The LinkedIn knowledge I usually keep to myself

Hi friends! 👋

Welcome back to my newsletter! So I've been getting the same LinkedIn questions in my DMs for months, and I finally realized I need to stop giving you just pieces of the puzzle.

I'm revealing the LinkedIn tactics I've been quietly using with my students behind the scenes - the ones that turn invisible profiles into recruiter magnets.

Every week, I get dozens of messages like this:

"Megan, can you look at my profile?", "I've been job searching for months with no luck...", "What am I doing wrong on LinkedIn?"

And when I look at these profiles, I see the same patterns over and over again. Small tweaks that would completely transform their visibility to recruiters.

But here's the thing - I've been unintentionally gatekeeping this knowledge.

Last week, I was scrolling through LinkedIn and kept seeing the same pattern - super qualified job seekers with impressive backgrounds, but profile pictures that were working against them. 

Group photos, casual selfies, overly intimidating headshots that scream “unapproachable.”

It reminded me of all the times I've helped people make one simple profile picture adjustment - something that takes literally 2 minutes to explain but completely transforms how recruiters perceive them.

I've seen this same pattern dozens of times: someone makes this one change, and suddenly they're getting 3x more profile views, recruiters are reaching out, opportunities start flowing.

That's when it hit me. If one tiny profile picture strategy can create that kind of result, imagine what happens when you optimize everything correctly.

Here's the thing about profile pictures that no one talks about - it's not just about looking professional. There's actual psychology behind what makes recruiters want to click and learn more about you.

Most people think they need a formal headshot that looks like it belongs in a corporate annual report. Wrong.

The profile pictures that consistently get results follow one rule that I learned from analyzing hundreds of successful LinkedIn profiles: Your photo needs to match the energy of your target role while making people feel like they could grab coffee with you.

Here are the three biggest mistakes I see that instantly kill your chances:

Unprofessional photos: I'm talking beach shots, party pics, gym selfies, or overly casual shots. LinkedIn isn't Instagram, honey. You want to look professional while still being approachable. Think business or business casual attire with a clean background.

Photos where your face isn't clearly visible: Grainy selfies, photos where you're too far away, wearing sunglasses, or looking away from the camera. Recruiters need to see you clearly and feel like they can connect with you. If they can't see your face properly, you're invisible.

Photos where you don't look inviting. No smile, crossed arms, or that serious 'corporate headshot' look that screams unapproachable. You want people to think 'I'd like to grab coffee with this person' not 'this person looks intimidating.' Warm and professional wins every time.

But here's what's interesting - even when people fix these obvious mistakes, most still don't understand the deeper psychological triggers that make recruiters actually want to engage with your profile. 

Because profile pictures are just one element of profile optimization. And profile pictures are just one part of a complete LinkedIn strategy.

The truth is, I've been sitting on a complete LinkedIn optimization system that I've developed over years of helping people transform their profiles. I'm talking about, all the ingredients you need on LinkedIn to actually get recruiters' attention

This isn't basic LinkedIn advice you can find anywhere. This is the stuff I've learned from personally helping hundreds of people optimize their profiles and seeing what actually works in 2025.

I can't keep answering the same questions in DMs one person at a time. It's not fair to the thousands of you who could benefit from this knowledge.

So I'm doing something I've never done before - I'm putting together a comprehensive (and completely free) LinkedIn optimization course that covers everything I wish someone had taught me when I was starting out.

Get free access to my LinkedIn optimization course here!

If you've been following me for a while, you know I don't usually gatekeep knowledge. But with LinkedIn strategies, I've been more cautious because I've seen how powerful they can be when implemented correctly.

The profile picture tips I shared? That's literally just one section of the course.

I'm finally ready to share everything. The complete system that has helped people get noticed land jobs at companies they thought were out of reach.

Ready to stop being LinkedIn's best-kept secret?

Sign up for my mini course 👉 HERE

That's it for this week's newsletter! See you for the next episode of The Data Diaries soon 👋

- Megan

And in case you don’t know who I am, I’m Megan Lieu, Data Scientist-turned-Developer Advocate who has helped thousands of job seekers through my content on LinkedIn and Instagram, as well as my courses on LinkedIn Learning. I’ve learned a lot from the ups and downs of my data career, and sharing the lessons has helped me build a community of 300k+ tech and data professionals. Make sure you subscribe for more newsletters like this! ↓