LinkedIn & Personal Branding

Why LinkedIn Matters in Australia

Over 14 million Australians are on LinkedIn. It's the primary platform recruiters use to source candidates — even for roles that are never publicly advertised. If your profile is weak or inactive, you're invisible to a huge chunk of the job market.

Many Australian companies now check LinkedIn before interviewing candidates. Your profile is essentially a living resume that recruiters can find at any time, so it needs to be polished, complete, and active.

Profile Photo and Banner

Profiles with a professional photo get 14x more views than those without one. You don't need a studio portrait — a well-lit photo against a plain background taken on a phone works fine. Dress as you would for an interview in your industry.

Use the banner image to your advantage. A banner showing your university, a professional event you attended, or a simple branded graphic with your field of expertise instantly makes your profile look more intentional.

Writing a Headline That Works

Your headline is the most important piece of text on your profile — it appears in search results and connection requests. Don't just put your current job title. Use the format: What you do + Who you help + What makes you different.

Examples: 'Marketing Graduate | Content Strategy & Social Media | Seeking Graduate Opportunities in Melbourne' is better than 'Student at University of Melbourne'. 'Junior Software Engineer | Python, React, AWS | Building tools that solve real problems' tells recruiters exactly what you offer.

Include keywords that recruiters search for — job titles, skills, and technologies relevant to your target roles.

The About Section

Think of your About section as your elevator pitch in written form. Write in first person ('I' not 'they'). Start with what drives you professionally, then cover your key skills and experience, and finish with what you're looking for.

Keep it to 3–4 short paragraphs. No one reads a wall of text. Include specific achievements and skills that match the roles you're targeting.

End with a call to action: 'I'm currently exploring graduate opportunities in consulting. If you're hiring or know someone who is, I'd love to connect.'

Building Your Network

Connect with people you've actually met — colleagues, university peers, lecturers, people from events and workshops. When connecting with someone new, always add a personalised note explaining why you're reaching out.

Follow companies you're interested in and engage with their posts. Comment thoughtfully (not just 'Great post!') — this puts you on the radar of people at those companies.

Join industry-specific LinkedIn groups for your field in Australia. Share relevant articles, ask questions, and contribute to discussions. Consistent activity matters more than follower count.

Aim to post something at least once a fortnight — it can be a career reflection, something you learned, a project you're working on, or a link to an interesting industry article with your take on it.

Recommendations and Endorsements

Ask former managers, lecturers, or project partners for recommendations. A recommendation from a supervisor carries more weight than one from a classmate. Be specific in your request: 'Would you be able to write a few lines about my work on the XYZ project?'

Endorse your connections' skills genuinely — many will reciprocate. Focus on getting endorsements for your top 3 skills rather than spreading them across 20 different ones.