What to Fix First on LinkedIn (Hint: It’s Probably Not Your About Section)

When people decide to “fix” their LinkedIn profile, they usually start in the same place:

The About section.

They open a blank field. They stare at it. They feel exposed. They overthink. They close the tab.

This makes sense—but it’s rarely the right place to begin.

Because LinkedIn doesn’t work top-down. It works interpretively.

How LinkedIn profiles are actually read

Most readers do not move through your profile in order.

They skim. They jump. They pattern-match.

What they’re really looking for is coherence:

• Does this person make sense?

• Do the pieces line up?

• Can I tell what level they’re operating at?

• Do I know where to place them?

If the answer is unclear early, the reader doesn’t slow down to investigate. They simplify.

The real first problem: hierarchy, not wording

The most common LinkedIn issue I see—especially with early and emerging professionals—is not bad writing.

It’s flat signal.

Everything is presented as equally important:

• every role sounds the same

• every bullet has the same weight

• every skill is listed without context

• nothing tells the reader what actually matters

When that happens, the reader can’t tell:

• what you’re strongest at

• what you’re growing toward

• what’s foundational vs incidental

• or how to read your trajectory

So they default to the safest interpretation available.

What usually breaks first (in order)

If you want to improve your LinkedIn profile with the least effort and the most impact, here’s the order that actually works.

1. Experience descriptions (not titles)

Most experience sections describe tasks, not capability.

They tell me:

• what you were responsible for

• but not what you were trusted with

• what you did

• but not what you demonstrated

Before touching your About section, ask:

• What does this role prove I can do?

• What problems was I repeatedly asked to handle?

• What increased because I was there?

This is where legibility usually collapses first.

2. Scope and progression

Many profiles unintentionally flatten growth.

Roles stack, but nothing signals:

• increased complexity

• expanded judgment

• higher-stakes decisions

Especially for younger professionals, this creates the impression of motion without development.

Fixing how progression is shown often changes how the entire profile is read—without adding a single new role.

3. Skills (last, not first)

Skills lists are frequently treated as a catch-all.

The problem isn’t the skills—it’s the lack of hierarchy.

Without context, readers can’t tell:

• what you’re known for

• what you’re competent in

• what’s emerging vs core

Until your experience tells a clear story, skills won’t land the way you hope they will.

Why the About section feels so hard

The About section feels high-stakes because it’s the first place people are asked to author meaning, not just report facts.

But here’s the counterintuitive truth:

If the rest of your profile is coherent, the About section becomes much easier—and much shorter.

You’re no longer inventing a narrative. You’re summarizing an existing one.

This is why “fixing LinkedIn” often fails

Most people try to improve LinkedIn through expression:

• better wording

• stronger language

• more confidence

But LinkedIn problems are usually structural, not expressive.

You don’t need to sound better. You need to be easier to read.

Where the Human Capability Profile fits

This is where internal clarity matters.

A Human Capability Profile helps establish:

• what you actually do best

• how you tend to operate

• what kind of problems fit your judgment level

• and what environments support your sustainability

Once that logic is clear internally, fixing LinkedIn becomes a translation exercise—not a performance.

You’re not deciding who to be. You’re deciding what to signal first.

The takeaway

If your LinkedIn profile feels overwhelming to fix, don’t start by writing more.

Start by asking:

• What do I want to be unmistakable?

• What should not get lost in the noise?

• What does my experience already prove?

Get the hierarchy right. The words will follow.