How to Organize LinkedIn Sections

Your LinkedIn profile isn’t a flat resume, it’s a living, breathing story that you direct. Organizing your LinkedIn sections is how you control the narrative, making sure recruiters, clients, or partners see your most impressive credentials first. This guide will walk you through exactly how to rearrange your profile sections to align with your career goals, whether you're looking for a job, building a freelance business, or growing your company.

Why the Order of Your LinkedIn Sections Matters

Most visitors will only spend a few seconds on your profile before deciding if you're a potential fit. They see what’s "above the fold" - the content visible on their screen without scrolling. If your most compelling professional highlights are buried at the bottom, they might never be seen. By strategically ordering your sections, you make an immediate impact and guide visitors toward the information that serves you best.

Think of it like being a film director. You get to decide the opening scene. Does your story start with rave reviews from past clients? A portfolio of amazing work? Or a detailed history of your career experience? The answer depends entirely on your objective.

The Mechanics: How to Reorganize LinkedIn Sections Today

Rearranging your profile is simpler than you might think. Many sections have a built-in "drag-and-drop" function. Here’s a quick step-by-step to get you started:

1. Navigate to your own profile page on LinkedIn.
2. Scroll to almost any section, like "Experience" or "Education."
3. Look for the pencil icon in the top right corner of the section box and click it to go into "Edit" mode.
4. Once inside the edit view of a section (not the specific listing), you might see a "reorder" icon on the right side. It often looks like a stack of horizontal lines or an up-and-down arrow symbol.
5. Click and hold this icon, then drag the entire section up or down to your desired position.
6. Click "Save" once you’re done.

It’s important to know that some core sections are locked in place and cannot be moved. These include:

• Your main info/headline section at the very top.
• Your "About" summary.
• Your Activity feed.

However, nearly everything else is fair game: Featured, Experience, Education, Licenses &, Certifications, Volunteering, Skills, Recommendations, Publications, and Projects are all customizable. Now let's put this feature to strategic use.

Strategic Organization: Tailoring Your Profile for Your Goals

Your "best" profile layout depends on your professional mission. Below are three common scenarios with tailored recommendations for organizing your sections for maximum impact.

Scenario 1: You’re an Active Job Seeker

Your mission is to quickly convince a recruiter or hiring manager that you have the skills and experience to solve their company's problems. Clarity and direct relevance are everything.

Top Recommended Order:

1. About (Locked): Use this space to pitch yourself for the role you want. Skip the life story and lead with a sentence like, "Results-driven project manager with 7+ years of experience in the SaaS industry, specializing in streamlining agile workflows and delivering projects on time and under budget."
2. Featured: This is a powerhouse for job seekers. Pin your proudest accomplishments here. This could be a case study of a successful project, a link to your online portfolio, a well-designed PDF resume, or even a short video of you presenting at an event. Make it the first thing they see after your summary.
3. Experience: This is the heart of your profile for this goal. Place it high to validate the claims in your About section. Use bullet points that focus on quantifiable achievements, not just job duties. Think "Increased lead generation by 30% in Q2" instead of "Responsible for lead generation."
4. Skills: Recruiters are constantly searching LinkedIn using skills as keywords. Place this section prominently, and make sure your Top 3 pinned skills align perfectly with the target job description. If a job requires "Python" and "Data Analysis," make sure they’re listed at the very top of your skills.
5. Education: Unless you’re a recent graduate or your degree is from a highly prestigious university directly related to the role, your practical experience and skills are more important. Position this below 'Experience' and 'Skills'.
6. Recommendations: Social proof adds a human element, but let your direct experience speak first. A glowing recommendation that validates a specific skill or project outcome is far more valuable than a generic one.
7. Licenses & Certifications and Projects: Display these to add extra weight. A relevant certification (like a PMP for a Project Manager) or a project that shows off a specific skill could be the detail that sets you apart.

Scenario 2: You’re a Freelancer, Creator, or Consultant

Your goal is to build authority, showcase expertise, and attract high-quality clients. Your profile needs to scream "I'm the expert" and clearly communicate the value you provide, making it easy for potential clients to get in touch.

Top Recommended Order:

1. Featured: This is your portfolio. Move it to the very top. It’s the fastest way to *show* clients what you can do instead of just telling them. Feature your best client work, a link to your Calendly for booking discovery calls, video testimonials, a professional sizzle reel, or a downloadable services one-pager. Your goal here is to make a client think, "I need that."
2. Recommendations: For freelancers, trust is currency. Client testimonials are pure gold. Placing this section high up provides instant social proof. A potential client wants to know that other people have hired you, had a great experience, and got fantastic results.

How to get great recommendations:

When you request a recommendation, gently guide your client. For instance, you could say: "Would you be willing to write a brief recommendation that speaks specifically to the work I did on the website redesign and the 40% increase in mobile traffic we saw afterward?" This gives them a clear direction and helps you get a testimonial that really sells your value.

1. About (Locked): Your "About" section should function as a mini sales page. Start by identifying your target client and the problem you solve for them. Follow up with your core services, your unique approach, and a clear call-to-action (e.g., "Send me a message to discuss your project" or "Book a free 15-minute consultation via the link in my Featured section").
2. Experience: Frame your experience to support your freelance business. Instead of a list of job duties, present your past roles as a track record of solving problems for businesses - the very same problems your ideal clients are facing right now.
3. Publications / Articles: Have you been featured on a podcast, written a guest blog post, or spoken at an event? This section is your platform for thought leadership. It positions you as an expert in your field and builds credibility.
4. Skills: Curate your skills list to reflect your high-value services. If you’re a freelance writer, skills like "SEO Content," "Conversion Copywriting," and "Content Strategy" are much stronger than generic ones like "Microsoft Word."

Scenario 3: You’re a Business Owner or Founder

Your objective is to be the face of your company. Your profile should build brand authority, tell your company's story, attract talent, and create networking opportunities with potential partners or investors.

Top Recommended Order:

1. Featured: Put your company in the spotlight. Feature your company's "About Us" video, a link to a recent press feature or news article, case studies from your happiest customers, or high-level content like a whitepaper or industry report. If you're hiring, a well-produced "Join Our Team" video works brilliantly here.
2. About (Locked): Tell the story *behind* the business. Why did you start it? What's the mission that drives you? Your personal story is a powerful way to connect with your brand on a human level. Weave in the company’s purpose and the value proposition for customers.
3. Experience: Your current role as Founder/CEO should be at the top, and it should be rich with detail. Link to your company's LinkedIn page. Use the description to talk about the company's vision, major milestones, and current focus, not just your day-to-day duties. Use your previous experience to build credibility and show the journey that led you here.
4. Recommendations: Recommendations on a founder's profile can be uniquely powerful. Solicit them from early employees, trusted business partners, or happy investors. These testimonials speak to your leadership, vision, and reliability.
5. Publications / Projects: Show you're a leader in your industry. If you’ve written an op-ed, contributed to an industry insights piece, or launched an innovative side project, this is the place to highlight it. It proves you're not just running a company, you're shaping its future.
6. Volunteering: Showcasing your company’s corporate social responsibility or your personal involvement in causes you care about can add a powerful layer to your personal and company brand.

Final Thoughts

Organizing your LinkedIn profile is a strategic exercise in professional storytelling. By reordering your sections, you take control of that story, ensuring every visitor - whether it's a recruiter, a potential client, or a business partner - sees your most compelling information first. Take 15 minutes today to rearrange your profile and align it with your single most important professional goal.

Taking a strategic approach to your professional presence on LinkedIn is just one piece of building a strong brand online. After all, your brand's story is told across multiple platforms. That’s why we built Postbase, a social media management tool made to bring clarity to that chaos. We help you plan, schedule, and analyze your content across all your channels in one visual, uncluttered calendar, making your strategy feel as cohesive and intentional as your newly organized LinkedIn profile.