How to Optimize an HR Business Partner LinkedIn Profile

Are you looking to optimize your HR business partner LinkedIn profile?

The job of a human resources business partner (HRBP) is to align human resources functions with the organization’s strategic goals. To do this, HRBPs must maintain a deep understanding of both the business and the people.

The HRBP’s role is to strategize, plan, and execute initiatives supporting the business. They collaborate with leadership to develop and implement plans that improve communication, culture, performance, and work-life balance within the organization.

They must identify trends and issues within the organization and develop creative solutions to these challenges. By functioning as a bridge between the human resources department and the rest of the organization, HRBPs play a vital role in the company’s success.

Steps to Optimize an HR Business Partner LinkedIn Profile

We’ve studied why it’s important to have a LinkedIn profile. Now, let’s dive into the tips and tactics for creating and optimizing one for you. Create a solid and free lead magnet for your HR business partner profile.

1. Make a Strong First Impression With Your Profile Photo and Video

Before recruiters know or study you, they will look at your profile photo.

Did you know you can now add a professional video to your profile photo? This feature is available on the LinkedIn app for iOS and Android. You cannot add a profile video from the website.

1. Tap your profile photo, then tap View Profile
2. Tap the Add icon on your profile photo, then tap Add profile video
   1. Enable the camera and microphone access to record a profile video
      1. From here, you can:
         1. Record: Tap the record button to record a profile video
         2. Upload: Tap the Gallery icon to upload an existing video from your gallery
         3. Add Prompts: Tap Prompts to choose a prompt to answer in your video

Please note that it should be more than 3 seconds and less than 30. Within 30 seconds, give a short introduction and mention your name, job role, and why clients or prospective employers should hire you.

This is the competitive edge you need to stand out from other HRBPs on LinkedIn.

But how do you take the right profile photo? Here are some practical tips:

• Use a Professional Headshot – Not having a profile photo is similar to covering your face when meeting someone in person. The first impression that you create is by having a LinkedIn profile picture. In one study, recruiters view you as more competent, influential, and professional if you smile in the profile photo.
• Choose a Recent Image – If you’re 35, uploading an image from your twenties won’t strike a positive impression on recruiters. To project confidence, upload a recent photo, not older than one year—every human being ages. Go ahead and project it on your profile.
• Keep It Simple – Your profile photo should be simple and not cropped out of your friends’ or family’s pictures. Uploading a group photo won’t make a positive impression on recruiters.
• Be Consistent – As an HR business partner, we recommend you have your website and use one high-resolution picture across all digital platforms. This includes your LinkedIn profile, Twitter handle, Instagram page, Facebook page/profile, and personal website.
• Follow the Standard Size – Your photo should be your best representation and consume at least 60% of the total frame.

This is an excellent example of a professional LinkedIn headshot for an HR business partner manager at Google:

2. Be Smart With Your Profile Headline

This 220-character line summarizes your career profile as an HR business partner. Be smart with it.

Use it to advertise yourself.

After your profile photo, the headline will draw potential employers and recruiters to contact you. It should be simple yet elegant.

The following is a job title:

“HR business partner at XYZ Company”

How about you rewrite it this way?

“HR business partner | 7 Years of Talen Acquisition Experience | HRBP Expert | Growth-oriented Certified HRBP |

The above headline has relevant keywords about your position and describes your years of experience.

The headline will appear in your LinkedIn invites, messages, and activity. Every time you comment or send a message to someone, the headline will entice others to read your message.

Looking to become an HR business partner? Enroll in our top-rated HR business partner certification right not to upskill your knowledge and excel in your career to become a professional HRBP:

Follow these tips to improve your profile headline:

• Use the elevator pitch strategy to persuade employers
• Take inspiration, but don’t copy other HRBPs’ headline
• Add relevant keywords
• Keep it under 200 characters
• Focus on your skills and what you can offer as an HRBP
• Add a call-to-action

Here are things you should not do with your headline:

• Don’t stuff keywords
• Don’t use emojis
• Don’t show as open to new jobs as it will not have a positive impact on employers

An example of a good headline is as follows (Jennifer B. HR business partner at State of New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority):

3. Make Getting in Touch With You Easier

An excellent method to differentiate is by customizing your profile URL link. You can be unique and make it easy for recruiters to approach you.

Here are some tips to personalize your profile URL:

• Have 5 to 30 letters or numbers
• Use a variation of your name or professional brand
• Make a different URL with numbers or skills if one isn’t available with your name
• Add relevant keywords of your HRBP certification if possible

Share your profile with others using this link. To make your profile unique and attractive to employers, you can also add a portfolio, resume, and personal website.

The best way is to have your website. There is no better way to personalize yourself than having your real estate online. Look around in your circles. How many HRBPs do you know have their website? But having one will improve your chances of landing a high-paying job with a strong career outlook.

Here’s how to add a link:

1. Click the edit icon on the top right of your profile
2. Scroll to the bottom and click Add website under the Website section
3. Paste the link of your portfolio in the first field and write the text for the link in the text field

Here’s an example:

You can also add your email, contact number, address, and links to social profiles. Here is what a customized URL with links to the portfolio will look like:

4. Give Your Sweet and Short Introduction

Now that you have a professional profile photo and a lucrative headline, what’s the next step?

Your introduction. This is your time to shine by telling the world how reliable, competent, and professional HR business partner you are.

Not having an introduction is similar to not answering about yourself during the interview process.

But why do you need an introduction?

It is imperative that potential employers and recruiters get to know you beforehand. Use words to paint a vivid picture of your career snapshots and persuade employers to contact you.

This is a 2000-character space. Don’t limit yourself to past work experiences. Talk about how you, as an HRBP, can add value to your clients.

Here are some relevant keywords you can add to your introduction. The idea is not to stuff the introduction with these keywords but to use them in a manner that describes your persona:

• HR business partner
• Talent acquisition
• Talen retaining
• Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS)
• Performance management
• HR policies
• HR consulting
• People-oriented
• Labor relations
• Change management

Focus on what differentiates you from other HR business partners. Here are some tips to take into account when writing your HR business partner LinkedIn profile introduction:

• Who you are
• What are your skills as an HR business partner
• Your achievements with past employers
• The projects you initiated
• The impact of projects
• Use people-oriented language
• Write in a formal but simple English
• Be yourself and exclude mentions of the tasks you didn’t do
• Add in your USP (Unique Value Proposition)
• Optimize your profile with multiple keywords related to HR management and leadership

Here is what an HR business partner’s profile should look like:

5. Upload a Customized Resume to Your Profile

Every job is different. While your LinkedIn profile is complete, employers will demand a soft copy of your resume.

But why?

Recruiters are busy people. They have enough on their plate. Many recruiters won’t open your profile to skim through it. It’s better to have a 1-page resume to accompany your profile.

Your LinkedIn profile summarizes your career and you as a person.

Your resume is a one-page snapshot of your work experience, education, and skills customized for each managerial position.

Here is one way of adding a resume to your profile:

1. Create a new post and then click on Add a document option at the bottom of the window
2. Browse to your folder and select the resume
3. Add relevant hashtags and mention yourself when creating this post
4. Click on Post to post your resume

6. Show Your Brief Work History

Your introduction has made an impact on potential employers. But now, they want to see your past work experience to justify your claims.

The Experience section on your profile highlights current and previous work experience. This should be the same as on your resume. Potential employers, search consultants, and clients will skim your work experience to determine your job responsibilities.

Here are some tips on optimizing your work history on LinkedIn:

• Add Company Name – Include your company name. Most of the time, the company will be on LinkedIn. Once you start typing, you can see it in the drop-down menu.
• Enter the Job Title – Mention your exact job title, such as “HR business partner”, or “Senior HR business partner.”
• Add the Location – Mention “New York City, United States”, instead of “United States.”
• Provide the Duration – Do not mention dates. List your experiences in months and years, such as November 2021 to the Present, or November 2021 to June 2022.
• Write Description – Use 3 to 6 bullet points to describe your role.
• Mention Achievements – Provide a number of your achievements. For example, “Automated the recruitment and day-to-day management by introducing an HRIS program resulting in 25% productivity.”
• Attach Media – Include links to projects, videos, or presentations. These will create a positive impression on potential employers. For HR business partners, you can include presentations on recruitment strategies, training videos, HRIS, and a business plan.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Do not mention irrelevant work experience
• List the most recent work experience at the top
• Focus on achievements with numbers
• List your areas of focus
• Do not forget to proofread before publishing

83% of employers expressed concern about LinkedIn profiles having spelling and grammar typos. You have invested an incredible amount of time writing and optimizing your profile. Don’t ruin it with a tiny mistake. If you are not good at English, hire a professional writer and proofreader to do this part for you.

This is what your Experience section should look like (Monica Peter):

7. Mention Your Education and Skills

Education and skills are essential sections because they highlight your expertise and qualifications. If you seek a new job or attract new clients, feature your education and skills on your LinkedIn profile. Doing so will give you a competitive edge and help you achieve your professional goals.

Human resource business partners need a bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, or a related field. However, if you have a master’s degree, employers may prefer you over others.

Employers also value soft skills such as solid communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.

Profiles with a filled Education section have 10 times more profile views than those without education.

There are three different sections on LinkedIn to add to your education:

1. General education
2. Certifications
3. Courses

Here is what you need to add in the Education section:

1. Formal education
2. Degree
3. The name of the educational institute and the years attended
4. Relevant certifications
5. Online or physical courses

Here is what the Education section on LinkedIn should look like:

Volunteer work demonstrates your commitment to a cause, leadership skills, and ability to work well with others. It also shows that you can step outside of your comfort zone and take on new challenges.

For HR business partners, LinkedIn is an essential tool for building relationships and expanding their network. Through volunteer work, you can connect with individuals who share their values and are passionate about making a difference.

As an HR business partner, you can show volunteer experience in the following ways:

• By working at an NGO
• By providing consultation to a community and helping them in hiring the best talent
• By giving volunteer hours at a company that has a policy of giving back to the community
• By helping a community project through HRIS

Employers want to see that you are willing to give back to the community and make a difference. Volunteering provides valuable skills and experiences that can benefit your professional career. For instance, if you volunteer for an organization that focuses on HR, you can learn valuable skills that you can use in a paid position.

It reflects a positive indicator of a candidate’s character and work ethic.

Add relevant skills and ask others in your network to endorse you. Here are some for an HR business partner:

1. Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills
2. Excellent organizational skills
3. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
4. Ability to delegate tasks
5. Training and development skills

8. Broadcast Your Location

Employers and search consultants use location filters to narrow search results and find the most reliable HR business partner. If you are not using your accurate location on your profile, you may not receive any response from clients or employers.

9. Request Recommendations From Connections

While many people view recommendations as a vote, the truth is that they can have a significant impact on your job prospects.

Most recruiters look at qualifications and experience and pay attention to what other people say about them. If you have a lot of positive recommendations from respected professionals, it will make you more attractive to potential employers. If a candidate has no suggestions or negative ones, it could deter potential recruiters.

HR business partners with recommendations justify their skills.

Here’s a perfect example of recommendations:

Reach out to your previous hiring managers, colleagues, and clients. Ask them to share their work experiences with you. There are two ways of getting recommendations:

1. You can request it from someone in your network
2. You can write a recommendation for others and have them write one back for you

10. Use the Creator Mode

LinkedIn should be your first choice if you’re a content creator or plan to become one. Many YouTubers and content creators on other social media platforms have started flocking to LinkedIn to share their views.

LinkedIn launched the Creator Mode to make it easy for users to post long-form articles, videos, and audio files with a wider audience and grow followers. Enable the Creator Mode from Settings to become a content creator on LinkedIn. You will now have access to a new set of tools, including tagging articles with keywords, scheduling posts in advance, and viewing analytics about your audience.

By creating content, you develop authority in your topic.

Set up your profile on creator mode and publish content relevant to HR management. Here are some topics you can cover in the form of articles, blog posts, and videos:

• Who is an HR business partner?
• What are the top qualities of an HR business partner?
• What are the education, qualifications, and skills you need to become an HRBP?
• HRBP in the modern workforce
• What certifications can you get as an HRBP?

Here is what this feature does:

• It changes the Connect button on your profile to Follow, helping you grow your audience.
• It lists your posts and followers on the profile.
• It highlights posts to help you prioritize showcasing your content over work experience.
• It gives access to the LinkedIn Live feature, which helps build and nurture a community of followers.
• It gives subscribers access to a newsletter feature, meaning they receive push and email notifications whenever they publish a LinkedIn article.

Here is an excellent example (Jennifer B):

FAQs

Here are the most frequently asked questions about creating an impactful LinkedIn profile for an HR Business Partner.

What should I include in my LinkedIn profile to showcase my HR Business Partner role?

To effectively highlight your HR Business Partner role on LinkedIn, ensure your profile summary clearly outlines your experience aligning HR practices with broader business objectives. Mention your expertise in crucial HR functions, such as employee relations, talent management, workforce planning, and any initiatives you’ve driven to foster a positive work environment. Don’t forget to use specific metrics or achievements to demonstrate how your efforts have benefited the organization, as this helps potential connections or employers understand the value you bring to the role.

How can I show that I’m aligned with business objectives on my LinkedIn profile?

As an HR Business Partner, it’s important to show your strategic alignment with business objectives. In your LinkedIn profile, highlight instances where you collaborated with business leaders to shape HR strategies that support the company’s goals. You can do this by listing key projects, such as optimizing recruitment processes to meet specific department needs or designing retention initiatives aligned with company growth. Mentioning your contributions to achieving measurable outcomes will reinforce your profile as one of a strategic partner rather than a traditional HR generalist.

How can I highlight my experience as an employee relations expert?

To showcase your role as an employee relations expert, focus on your accomplishments in fostering a positive work environment and resolving workplace issues. Use your LinkedIn experience section to detail specific instances where you successfully mediated conflicts, improved team dynamics, or developed policies that enhance employee satisfaction and engagement. This not only underscores your expertise in employee relations but also demonstrates your proactive approach to maintaining a supportive and inclusive workplace culture.

Why is it essential to showcase collaboration with business leaders on my LinkedIn profile?

For HR Business Partners, showcasing collaboration with business leaders is crucial as it highlights your ability to work at the intersection of HR and business strategy. In your LinkedIn profile, mention the departments or executives you’ve partnered with and any joint initiatives you’ve spearheaded. For instance, you might have worked closely with the finance team to develop compensation structures or with operations to improve performance management processes. This signals to potential employers that you can bridge the gap between HR and other business functions, enhancing your strategic appeal.

How can I demonstrate my impact on creating a positive work environment?

Demonstrating your impact on fostering a positive work environment is essential to establishing yourself as a valuable HR Business Partner. In your LinkedIn profile, you can discuss programs or initiatives you’ve implemented, such as wellness programs, diversity and inclusion efforts, or employee engagement activities. Providing examples of how these initiatives led to improved employee morale, retention, or productivity will reinforce your commitment to creating a supportive workplace, a key aspect of the HR Business Partner role.

If you are new to Human Resources and are looking to break into an HR Business Partner role, we recommend taking our HR Business Partner Certification Course, where you will learn how to build your skillset in human resources business partner realm, build your HRBP network, craft a great HRBP resume, and create a successful HRBP job search strategy.

Josh Fechter

Josh Fechter is the founder of HR.University. He's a certified HR professional and has managed global teams across 5 different continents including their benefits and payroll. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.