How to get found by recruiters on LinkedIn

Editor’s note: Job openings are a recurring topic in the Manual supporters’ WhatsApp group. In a recent conversation there were so many useful LinkedIn tips that we ended up with a kind of playbook for doing well on the platform. Thanks to everyone who contributed, especially Marcia who steered the discussion, Caique who saved the thread, and Paulo, who condensed many messages into this concise text.

Nobody likes LinkedIn, but a lot of people need to be there to apply for roles at companies that, if you’re lucky, will send an automatic message telling you they decided to move forward with another candidate. Even so, it’s worth trying to understand how this corporate theme park works and how it can (yes, it’s possible) help you land a less miserable job.

The mechanics of being found

Keywords

Recruiters use tools like LinkedIn Recruiter to find candidates via keywords and specific filters. A search for “developer” combined with “company: Uber,” for example, returns a list of matching profiles. Each profile is then reviewed individually to identify suitable candidates. This process shows why keeping your profile optimized matters, whether or not you’re actively applying for jobs.

Profile optimization

LinkedIn Learning offers free courses on optimizing profiles for search. Investing time in these resources can significantly increase your visibility.

You need to be a influencer-wannabe

The platform favors active profiles in search results, so to maximize visibility, post or engage daily. Engaging actions include:

• Like relevant posts. Find a “Top Voice” in your field and engage with their content.
• Comment on discussions in your area. Don’t be a pedagogue talking theology to engineers, for example.
• Share pertinent content. No one knows exactly what’s relevant, but try to keep your posts and comments consistent.

These interactions signal to the algorithm that your profile is active and will boost your rank in recruiter searches.

You need to update your profile constantly

Or at least pretend to.

During active job hunting, one effective tactic is to open your LinkedIn profile every day and click Edit and Save, even without making real changes. That simple action updates your profile in the system, signaling recent activity.

Important: This intensive practice is meant for the active-search period. Once you’ve secured a new role, return to it only when necessary.

It will be annoying. It will be hard. It will suck.

In a typical hiring process, hundreds of applications are common. Doing a rough estimate: out of 400 applications, about 350 will be outside the company’s desired profile. So, if you meet the requirements, apply intentionally. Use AI/LLMs to boost your résumé and figure out where and how to place keywords, and how to show the impact you had in your previous role (or current, if you’re just looking to switch companies).

Most applications are poorly completed, which makes the initial filtering by HR automation easier. Thus, a well-structured, optimized profile is more likely to put you in a favorable position when seeking a role (read: your résumé getting read by a human).

Remember: The real competition is less fierce than the raw numbers suggest.

Automate, but do it right

As noted above, you need to be an influencer-wannabe. To maintain a consistent presence, some people use automation tools to create content. Use AIs/LLMs freely, but keep the tone appropriate for your role/profession, produce relevant content, and use post-scheduling to queue multiple posts across the week. That’s the best way to stay discoverable in searches, stay up to date, and appear to recruiters.

Practical example

Capture relevant screenshots of your daily work and process them through prompts in tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to generate original content, then automate publishing throughout the week.

Tip: The key isn’t the technology itself, but using it to build genuine authority and demonstrate knowledge that matters to your audience.

Good luck!

LinkedIn works as a two-way discovery engine. While you look for opportunities, recruiters look for people who match the roles they need to fill (they have targets too).

What you need to do is position yourself strategically in that ecosystem. With luck, opportunities and recruiters will find you.