultimately supporting career advancement or business growth.

Jillian Richardson focuses on assisting executives, founders, job seekers, and those exploring self-employment with LinkedIn profile enhancements. After editing numerous profiles, she identifies a common issue: individuals fail to promote their accomplishments sufficiently.

LinkedIn serves as a venue where self-promotion is not only acceptable but expected, allowing users to outline their professional journeys and aspirations. In this vast network, failing to emphasize distinctive qualities results in being overlooked amid the competition.

Users often believe a single mention of their skills suffices, yet content can easily get buried on social platforms. Richardson notes that repetition is necessary to ensure visibility.

She shares an experience common among ghostwriters: clients who post more frequently may receive playful messages from friends labeling them as overeager. However, this reflects selective sharing, which Richardson describes as discernment—presenting one's best professional self while upholding personal boundaries, rather than fabricating an unreal persona.

The Headline represents a primary opportunity to highlight achievements on a LinkedIn profile. Richardson recommends approaching it from a client's perspective, using language that directly addresses how one can assist potential customers or collaborators.

This section should convey support in a concise, single-sentence format to maintain clarity and relevance. Avoid decorative dividers or fragmented lists, as they often lead to disconnected accomplishments that dilute the message for readers.

By focusing on customer benefits, the Headline immediately signals value and positions the user as a problem-solver in their field.

Many founders neglect the About section entirely, leading observers to question the legitimacy of their ventures. Richardson encounters executives whose profiles lack this essential narrative, making their professional impact invisible.

This area is ideal for substantiating expertise through quantifiable results, such as statistics on customer successes. It should articulate reasons for trust, unique industry differentiators, and real-world examples via client case studies and testimonials.

To maximize effectiveness, structure the content to emphasize tangible outcomes:

• Customer help metrics, like growth percentages or efficiency gains.
• Trust-building elements, including years of experience or notable partnerships.
• Differentiators, such as innovative approaches or specialized humor in communication.
• Testimonials and case studies that illustrate success stories.

Populating this section robustly transforms a sparse profile into a persuasive showcase of value.

The Featured Section

Richardson advises pinning content in the Featured section that extends engagement beyond LinkedIn, such as newsletters, landing pages, or websites designed for email capture. This fosters ongoing connections and familiarity with the user's brand.

Examples include spotlighting media appearances, like a recent Forbes feature, to establish credibility, or highlighting a top-performing LinkedIn post to exhibit industry knowledge. Such selections draw attention to expertise and invite deeper interaction.

The Recommendations Section

Often overlooked near the profile's bottom, the Recommendations section holds significant weight in hiring decisions. Richardson suggests leveraging existing website testimonials by politely requesting their replication on LinkedIn.

For instance, one can email contacts with phrasing like: "Hey, you said this exact thing to me. Would you be willing to copy and paste this on LinkedIn?" Similarly, recall verbal praises from calls and ask for written endorsements.

Most individuals, including former bosses or colleagues with positive relationships, agree to contribute. This approach not only populates the section but also reinforces mutual professional support.

1. Identify past testimonials or kind comments.
2. Draft a courteous request referencing the specific praise.
3. Follow up if needed, emphasizing the value of their endorsement.

Jillian Richardson's insights underscore that effective self-promotion on LinkedIn is essential for professional differentiation and opportunity capture. By strategically enhancing the Headline, About, Featured, and Recommendations sections with customer-centric content and endorsements, users can project authenticity and expertise.

Embracing bragging as a tool for visibility, while honoring personal boundaries, empowers executives to navigate the platform's competitive landscape successfully. Implementing these targeted adjustments promises greater trust, engagement, and career progression in an interconnected professional world.