Your LinkedIn experience section is stale and you know it. When someone clicks to check out your profile they find a standard resume listing job titles, dates, and vague responsibilities. But they want proof. They want your story. They want to see how you’ve grown into the founder you are today. Your experience section can grab them or send them clicking away.
Optimizing every part of my profile helped me quadruple my LinkedIn following in 2024. My experience section drives new customers to my business daily by showing the actual journey, not just the highlight reel. Skip the boring resume format and create an experience section that turns profile visitors into clients.
Turn your LinkedIn experience into a compelling narrative
Showcase your personality, achievements, and expertise. Give visitors a reason to trust you with their business and make them want to be part of your next chapter. Here’s how.
Share your why statement
The reason behind what you do creates a stronger connection than what you do. Add a sentence explaining why your company exists. What problem were you solving? What gap did you fill? This shows the human behind the business and makes your mission relatable to your ideal clients.
Example: “I became a business coach after watching talented entrepreneurs burn out trying to scale their businesses alone.”
This simple statement explains your motivation and positions you as someone solving a real problem. When someone understands your why, they connect with your mission.
Tell your origin story
Your professional journey should read like a story with a clear arc. Each role built on the last. Each move made sense. Each experience practiced skills you use today. Connect the dots for profile visitors so they understand how you became who you are and why you’re qualified to help them.
Example: “Ten years in recruitment taught me that the candidates with the strongest skills often had the weakest profiles. Now I help people showcase their true potential online.”
This shows how previous experience directly informed your current work. According to LinkedIn, profiles with coherent career narratives get 37% more engagement than disjointed ones. Your progression matters to potential clients.
Keep the description simple
Industry jargon has no place in your profile. Explain what you do (your current role, in your experience section) in language anyone could understand. This isn’t talking down to your audience. Clear communication builds trust faster than fancy words ever will. Simple explanations prove you understand your work.
Example: “We build AI versions of coaches that collect email addresses of potential clients, give them a taste of your coaching, and nurture them to enquiry and sale.”
This explains a complex tech product in terms anyone can grasp. Take what you do and explain it to a five-year-old. Make it impossible to misunderstand.
Highlight specific wins
Make your results known when you share specific outcomes with actual figures. Revenue generated, team members hired, clients served, or percentage growth. Make your achievements tangible so readers can picture the impact you create when they work with you. Numbers beat adjectives every time.
Example: “I grew the team from 8 to 15 people while maintaining 96% client retention and increasing annual revenue by 300%.”
Pack multiple impressive metrics into a few sentences. Specificity builds credibility faster than vague claims about success or innovation. Share wins that matter to your target audience so they can envision similar results when they work with you.
Include challenges overcome
Every business faces obstacles. Sharing how you got through tough times shows resilience without playing the victim. Frame challenges as learning opportunities that made you better at what you do and more valuable to your clients.
Example: “Successfully pivoted our entire business model during the pandemic, converting 85% of in-person clients to our new virtual platform within 60 days.”
According to LinkedIn, profiles that share professional growth stories receive 49% more profile views than those focusing only on achievements. Show adaptability and problem-solving without dwelling on the negative. Your dream clients want to see how you handle adversity because they face challenges too.
Add personality and humor
People buy from people they like. Short anecdotes or touches of humor make you memorable and relatable. Let your personality shine through to create connection with your ideal clients before you ever speak with them.
Example: “Launched our first product after three sleepless weeks fuelled by coffee and the unwavering belief that there had to be a better way. Turns out, there was.”
Your experience section shows the person behind the title and helps you stand out when everyone else follows the same formula. Look for ways to add humanity to your professional journey.
Include a clear next step
End your current position with an invitation to connect. Tell people exactly what to do if they’re interested in your work. Make taking the next step simple and low-risk so they can learn more without pressure.
Example: “Want to learn how AI can scale your coaching business? Check out our AI for Coaches Toolkit in my profile’s featured section.”
Give readers a clear path forward. When someone feels inspired by your experience, they should know immediately how to engage with you further. Turn profile views into meaningful connections that grow your business.
Level up your LinkedIn presence starting with your experience section
Your LinkedIn experience section can work harder for your business. Share your why statement and tell your origin story with clarity and purpose. Keep descriptions simple, highlight specific wins, and include challenges you overcome. Add personality that makes you memorable and include a clear next step for engaged readers. Your experience section should read like the professional journey it is. Prove you’re the right guide for your clients’ challenges.
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