Looking for a job can feel overwhelming when you’re competing against thousands of applicants. Research shows that candidates with complete LinkedIn profiles have a 71% higher chance of landing interviews and getting hired. The good news? Small, strategic improvements can dramatically increase how recruiters find and evaluate you. These five actions take just 30 minutes to an hour but could transform your chances of getting hired.
What’s the Fastest Way to Make Your Resume More Visible?
Optimize your resume for applicant tracking systems. With 99% of Fortune 500 companies using ATS software to filter applications, your resume needs the right keywords to pass screening and help you get hired.
Pull up three to five job descriptions for roles you’re targeting. Highlight skills, software, certifications, and technical terms that appear repeatedly. These are industry standards. Weave these keywords naturally throughout your resume, especially in your professional summary, skills section, and work experience.
Including the exact job title from a posting makes you 10.6 times more likely to get an interview. Match exact wording—if they say “Adobe Creative Suite,” don’t write “Adobe Creative Cloud,” as ATS systems may not recognize the difference.
How Can Updating One LinkedIn Section Boost Your Visibility?
With 49 million people searching for jobs on LinkedIn weekly, your profile works 24/7 to help you get hired—but only if optimized. The most impactful 30-minute update? Your headline.
LinkedIn profiles with strong headlines receive 30% more views. Instead of just your job title, create a value-driven headline with relevant keywords. “Marketing Manager” becomes “Marketing Manager | Digital Strategy | SEO | Content Marketing | B2B Growth.”
Next, update your skills section. Profiles with multiple skill endorsements receive 17 times more views from recruiters. Add skills aligned with target roles and ask colleagues to endorse you.
What Profile Change Can Boost You to Get 40% More Recruiter Attention?
Activate LinkedIn’s #OpenToWork feature if you’re actively searching. This green frame signals availability to recruiters, and members using it receive 40% more InMails from recruiters on average.
Choose to share publicly or only with recruiters. Since LinkedIn InMail has a 300% higher response rate than traditional email, more InMails mean more opportunities. Review privacy settings to ensure recruiters can find and contact you easily.
Can 15 Minutes of Company Research Actually Improve Interview Success?
Absolutely. Before applying, spend 15 minutes researching the company on LinkedIn and through recent news. This helps you tailor your application and provides interview talking points.
Check the company’s LinkedIn page for recent initiatives, culture, and values. See if you have connections who could provide insights or internal referrals—referred candidates are often hired faster. Bilingual professionals should research whether the company has global operations or multilingual markets—if your language skills align with business needs, highlight this in your application.
Why Apply to Fewer Jobs More Thoughtfully?
Quality beats quantity. With over 9,000 people applying for jobs every minute on LinkedIn, generic applications don’t stand out.
Instead of mass-applying to 20 positions, customize applications for three to five carefully selected roles. Tailor resume keywords to each job description and write compelling cover letters addressing company needs. This focused approach passes ATS screening and resonates with human reviewers, ultimately increasing your chances of getting hired. Only 30% of LinkedIn users have landed jobs through the platform, showing that profile completeness and application quality determine success.
Landing your next job doesn’t require days of preparation. These five quick actions significantly boost your visibility to recruiters and improve your chances of getting hired. Ready to take your job search further? Bilingual Source specializes in connecting talented professionals with opportunities that value their unique skills. Contact us today to learn how we can support your career goals.
