From Zero to Three Recruiter Messages in a Week: How to Use LinkedIn the Right Way

When I first arrived in the UK, everyone told me LinkedIn was important. I registered, filled in my university and programme, pasted the link into my CV — and assumed the job was done.

A year later, my profile views were close to zero.
It felt like an abandoned digital graveyard.

Everything changed after a senior student working at Deloitte looked at my profile and said bluntly:

“This is almost the same as having nothing. No wonder nobody reaches out.”

She gave me an analogy I still remember:

LinkedIn isn’t a storage folder for your career history.
It’s your 24/7 personal billboard — and one of the strongest tools for passive job search.

Under her “intense training”, I rebuilt my profile from scratch. The result surprised me: in the second week after optimisation, I received my first recruiter message. Since then, I’ve been contacted regularly with relevant opportunities.

Here’s exactly what I changed.

1) Headline: Stop Writing “MSc Student at X”

Your headline is premium real estate. It should tell both LinkedIn’s algorithm and human readers:

• who you are

• what you can do

• what role you’re targeting

Before (what many students write):

“MSc Student at University of XXX”

After (formula: Target Role + Core Skills + Differentiator):

“Aspiring Data Analyst | Proficient in Python, SQL & Power BI | Seeking Graduate Roles”

This one change made my profile instantly more focused — I stopped looking like a “generic student” and started looking like a candidate with direction.

2) About Section: Replace Cold Lists with a First-Person Story

This section is not a copy of your CV.

Use first person to create a clear narrative:

• One sentence to set the tone

  “A detail-oriented finance graduate passionate about using data analytics to decode market trends.”

• One short proof point (project + tools + outcome)
  Pick one strong project and explain what you did, what tools you used, and what result you achieved — even if it’s from coursework.

• One clear goal
  Make it easy for people to help you:

  “Actively seeking entry-level roles in investment analysis or related fields.”

If someone is interested, they should immediately know what you want.

3) Experience: Use STAR to Show Achievements (Not Duties)

Avoid writing job responsibilities — that reads like a job description, not your impact.

For each role or experience, write 2–3 bullet points that:

• start with a strong action verb

• include measurable results when possible

Before:

“Responsible for event planning and communication.”

After:

“Led a team of five to organise a career-sharing event, attracting over 80 participants and increasing society membership by 30%.”

Instantly more concrete. More credible. More memorable.

4) Two Actions That Multiplied Opportunities

Skills + Endorsements

I listed my relevant tools and skills (up to 15). Then I politely asked classmates and project supervisors who knew my work to endorse a few of them. It seems small, but it significantly improves visibility in search.

Turn On “Open to Work” (Recruiters Only)

This is a game changer. You can enable it so only recruiters can see it, then set:

• target job titles

• preferred locations

• start dates

After turning this on, I started receiving messages far more consistently.

The Mindset Shift

I used to treat LinkedIn like homework: submit it once and forget it.

Now I see it for what it is — a personal branding window that speaks for you when you’re not there.
Instead of waiting to be noticed, I designed my profile to attract opportunities passively.

Don’t let your profile stay dormant. Spend one focused afternoon refining it with these steps — the next opportunity might arrive sooner than you think.