There’s no shortage of advice on how to use LinkedIn but knowing what not to do is just as important. After years of helping professionals use LinkedIn more effectively, I’ve seen the good, the bad and everything in between. What surprises me most is how often smart, successful people make small but avoidable mistakes that chip away at their visibility and credibility.
These mistakes aren’t always obvious, but they add up. The good news is that most are easy to fix once you know what to look for. A few simple changes can make your profile stronger and your presence more impactful.
Here are 25 of the most common LinkedIn missteps and how to avoid them with practical, real-world tips you can start using right now.
1. Not having a photo: Your profile photo is the first impression people have of you. Not including one signals that you’re not active or invested in your professional presence. Use a high-quality, recent headshot that looks like you today. Skip the group shots, vacation pics and blurry selfies. A well-lit photo in professional attire with a neutral background works best — it doesn’t need to be studio-quality, but it should reflect how you show up at work or in meetings.
2. Using a weak or outdated headline: Your headline is searchable and visible everywhere your name appears. “Attorney at Law” or “Managing Director” doesn’t tell people what you actually do or why they should connect with you. Instead, write something specific and engaging like, “Helping startups scale through strategic IP counsel” or “Corporate lawyer focused on M&A and growth-stage companies.” Your headline is searchable and visible everywhere your name appears. “Attorney at Law” or “Managing Director” doesn’t tell people what you actually do or why they should connect with you. Use this space to highlight your niche, your audience or your value.
3. Writing your summary like a resume: LinkedIn is not your resume. Your About section should sound like you. Use a conversational tone, avoid buzzwords and give people a clear idea of what you do, how you help and what makes you different. For example, instead of writing, “John Smith is a senior associate with extensive experience in real estate law,” try, “I help clients navigate complex real estate transactions with practical, business-focused advice.” One sounds like a website bio, the other like a real person. LinkedIn is not your resume. Your About section should sound like you. Use a conversational tone, avoid buzzwords and give people a clear idea of what you do, how you help and what makes you different.
4. Copying and pasting your firm bio: Firm bios are written in the third person and meant for a different audience. Your LinkedIn profile should feel more personal. This is your space use it to show people who you are, not just where you work.
5. Leaving your summary blank: Not writing anything in your About section is a missed opportunity. This is one of the most visible parts of your profile. Try using a simple format: who you are, who you help, what you do, and what makes you different. Keep it conversational and clear. Not writing anything in your About section is a missed opportunity. This is one of the most visible parts of your profile. Use it to tell your story, show your personality and explain what you’re focused on right now.
6. Forgetting your contact info: People can’t reach out if they don’t know how. Add your email and website to your contact section, and consider including them in your About section too. If you’re selective about sharing your contact details, create a separate professional email address you feel comfortable posting publicly. People can’t reach out to you if they don’t know how. Add your email and website to your contact section, and consider including them in your About section too.
7. Having multiple profiles: If someone searches for you and finds more than one profile, it creates confusion and makes you look disorganized. Search your name on LinkedIn, merge or delete duplicate profiles, and make sure your active one is polished, up to date and complete. If someone searches for you and finds more than one profile, it creates confusion. Consolidate duplicate profiles and make sure your primary one is complete, current and polished.
8. Showing multiple current jobs: It’s easy to forget to mark an old job as completed when you start a new one. But if your profile shows that you’re still working at two places, it confuses viewers and makes you look sloppy. Always double-check your start and end dates and close out previous roles. Accidentally leaving a former job listed as current makes it look like you’re still juggling multiple roles. Update your dates and close out old roles when you move on.
9. Leaving out important experience: Even if a role doesn’t seem relevant today, it might help someone understand your skills, versatility or career path. A complete profile builds credibility and helps potential clients, recruiters or collaborators connect the dots. Your profile should reflect the full story of your professional experience. Even if a past role feels less relevant now, it may help others understand your expertise and range.
10. Listing every job you’ve ever had: That high school internship or summer gig from 15 years ago isn’t helping your brand. Focus on the roles that align with where you’re headed now. Ask yourself: does this experience support how I want to be seen today? That high school internship or summer gig from 15 years ago isn’t helping your brand. Focus on what supports your goals and tells the clearest story of where you are today.
11. Letting your profile go dormant: An inactive profile gives the impression that you’re checked out. Set a simple weekly goal — such as commenting on one post, sharing an article or posting a quick insight — to keep your presence active without it becoming a chore. Consistency builds visibility and credibility over time. An inactive profile gives the impression that you’re checked out. Aim to post, comment or share at least once a week to stay visible and engaged.
12. Posting content that doesn’t add value: If your updates are vague, overly self-promotional or lack substance, people will tune out. Share tips, insights or takeaways that your network will actually care about.
13. Using all caps or all lowercase: Formatting matters more than you think. A profile written in all lowercase looks lazy. All caps feels like shouting. Take a few extra seconds to format your name, title and content properly — it signals attention to detail and professionalism. It might seem like a stylistic choice, but it looks careless. Keep your formatting clean and professional.
14. Ignoring spelling and grammar: A polished profile helps build trust. Typos in your headline or About section can leave the wrong impression. Run your content through spellcheck or a tool like Grammarly, or ask someone you trust to review it for clarity and flow. Typos on your profile or in your posts hurt your credibility. Always review your updates before publishing — it takes just a minute and makes a big difference.
15. Not customizing your LinkedIn URL: Your default LinkedIn URL is long and filled with numbers. Customize it with your name to make it easier to share and more professional. You can do this under ‘Edit public profile & URL’ on your profile page. A personalized URL looks cleaner and is easier to share. Edit yours in your profile settings to remove the random numbers.
16. Forgetting to update after a job change: When you start a new job, your LinkedIn should reflect it. It’s often the first place people check to see where you are now. Update your profile before you announce it publicly and remember to toggle off profile update notifications while editing. When you start a new job, your LinkedIn should reflect it. It’s often the first place people check to see where you are now.
17. Skipping visuals: Visual content performs better on LinkedIn. Posts with images, graphics or video stand out more in the feed. You don’t need to be a designer — use tools like Canva to create clean, branded visuals or even repurpose headshots and event photos. Posts with visuals perform better — plain and simple. Add an image, a graphic or even a short video to help your content stand out.
18. Writing like a robot: Avoid corporate buzzwords like “results-oriented” or “strategic thinker.” Write the way you actually speak. For example, instead of saying “Seasoned professional with proven success in strategic execution,” try, “I work with fast-growing companies to bring structure to their marketing strategy and drive results.” One is vague and stiff, the other sounds like a real person. Clear, human language wins every time. corporate buzzwords like “results-oriented” or “strategic thinker.” Write the way you actually speak. Clear, human language wins every time.
19. Leaving your activity section empty: Your activity section gives people a sense of what you care about and how you engage with your network. Like, comment or share at least a few times a week. The more consistent your activity, the more visible and approachable you appear. Your activity shows what you’re interested in and how you engage with others. If this section is blank, people may assume you’re not active on the platform.
20. Ignoring your LinkedIn inbox: LinkedIn messages can lead to speaking opportunities, media requests, new clients and job offers. Set a reminder to check your inbox once or twice a week and respond promptly — it’s a small habit that can pay off in a big way. Missed messages mean missed opportunities. Set a reminder to check your inbox a few times a week and respond in a timely way.
21. Sending connection requests without context: Always personalize your requests. Mention how you know the person, what you have in common or why you’d like to connect. A simple one-liner makes your request feel genuine and increases the chances they’ll say yes. If you’re reaching out to someone you don’t know well, include a short message about why you’d like to connect. It makes a huge difference.
22. Accepting every request without reviewing: You don’t need to accept every request that comes your way. Review each one and decide if the connection aligns with your goals or values. A thoughtful network is better than a large one full of strangers. Not everyone needs to be in your network. It’s OK to ignore or decline requests that don’t make sense for your goals.
23. Pitching too soon: Don’t treat new connections like prospects. Build the relationship first. Comment on their content, send a thoughtful message or offer something helpful. Trying to sell right away will likely lead to your message being ignored — or worse, reported. Don’t send a sales pitch five minutes after someone accepts your request. Build the relationship first. Add value before you ask for anything.
24. Doing nothing at all: LinkedIn rewards consistency. If you set it and forget it, you’re missing out. Start small — comment on someone else’s post, share a useful article or post one quick takeaway from your week. Small steps lead to momentum. LinkedIn rewards consistency. If you set it and forget it, you’re missing out. Show up, even in small ways.
25. Not aligning your LinkedIn presence with your goals: Your profile and your posts should reflect where you’re headed, not just where you’ve been. Are you looking for clients? Opportunities to speak or write? A new role? Shape your content, tone and positioning to match that goal. Everything you post, comment on or include in your profile shapes your professional brand. Think about the message you’re sending and what you want to be known for.
LinkedIn is one of the best tools you can use to stay top of mind and build real relationships. It doesn’t require hours a day or a big strategy. Just show up consistently, be clear about what you do and make it easy for people to understand how they can work with you or refer you.
Most of the common mistakes are easy to fix — and when you make these changes, you’ll immediately stand out from the people who don’t. That’s what helps you build credibility and open doors.
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