We all might have probably tried it at one point in time or the other, trying to use LinkedIn to land a job role and for many professionals, this is normal in the pursuit to “take career growth more seriously.”

But while many applicants actively use the platform to apply for jobs, they are rarely active on the platform itself and that is one thing that often gets ignored, no LinkedIn presence at all.

The world of work is shifting at record speed. Roles are evolving, Ai is reshaping job descriptions and top recruiters are now screening profiles and social media presence before resumes.

In many cases, your LinkedIn profile is no longer secondary, it is an impression that you can use to gain trust and build credibility as you also build your portfolio.

The truth about all of this is that LinkedIn is not something you update only when you’re job hunting.

It is a living, breathing extension of your professional identity.

If your profile, network, and visibility strategy are outdated, you are invisible in conversations that matter

So instead of doing more on LinkedIn in 2026, the real question is whether you are doing the right things well?

Make LinkedIn Work for You Not Against You

There are two critical forces shaping LinkedIn in 2026 and that is humanity and AI.

As technology becomes embedded in nearly every industry, your humanity is what differentiates you and how you creatively do it matters.

AI can generate content, automate workflows, and analyze data, but it cannot replace clarity, empathy, lived experience, or authentic storytelling.

Your LinkedIn profile must reflect that and that is a leverage you can build upon.

At the same time, ignoring Artificial intelligence is not an option. Every role, from marketing to medicine, finance to fashion, is being influenced by automation and intelligent systems.

Your profile should signal that you understand this shift and are proactively building skills to stay relevant.

Now, not everyone will use LinkedIn to land a job or be actively present on the platform and that is totally fine, do what works best for you.

With that foundation in mind, here’s how to use LinkedIn intentionally:

1. Update Your Profile With Strategy, Not Random Edits

A year is long enough for major career milestones.

New responsibilities, certifications and results.

If you are actively on LinkedIn and your profile doesn’t reflect growth, it only means one thing and that signals stagnation.

Your Headshot? Your photo should look exactly like you, current, clear, and real. It humanizes your profile and builds trust before a word is read.

Your Headline? You have 220 characters. Use them strategically. Your headline should:

Establish relevance (your role and industry)

Improve searchability (keywords matter)

Spark curiosity (what makes you different?)

Instead of just listing a title, consider highlighting your impact. What results do you create or have you created? Why do you do what you do?

Your About Section should not just be a category where you dump words. This is your narrative space for you to tell your story.

Differentiate yourself in a crowded marketplace. Because LinkedIn profiles often rank on Google, your About section may become your first professional introduction.

This is also where you can position your relationship with AI. Are you integrating it into workflows? Learning tools? Leading innovation in your space? Be explicit and straight to the point.

The Featured Section? Most professionals and employees ignore this and that is an opportunity.

Add your success stories and what makes you stand out. Showcase intellectual property, a framework, process, or system you’ve developed.

2. Build a Networking Strategy Based on Relevance

LinkedIn has over 1.3 billion users. Your goal is not to connect with all of them, it’s to build a meaningful community.

Start by updating your network strategically. Send connection requests to people you’ve met through conferences, webinars, meetings. Connect people in your field or career as an individual.

In essence, build a community or a connection profile that supports mutual growth.

Practical steps that you can take include:

• Adding your LinkedIn profile to your email signature

• Including your LinkedIn handle on presentation slides

• Following up after meetings with personalized connection requests

In 2026, networking is about relationships, shared belief and values, not just volume.

3. Commit to Visibility: The Three Cs

A strong LinkedIn presence requires visibility. Not noise or oversharing, I mean real strategic visibility.

The most effective professionals follow the three Cs:

Consistency: Be known for something specific.

Define who you are, your perspective, your niche.

Don’t post about everything, post about what aligns with your expertise and what you stand for.

Constant: Choose a cadence you can sustain, weekly, bi-weekly or even monthly. Treat it like a meeting with an audience that is non-negotiable.

Critical: Your content must add value. They should be Insightful, experienced and have a relatable perspective.

Avoid posting for the sake of posting. Share what helps your audience think better or perform better.

If you are very active on LinkedIn, one powerful tool you can make use of is the Newsletter feature.

It allows you to build familiarity over time, deepen trust in your field, and maintain engagement without starting from scratch each week.

Visibility builds brand equity and brand equity attracts opportunity.

LinkedIn Is a Habit, Not an Event

The most successful individuals you see on LinkedIn are those who are actively building and responding on the platform, more often than not, positioning themselves as consultants in their field.

So the biggest mistake you can make as a professional using LinkedIn is treating it as like a one-time update platform instead of an ongoing habit.

Your profile is not a digital CV sitting in storage. It is an active representation of your credibility, curiosity, and career trajectory.

If you want to build your profile, then you must intentionally build, if you're not, then don't just start at all.

Because when aligned properly, LinkedIn helps you:

• Attract opportunities that fit your goals

• Build meaningful professional relationships

• Demonstrate adaptability in an AI-driven world

• Position yourself as visible and valuable

The platform works, but only when you put the work in it.

So as 2026 keeps unfolding, don’t just scroll. Don’t just observe. Participate in it, refine your, share your journey and actively engage.

The world does not reward those who hide their craft.

Because in today’s world of work, being qualified is not enough.

You must also be visible.