Six More Tips to Perfect Your LinkedIn Profile for New JD Grads
Six More Tips to Perfect Your LinkedIn Profile for New JD Grads – Part 2
In Part 1 of this series, I shared six essential LinkedIn strategies to help new JD grads create profiles that attract attention — from choosing the right headshot to crafting a strong summary. If you haven’t read it yet, I recommend starting there so you have a solid foundation.
But LinkedIn is more than just a digital résumé. Used well, it’s a powerful tool for building credibility, connecting with mentors, and showing future employers that you’re serious about your legal career. In this post, I’ll share six more advanced tips that will take your profile from polished to powerful.
Tip 7: Optimize for Keywords Recruiters Search
Think about the terms a recruiter or hiring partner might type into LinkedIn when looking for candidates: “litigation,” “research,” “corporate law,” “intellectual property.” Weave these keywords naturally into your headline, summary, and experience sections. This helps your profile appear in recruiter searches and signals that you understand the field.
Tip 8: Use Recommendations Strategically
Recommendations add credibility, especially early in your career when you may not have much work experience yet. Ask a professor, supervising attorney, or internship mentor to write a short, specific recommendation. A strong endorsement that highlights your research, writing, or work ethic can make you stand out from hundreds of other recent graduates.
Tip 9: Highlight Transferable Skills
Even if you don’t have a clerkship or associate position yet, you likely have valuable skills from law school and internships. Showcase things like legal research, persuasive writing, leadership in student groups, or client interaction from clinics. Employers want to see that you’re capable and adaptable. Framing transferable skills makes your profile more complete and confidence-boosting.
Tip 10: Share Articles or Comment Thoughtfully
A quiet profile looks inactive. Show you’re engaged by sharing articles, posting reflections on industry trends, or adding thoughtful comments on others’ posts. You don’t need to write lengthy thought pieces — even brief insights can demonstrate interest and professionalism. This activity builds visibility and helps you connect with attorneys, professors, and potential employers.
Tip 11: Use LinkedIn’s “Featured” Section
The Featured section is under-used but incredibly powerful. Upload writing samples (redacted if needed), a moot court video, a law review article, or even a polished presentation. These elements bring your skills to life and make your profile visually engaging. Recruiters often scan quickly, so giving them something tangible to click on can make you memorable.
Tip 12: Set Your Profile for “Open to Work”
LinkedIn lets you discreetly signal that you’re open to opportunities. You can make this visible only to recruiters or show it to everyone, depending on your comfort level. Adding this setting increases your chances of being contacted directly for roles that match your skills and interests.
Perfecting your LinkedIn profile isn’t about making it look flawless on day one — it’s about building a professional presence that grows with you. By optimizing keywords, gathering recommendations, highlighting transferable skills, staying active, showcasing your work, and signaling openness to opportunities, you’ll be well ahead of the curve.
Remember, LinkedIn is a tool for connection, not just job searching. The relationships you build now can support your legal career for years to come.
Did you miss Part 1? Read the first six LinkedIn tips for JD grads here.