Can LinkedIn help you if you're looking for a job in another country? The short answer is absolutely yes, with just a few strategic tweaks.
If you’re looking for jobs in another country, LinkedIn isn’t just a digital resume—it’s your chance to be seen by recruiters worldwide, the ones who can connect you with roles that align with your career goals. But here’s the truth: capturing the attention of international recruiters takes more than listing your skills or posting a polished photo. It requires intentional updates that signal your readiness for global opportunities.
As a recruiter and three-time expat, I’ve seen firsthand what actually works. Landing an international job through LinkedIn means creating a profile that speaks directly to what global hiring teams are searching for—experience, adaptability, and skills that translate across borders.
Here, I’ll walk you through the steps to create a LinkedIn profile that stands out for an international job search. Each update is designed to make your profile appealing to recruiters worldwide, giving you the best shot at landing roles that can take your career abroad.
Ready to get started? First, let’s explore why optimizing your LinkedIn profile matters more than you might think.
5 Reasons to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Jobs in Another Country
If you’re aiming for job opportunities abroad, optimizing your LinkedIn profile is essential. Just look at my best friend’s (aka my husband's) experience. He landed three international jobs thanks to LinkedIn. And he keeps receiving job opportunities across Europe in his inbox nearly every week.
Here’s why an optimized profile makes all the difference:
Increased visibility: There are nearly 1 million recruiters on LinkedIn. And 97% of them use LinkedIn to find candidates. With an optimized profile, you’ll be easier to find in their searches.
Enhanced credibility: A polished and up-to-date LinkedIn profile makes you a more credible candidate and shows recruiters you’re serious about landing a new job.
Stronger connections: Building a network is essential when job searching—especially if you're aiming to work abroad. Thankfully, LinkedIn makes it easy to connect directly with international professionals.
More relevant job opportunities: The LinkedIn algorithm favors optimized profiles, meaning more job recommendations that match your goals.
If you’ve sent out hundreds of applications and still can’t find a job abroad, it’s probably time to rethink your approach. An optimized LinkedIn profile might be the competitive edge you’re missing.
Hopefully, that makes the case. Now, let’s dive into exactly what international recruiters look for—and how you can adjust your profile to meet their standards.
What International Recruiters Want: 3 Key Elements for LinkedIn Success
When recruiters browse LinkedIn profiles, they’re looking for key signals that show you’re ready and qualified to work abroad. Here’s what they prioritize:
1. Clear, compelling headline
Your LinkedIn headline is the first thing recruiters see, so it needs to stand out. A strong headline does more than list your job title. It captures your expertise and showcases the unique value you bring to the table. International recruiters want to see a headline that reflects your skills in a global context.
Bad Example: Marketing Specialist
Good Example: Marketing Strategist with 5 Years' Experience | Campaign Expert for Americas & EMEA | Bilingual in English & Spanish
Notice the difference? The first example is way too generic, making it hard to gauge the candidate’s unique qualifications. The second example highlights the candidate’s international skill set, attracting recruiters looking for multilingual, cross-border professionals.
2. Impactful summary
Your LinkedIn summary is your opportunity to tell your story and give recruiters insight into your international experience and adaptability. This section should highlight any global projects, cross-cultural skills, and achievements that demonstrate you’re a fit for roles in another country.
Bad Example: Marketing professional with experience in campaign development and team management.
Good Example: With 8+ years in marketing, I specialize in building campaigns that resonate across cultures. Leading teams across North America and Europe, I’ve developed an adaptable, global-first approach that has driven growth in new markets. Fluent in English and Spanish, with expertise in digital strategy.
Here, the bad example lacks the specifics that set the candidate apart for global opportunities. The good example, on the other hand, emphasizes cross-border experience, adaptability, and language skills, all of which make the profile appealing to international recruiters.
3. Detailed, relevant work experience
Your work experience section should do more than list your job responsibilities. It should highlight relevant accomplishments and skills that apply to an international context. Recruiters want to see evidence that you’ve handled roles that demanded cross-cultural communication, remote collaboration, or global project management.
Bad Example: Responsible for managing marketing campaigns and supervising a team.
Good Example: Led a marketing team across Europe, coordinating campaigns in five languages and achieving a 20% increase in regional engagement. Managed a remote team of six, overseeing strategy, performance metrics, and cross-functional collaboration.
You see? The first example is vague and doesn’t showcase the skills needed for international roles. In the second example, the candidate provides concrete achievements and details specific to international work, which resonate with recruiters seeking global expertise.
When you optimize LinkedIn for jobs in another country, these elements make your profile stand out to recruiters worldwide. They showcase your global readiness and adaptability—exactly what international employers are after.
(And honestly, if you were a recruiter, which examples would you notice? The good ones, right? That's your sign to get your LinkedIn profile optimized ASAP.)
Now, let's talk about how to do it, step by step.
5 Steps to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Jobs in Another Country
A few smart updates to your LinkedIn profile can make all the difference. From boosting visibility to highlighting your global experience, these five steps will help you create a profile that stands out to international recruiters and hiring managers.
Step 1: Craft a headline that draws global attention.
Your headline is your first impression. Go beyond the job title to showcase the skills and value you bring, especially if it appeals to an international audience. Instead of “Marketing Specialist,” try “Global Marketing Specialist | Crafting Campaigns for Beauty Brands Across EMEA.”
Highlight the roles, skills, and specialties that make you stand out globally.
Step 2: Write an impactful summary for an international audience.
Your summary should go beyond a career overview. Focus on the skills, experiences, and achievements that position you as an asset in an international context. Mention any cross-cultural projects, foreign languages, or global markets you’ve worked in. If you're aiming to land a job before moving abroad, this summary section is crucial. This is the spot to showcase your international experience and list the countries you’re open to relocating to.
Step 3: Showcase experience that speaks to global recruiters.
Be specific about projects, roles, or responsibilities with international reach. Did you lead a project across multiple countries? Support a team in different time zones? Including such details shows your adaptability and capacity to work across borders.
Even if you want to land a job abroad with no work experience, you should fill this section with relevant internships, projects, volunteer work, or extracurriculars that highlight the skills you’ve built along the way.
Step 4: Add market-specific keywords for target countries.
Think of keywords that match job titles, industries, or skills in the country where you’re seeking work. Different countries may use different terms, so research target roles in your desired region. For example, use “Project Manager” in the US but try both "Project Manager" and “Programme Manager” in the UK to match local terminology.
Adding these keywords to your profile boosts the chances of local recruiters finding you.
Step 5: Update LinkedIn settings for language and location.
To be discoverable to recruiters in another country, adjust your LinkedIn location and language settings. Set your location to the area where you’re applying for jobs, and if you speak other languages, add those to your profile. This simple step can have a significant impact on your visibility in international searches.
By following these five steps, you’re setting up your LinkedIn profile to stand out to international recruiters and showcase your readiness for a role abroad. But a strong profile is only half the equation. You’ll also need to know how to make it easily accessible and sharable.
Up next, let’s cover how to find and customize your LinkedIn URL to maximize your visibility.
How to Find and Customize Your LinkedIn URL in 3 Simple Steps
Your LinkedIn URL is the direct link to your profile. It's like a digital calling card that lets recruiters find you quickly and easily. LinkedIn generates this link automatically, but it often includes extra characters, like this: linkedin.com/in/maya-smith-75hfknwbk/. Not exactly memorable. For a cleaner, more professional look (and better searchability), update your URL to include just your name, like this: linkedin.com/in/maya-smith.
Customizing it with your name not only looks more professional but also makes it easier to remember and share in applications, emails, and on your resume.
Here's how to find and customize your LinkedIn URL:
Step 1: Go to your LinkedIn profile and access URL settings.
Navigate to your LinkedIn profile and click on “Edit public profile & URL” in the right-hand sidebar. This opens the settings where you can customize your URL.
Step 2: Click on “Edit Your Custom URL."
Under “Edit your custom URL,” you’ll see an option to change the last part of your LinkedIn URL. Ideally, use your first and last name or a professional variation if your name is common. For example, “linkedin.com/in/yourname” looks clean and professional.
Step 3: Save your changes.
Once you’ve selected a unique, recognizable URL, save your changes. This new, customized URL is now ready to share on applications, your resume, or even in your email signature for quick access to your profile.
Customizing your LinkedIn URL is a small detail, but it’s one that makes a big difference in how professional and accessible your profile appears to international recruiters.
Done? Perfect! Now that you’ve got your profile set up for easy access, let’s take it a step further by using LinkedIn to build connections abroad.
5 Proven Ways to Build International Connections on LinkedIn
Whether you’re planning a permanent move or just looking to work abroad for a year, building a strong network can make all the difference in how quickly it happens. With over 1 billion users and 310 million active each month, LinkedIn gives you direct access to professionals worldwide, no matter where you’re aiming to go.
Here are five easy ways to use LinkedIn to start connecting meaningfully:
Join LinkedIn groups in your target industry and region: Groups give you instant access to a community of like-minded professionals. Contribute helpful comments, ask questions, or share relevant content to establish yourself as an active, knowledgeable participant and build connections naturally.
Follow and engage with international companies and recruiters: Show up where your target companies are by following and interacting with their posts. Regular likes, comments, or insightful shares will increase your visibility, giving recruiters a reason to click on your profile before you even apply.
Send personalized connection requests: Skip the generic requests. Mention shared interests, a mutual group, or something specific you admire about their work. Personalized messages make you memorable and increase the likelihood of acceptance, helping you form authentic, lasting connections.
Join industry conversations on LinkedIn: Contributing to trending discussions in your field is a powerful way to be noticed. Comment thoughtfully on posts, add unique insights, or ask questions to stand out in international networks and showcase your expertise.
Leverage LinkedIn’s Alumni Tool for targeted connections: Use the Alumni Tool to find graduates from your university who work in your target country. A simple, genuine message—mentioning your shared background—often leads to meaningful conversations and advice, making it a valuable connection tool.
These strategies help you build genuine, valuable relationships across borders—connections that can make your job search 10x faster and your transition smoother once you’re there. It’s a win-win! And while you’re at it, don’t stick to just one way of finding opportunities. Check out these 7 job search methods to help you land a job abroad, fast.
Key Takeaways
Optimizing your LinkedIn profile for jobs in another country is about more than just tweaking your profile with information about your recent work experience. It’s about positioning yourself as the ideal candidate for international roles. As such, it's one of the most strategic moves you can make in your job search if you want to land a job abroad.
From building connections to showcasing global skills, each step strengthens your profile and attracts recruiters abroad.
Be specific: Tailor your LinkedIn profile to highlight your global readiness with clear, impactful language and relevant keywords.
Stand out with relevant details: Emphasize international experience, skills, and achievements that make you the perfect fit for cross-border roles.
Build real connections: Engage meaningfully with international professionals and companies to expand your network and visibility.
These steps are here to help you make LinkedIn work for you on a global scale. Now you’ve got everything you need to make it happen—go get it!
Matilda & Ana
Hi there! We're Matilda and Ana — the founders of MoreThanCareers, expats, international corporate recruiters, and HR professionals with 18+ years of combined HR experience. Since 2018, our career-building techniques, tools, and resources have helped over 500 coaching clients and 8,000 individuals worldwide land new, more fulfilling, higher-paying, and career-changing jobs.
Now it's your turn. And MoreThanCareers is here to help!