I like to learn things and so I have watched many LinkedIn training classes. This is not to brag but rather to share my experience with others. When recruiters ask if I have experience in something, I state that it’s listed in my Linkedin Licenses & Certifications and they always act surprised.
Therefore I have to come to the conclusion that at least the recruiters who have contacted me, don’t read the LinkedIn Licenses & Certifications. This means that if you do that, it won’t really matter to anyone. Now the skills that you have listed do matter. Recruiters do search by those skills, and I often get contacted because of those skills that are listed. So make sure you max them out at 50 and change them when you need to.
There are many things on LinkedIn that don’t help you. Recommendations & Language are another two. I have never had a recruiter say that they have read them when I pointed out that I had recommendations, and no one has asked if I speak multiple languages in an interview/with a recruiter. It is interesting because in the multicultural world we live in we work with people who when they realize we can speak to them in their language feel more comfortable which increases teamwork and cohesion. So many ways to improve the quality of work, and yet recruiters don’t screen for those.
Your profile and being specific about what you have done is almost not important either. Almost every recruiter asks for a resume and when I say that my resume is exactly the same as my profile they seem surprised. Also, I have had second interviews with recruiters who don’t seem to read the resume you have sent them and don’t realize the skills that you have that are clearly listed in both the profile/resume. This leads me to believe that they only search for a skill or keyword and don’t look more into you than that.
Don’t assume that because a recruiter found you on LinkedIn they have read your profile. Don’t assume they will read your resume, and don’t assume that everything on LinkedIn will help you. The best way I have networked is to join in discussions with people in my network and reach out to people that I feel are intelligent and well-informed.