7 Ways to Age-Proof Your LinkedIn Profile

Adding this information opens up your potential to recruiters who might have a variety of opportunities that suit you. Qualify and quantify your successes so a potential employer clearly sees that you have much to offer them beyond the number of years you've been around.

4. Include a recent photo.

Yes, a photo might show your age, but there's hard data that your profile is seven times more likely to be reviewed if it has a picture.

Use an honest and up-to-date photo while also making the image work for you, not against you. A black-and-white shot can hide gray hair and prevent a washed-out look. Dress as you would for an interview, smiling with your whole face to project energy, and use a pose that says you have the confidence and experience a younger person might not be able to provide.

Do not use a younger photo of yourself. When the “older you” arrives for the interview, you could be seen as dishonest and hurt your chance to get hired.

5. Highlight your skills.

When you add items to the skills section of your LinkedIn profile, it allows other LinkedIn members to endorse you for those skills, shows recruiters what valuable traits you would bring to a position, and provides an opportunity to directly target the jobs that you want.

When adding to the skills section, don't include basic technology, like email, that most employers will assume you already know. If you're having trouble thinking of the right skills to include, ask a friend, mentor or former colleague to help brainstorm a list with you. In addition, take a look at the job listings that are of interest and make a list of the hard and soft skills that are repeatedly mentioned as “required” or “desirable.”

6. Consider a Premium membership.

Upgrading to LinkedIn Premium ($29.99 per month) has perks that can help your job search, including InMail. InMail allows you to message anyone (not just your connections) on LinkedIn. You can reach out to recruiters and other professionals before connecting with them on the platform. A Premium membership suggests that you are serious about using the platform to build connections.

When you're in your new job, you can choose to go back to the free account or keep paying for the advantages of the paid level.

7. Take the initiative.

Once your LinkedIn profile is complete, there's still work to be done. Start making connections with people in your current industry or even a related area. As you build your network and people get to know you, ask them to add endorsements to your profile for your areas of expertise (and do the same for them). The more endorsements you have, the more qualified you look to a potential employer.

There are enormous benefits to joining LinkedIn, especially for older job seekers who know how to use it. It's quite possible that someone in your network may point you to (and recommend you for) an opening at their company or one that's available with someone else in their network.

When this happens, your achievements and experiences are what sell you as a qualified candidate, while your age will become just a number on your hiring documents.