Tips For LinkedIn Banners That Don’t Make You Look Narcissistic

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Personal branding is incredibly important in the professional world. From your LinkedIn profile and resume to how you interview and what volunteer positions you hold, it’s all a part of who you are- your professional brand.

Using LinkedIn to establish, grow and amplify your professional brand is a strategic and relatively simple method of getting yourself out there. You only need about 15-20 minutes a day engaging with the platform and connections in your network to see your brand start to take off.

In this article, we specifically look at your LinkedIn Banner, or background image. And how you can leverage it in a positive way that doesn't make you look narcissistic.

What is a LinkedIn Banner?

LinkedIn recommends that banners or what some refer to as your profile cover image, should be 1584 x 396 pixels. If your image doesn't quite fit those specifications, LinkedIn adjusts the image to fit the screen when you upload it and from there you can crop or move it around.

Your banner is another way to show your personality and brand. I like a simple “Hello, let’s connect” with a neutral image like nature or an abstract image as it is simple yet highly effective. It shows you are open to connection and are interested in meeting new people.

Depending on your industry and profession, color can be muted or extreme. I like to have a few different options at the ready so I can easily rotate through different levels of color and design. I change my banner about once a month to keep it fresh and exciting.

Why Are LinkedIn Banners Effective?

Think about the impact your banner image has on your profile. Your LinkedIn banner shouldn't be the most interesting thing about you, BUT, it does set the tone for the rest of the user experience when learning about you, your work and your professional brand.

Your banner should represent who you are and what you are about but not an objective statement. The first thing a recruiter sees shouldn’t be a sentence about what you want from them. They want to know what you can offer in the professional world with the focus being on how you serve and help others.

Example Text In A LinkedIn Banner:

Seeking financial planning job at a Fortune 500 company (with an image of stacks of money)

Empathetic finance leader helping people love their relationship with money (with an image of a couple sitting at a table working collaboratively with a planner)

Of these two options, which do you prefer?

In this example, the first bullet point is focusing on what the person wants from those reading their profile- they want to be hired. Which in and of itself is not a bad thing. Getting hired is a large reason why most folks are on LinkedIn.

With this example though, the person has such a narrow focus on financial planning and elite companies that it may feel off putting to a small financial Mom and Pop shop. Or perhaps there is a company that really likes the person’s background but they want to hire them to be a financial analyst vs. a planner but the banner profile specifically said planner so it’s casting doubt in the employer’s mind. The statement isn’t showing what the person can offer and how they could fit in at lots of different companies, it’s just a “me, me, me” statement. What I want, with who I want it with etc.

In bullet point example two, you can see the WHAT behind the person. There are skills and abilities and a certain disposition that people can connect with. Many people are intimidated by managing money so having a financial planner that is empathic and a leader in that space can be very comforting.

The second half of the bullet point explains their mission- to help people love their relationship with money. That could be applied to a diversity of roles and companies that does not limit their connectivity and relatability in the job or networking market.

Taking Good To Better

Example 1 is FINE. It’s a good solid statement with a nice image. But it doesn't excite a recruiter. It doesn’t make someone want to connect with you beyond the surface level. Example 2 speaks directly to employers and clients. You can change the image to show the type of people you’d like to be working with. If you have a specific niche of clients, say young people or LGBTQ+ couple, this is a subtle and inclusive way to communicate that in your imagery and text selection.

If you’re a student or actively seeking a position, there are many ways to attract a recruiter’s attention in the banner section. For students, adding in your major or industry is a very focused and strategic way to show your interests i.e. “Meet the Future of Finance”. Adding in your traits, skills or abilities in your banner is a great way to communicate your expertise in your field. “Understanding, caring, welcoming: Meet the Future of Finance”.

You need to understand what skills, abilities and character traits align with your industry. Being empathic, caring and understanding in finance is very important as you are working with people and their money, which makes many people feel judged and uncomfortable. These skills wouldn’t be so applicable in say a profession like software coding. In that case you might focus your language on your ability to problem-solve creatively or learn new technology.

Remember…

You need to know what you can offer that people want to buy or take interest in when they are navigating your professional profile. Remember, it’s not all about you! It’s about sharing parts of yourself that resonate with those reading your profile and experiencing your brand. Be mindful of sharing enough about yourself so people take interest, but not so much that it comes across narcissistic or self-centered.

Hi! My name is Nadia Ibrahim-Taney and I help people design happy and fulfilling careers through authentic career coaching. My expertise includes career exploration guidance, resume writing, interview prep and LinkedIn profile optimization. My pronouns are She/ Her/ Hers and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I focus on how diverse identities impact and influence folks holistically and professionally. Please connect with me on LinkedIn or at Nadia@beyonddiscoverycoaching.com

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