Looking at LinkedIn Profiles Like a Researcher

Have you ever found someone’s LinkedIn profile or professional bio and immediately felt intimidated?

Maybe their title sounded impressive. Maybe their career seemed polished and clear. Maybe you started imagining how wonderful their life must be, how confident they must feel, or how far away you are from having a role like that.

That reaction is understandable.

A LinkedIn profile can make someone’s career look seamless, even when their actual path included uncertainty, experiments, pivots, setbacks, lucky breaks, hard decisions, and relationships built over time.

A profile is a curated summary. Not a full life.

Instead of using someone’s profile as evidence that you are behind, try looking at it like a researcher.

Start at the top.

Notice their headline, title, organization, location, and number of connections. Do you have any mutual connections? Are there people you both know, industries you both touch, or communities you both participate in?

Also notice the suggested connections on the right side of the screen. LinkedIn may be showing you people with similar roles, sectors, or professional circles. Follow five more people who sound interesting. You do not need to send a connection request right away. You can begin by learning from what they share.

Then read the person’s About section closely.

Not quickly. Closely.

Pay attention to every word they use. What keywords show up? What verbs do they choose? What do they emphasize?

Strategy. Leadership. Equity. Growth. Innovation. Community. Systems. Partnership. Results. Transformation. Belonging. Sustainability. Communication. Influence.

Which words do you feel drawn to? Which words feel disconnected from how you want to work or lead?

Then step back and look at the About section from a distance.

What themes do you notice? What patterns emerge? What does this person seem to care about? What problems are they drawn to solving? What kind of impact do they seem to want to make?

After that, move into the Experience section.

Look for the story beneath the titles.

Where does it look like they made a pivot from one industry, sector, or role type to another? Where does it look like they got promoted or expanded their scope? Where did they invest in education, certifications, training, or credentials? How long did different transitions seem to take?

You can make thoughtful observations while staying careful about assumptions.

For example, if someone moved from program work into operations and then into strategy, they may have become known for seeing how the pieces fit together. If someone repeatedly mentions partnerships, public speaking, or cross-functional work, relationship-building and influence may have shaped their growth.

Treat those as hypotheses, not facts.

The point is not to become that person.

The point is to let their profile help you see possibilities, patterns, language, and next steps.

Try this with one profile this week.

Choose someone whose career interests you, study their profile from top to bottom, and write down three things you notice.

That small shift can turn comparison into career clarity.

And career clarity helps you move forward with more confidence, discernment, and direction.

If you want support turning what you notice into your own next steps, reserve a coaching consultation here ➔

Erica Mattison, MPA, JD
Executive Coach