CareerFeaturedDEC 3, 2025

LinkedIn Profile Revamp

Elevate your professional identity with this comprehensive guide to optimizing your LinkedIn profile, including real success stories and actionable strategies.

Duration:
1 hour
Organizer:
ORIC, Sohail University

Webinar Information

Title: Revamp Your LinkedIn: Elevate Your Professional Identity

Organizer: Office of Research, Innovation & Commercialization (ORIC), Sohail University

Speaker: Ms. Midha Tahir โ€“ Senior SDE, ByteCorp

Date & Time: Wednesday, December 3, 2025 โ€“ 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM

๐Ÿš€ Real Success Story: From London to Istanbul

[ Midha Tahir 4 months ago ๐Ÿš€ ๐…๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐‹๐จ๐ง๐๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ˆ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ง๐›๐ฎ๐ฅ โ€” ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ ๐›๐ฒ ๐‚๐จ๐๐ž, ๐‚๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐š๐ง๐ ๐š ๐’๐œ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐š๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ I recently had the incredible opportunity to attend a Stellar Hack Pera hackathon in Istanbul, thanks to a fully funded scholarship from Patika.dev and the Stellar Development Foundation. Over an intense 48 hours, I got the chance to:

  • Build and prototype with Web3 tools
  • Collaborate with talented developers from around the world
  • Experience Istanbul's rich culture, history, and food

Special thanks to Dila Yapฤฑcฤฑ for the kind invitation and support throughout... ๐Ÿ‘ 98 reactions ๐Ÿ’ฌ 5 comments Click to view full post on LinkedIn โ†’ ](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/midhatahir_hackathon-web3-womenintech-activity-7347908872088518657-yuih)

1. Start With a Clear Goal

Before editing anything, answer these questions and keep them in front of you while updating your profile:

  • What roles or opportunities am I targeting (e.g., Software Engineer, Data Analyst, Product Manager)?
  • Which countries or cities am I open to (e.g., UK, EU, remote)?
  • What 3 skills do I want to be known for?
  • Who is my primary audience (recruiters, hiring managers, clients, collaborators)?

2. Profile Photo & Banner

Your profile picture and banner are your first impression. Keep them clean and professional.

Profile Photo Guidelines

  • Use a clear, recent, highโ€‘quality photo with good lighting.
  • Face the camera, neutral or slight smile, simple background.
  • Avoid heavy filters, group photos, party pictures, or selfies with distractions.

Banner Ideas

  • Use a simple banner with your niche, tagline, or tech stack.
  • Showcase your city, university, or a subtle abstract background.
  • Avoid cluttered images or very bright, distracting colours.

3. Name, Headline & Basic Info

These appear everywhere โ€“ search results, comments, messages. Make every word count.

Headline Formula 1 (role focused):

Role | Key Skills | Domain/Outcome

Headline Formula 2 (value focused):

I help [target audience] achieve [result] using [skills/technology].

Examples:

Software Engineer | React, Node.js, Azure | Building reliable web apps for EdTech & FinTech

Aspiring Data Analyst | Python, SQL, Power BI | Turning messy data into clear decisions

Additional Profile Details

  • Location: Set the city where you live.
  • Industry: Choose the industry aligned with the roles you want (e.g., Computer Software, Higher Education).
  • Contact info: Add email and, if relevant, portfolio, GitHub, or personal website.

4. About / Summary Section

Think of this as your "mini story" plus proof that you can deliver results. Use 3โ€“5 short paragraphs.

Structure:

  • Hook: 2โ€“3 lines about who you are and what you do.
  • Credibility: Technologies, industries, years of experience, key strengths.
  • Proof: 2โ€“3 concrete achievements, projects, or responsibilities.
  • Call to action: How people can reach you and what you are open to.

Simple Template:

I am a [current or target role] with [X years] of experience in [domains]. I enjoy working on [types of projects] and using [top skills/technologies] to solve real problems.

So far, I have [built/led/contributed to] projects such as [1โ€“2 short examples with results]. I am particularly proud of [achievement/impact].

I am currently open to [roles/opportunities] in [locations/remote]. Feel free to reach out via LinkedIn message or email at [your email].

5. Experience Section

Each role should tell a story of impact, not just responsibilities. Use bullet points, not long paragraphs.

Bullet Formula:

Did X by doing Y using Z, resulting in W.

Examples:

Improved page load time by 40% by refactoring React components and optimising API calls.

Reduced manual testing time by 30% by designing automated test cases using Cypress and Playwright.

Mentored 5 junior students on web development basics through weekly sessions.

Tips:

  • Use action verbs: built, designed, implemented, improved, automated, led, mentored.
  • Add numbers where possible: %, time saved, users, revenue impact, students reached.
  • Include academic or freelance projects if you have limited work experience.
  • If your any immediate family or relative is working in a company , ask them to give you an internship and then add it to your experience section

6. Skills, Endorsements & Keywords

  • List 20โ€“30 skills that match your target roles (e.g., JavaScript, React, Node.js, SQL, Communication).
  • Pin your top 3 skills โ€“ these should match your headline and job descriptions you are applying for.
  • Regularly update skills based on new technologies or responsibilities.
  • Ask classmates, colleagues, and mentors to endorse your top skills.

Think in terms of search keywords:

  1. Look at 3โ€“5 job descriptions for your dream role.
  2. Highlight common keywords (skills, tools, frameworks).
  3. Make sure those keywords appear in your Headline, About, Experience, and Skills sections.

7. Education, Certifications & Projects

  • Education: Add your university, degree, major, don't add graduation year.
  • Certifications: Add relevant courses with license number (Coursera, Udemy, Microsoft, etc.)
  • Projects: Use the Projects section to highlight 3โ€“6 strong projects with links to GitHub, live demos, or articles.

8. Featured & Recommendations

Featured Section

The Featured section is powerful for showing proof of work at a glance.

  • Add links to your portfolio, GitHub repos, articles, talks, or certificates.
  • Pin 3โ€“5 items that best represent what you want to be hired for.
  • Update this section every few months as you grow.

Recommendations

  • Request short recommendations from teachers, managers, or teammates who have seen you work.
  • Give them a hint: remind them of a project or responsibility you want them to mention.
  • Offer to write a draft to save their time if they are busy.

9. 15-Minute Daily LinkedIn Routine

2 min

Check notifications and reply to messages.

5 min

Comment thoughtfully on 2โ€“3 posts in your niche (not just "Great post!" โ€“ add your perspective).

5 min

Connect with 2โ€“3 people (classmates, alumni, professionals) with a short personalised note.

3 min

Share a quick update once or twice a week (what you learned, a project screenshot, an article you liked).

10. Job Search Settings

  • Turn on "Open to work" for recruiters (choose job titles, locations, and work preferences).
  • Set job alerts for your target roles in your target locations.
  • Save interesting job posts and note keywords used in those descriptions.
  • Follow companies you are interested in and engage with their posts.

11. Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • No profile photo or a very casual/unclear one.
  • Empty About section or copyโ€‘paste from a CV with no story.
  • Job titles only, with no bullet points or impact.
  • Too many unrelated skills โ€“ looks unfocused.
  • "Open to any opportunity" without clarity on what you actually want.
  • Inactivity โ€“ never posting, commenting, or networking.

12. 10-Minute Profile Checklist

Use this quick checklist right after the webinar or whenever you help someone with their LinkedIn.

Professional profile picture Clean banner image Clear headline with role + skills + domain About section with story + proof + call to action Experience entries with impactโ€‘based bullet points At least 10โ€“15 relevant skills added and top 3 pinned Education, certifications, and 3โ€“6 strong projects listed Featured section with portfolio / GitHub / articles "Open to work" and job alerts configured You have interacted (liked/commented/posted) within the last week

Tip: Revisit this cheatsheet every 3โ€“6 months and update your profile as you complete new projects, courses, or roles.

Midha Tahir - Senior SDE

MT

Midha Tahir

Software Engineer @ ByteCorp | IT Technical Person @ City Educators UK

I currently work as a Software Engineer at ByteCorp, where I help build and maintain modern, efficient software solutions. Alongside that, I also serve as an IT technical person at City Educators UK, supporting the smooth running of their digital tools, online platforms, and classroom technology.

๐Ÿ”— Connect with me

๐ŸŽฏ How I Got the Istanbul Scholarship Through LinkedIn

You might be wondering: "How did you get a fully funded trip to a hackathon in Istanbul?"

The answer is simple: An optimized LinkedIn profile + consistent engagement.

1

Built a Strong Profile

I followed the exact steps in this cheatsheet:

  • Professional photo and banner showcasing my tech stack
  • Clear headline: "Software Engineer | React, Node.js, Web3 | Building innovative web applications"
  • Detailed About section highlighting my passion for development and hackathons
  • Experience section with impact-based bullet points showing real results
  • Featured section with my best projects and GitHub repos

2

Stayed Active & Engaged

I didn't just create a profile and forget about it:

  • Posted about my learning journey and projects regularly
  • Commented thoughtfully on tech posts in my niche (Web3, React, JavaScript)
  • Connected with developers, recruiters, and tech community leaders
  • Shared my hackathon experiences and learnings

3

Networked Strategically & Became Discoverable

Quality connections + search visibility matter:

  • Connected with people from Patika.dev and Stellar Development Foundation
  • Engaged with their content genuinely (not just "Great post!")
  • When Dila Yapฤฑcฤฑ searched for scholarship candidates, I was already on their radar
  • My profile showed I was the right fit: developer, interested in Web3, active in the community
  • The keywords in my headline and skills made me discoverable in their search

4

Leveraged Connections When It Mattered

LinkedIn connections become real support systems:

  • When I moved to the UK, I reached out to 2-3 connections whom I only knew through friends of friends
  • Despite being distant connections, they responded and helped me navigate life in a new country
  • They gave me advice on finding accommodation, understanding the job market, and adjusting to UK culture
  • This showed me that genuine connections on LinkedIn translate to real-world help

5

Applied with Confidence

When the Istanbul opportunity came:

  • My LinkedIn profile served as my portfolioโ€”no need to scramble
  • My projects and experience spoke for themselves
  • My engagement history showed I was genuinely interested, not just opportunity-hunting
  • Result: Fully funded scholarship to Istanbul! โœˆ๏ธ

๐Ÿ”‘ Key Takeaway

LinkedIn isn't just a digital CVโ€”it's a door to real opportunities. Scholarships, hackathons, job offers, collaborations, and mentorships all start with visibility and credibility.

The best time to optimize your LinkedIn was 6 months ago. The second best time is today.

Use this cheatsheet, stay consistent, and watch the opportunities come to you. ๐Ÿš€

๐Ÿ“Š The Ultimate LinkedIn Cheat Sheet

Visual guide with additional tips and strategies for optimizing your LinkedIn profile. Click the image to view the full interactive guide:

The Ultimate LinkedIn Cheat Sheet - Click to view full guide ๐Ÿ“– Click to view full interactive guide

Infographic source: Leisurejobs.com

(C) 2025 ORIC, Sohail University. Speaker: Ms. Midha Tahir, Senior SDE at ByteCorp

โ†‘

Want to invite me for a talk?

Conferences, podcasts, workshops, or internal sessions โ€” reach out on LinkedIn and let's line something up.