How do I help a mentee improve their professional profile online?
Most profiles read like a job description written by someone else. A short session can fix the three parts that do the work.
- Read time
- 4 minutes
- Module
- Core skills
- Session length
- 30 minutes
What good looks like.
Start with the headline and opening lines. That is all most recruiters read before deciding to scroll.
Then check for evidence: numbers, outcomes and named tools rather than adjectives about being passionate and driven.
Finally check the words a recruiter would type. If the job title they want never appears, the profile will not surface in a search.
A sequence you can follow.
- 01
Read the top third aloud
If it says nothing specific, rewrite it together.
- 02
Add three pieces of evidence
One number, one outcome, one tool or method.
- 03
Match the language to the target job
Use the words in real adverts, not internal job titles.
- 04
Pick one thing to publish
A project write-up or a short post beats a perfect profile nobody sees.
What to avoid.
Rewriting the whole profile for them during the call
Optimising for your industry’s jargon rather than theirs
Focusing on the photo before the words
Encouraging constant posting when they only need to be findable
Extra tips
Small things that make the half hour better.
Fix the top third
That is all most recruiters read.
Three pieces of evidence
One number, one outcome, one tool.
Use advert language
If the target title never appears, search will not find them.
Do not rewrite it for them
Coach the edits; let them type.
Take this guide with you.
Download a printable version of this guide: the short answer, the steps, the extra tips, the mistakes to avoid and the questions mentors ask, to read before your next session.
The things people ask first.
Which platform should they use?
Whichever one hiring managers in their field actually use. It is not the same everywhere.
Do they need to post content?
No. Being findable and credible matters more than being prolific.
Next: Mentoring someone after a rejection.
Separating the decision from the person, then getting back to work.