- Add a skill on a computer
- Add a skill on your phone
- Skills at a glance
- Why linking skills to experience matters
- Which skills to add
- Use your clients' words
- Remove skills you no longer use
- Order and endorsements
- Skills are one part of a strong profile
- Keep your skills up to date
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
To add skills on LinkedIn, go to your profile, click Add profile section, choose Core, then Add skills. Type a skill or pick a suggestion, tick the jobs where you used it and click Save. You can add up to 100 skills, and linking each one to your experience shows people where you used it.
Skills are one of the quieter parts of a LinkedIn profile, but they do real work: they help people understand what you're good at and they connect your profile to the things clients and recruiters look for. Adding them takes a minute each. The part most people skip is linking each skill to the jobs where they used it, which is what makes the list believable. Here's how to do it on desktop and mobile.
Add a skill on a computer
- Click the Me icon, then View Profile.
- Click Add profile section in your introduction section.
- Click Core, then Add skills.
- Type the skill and choose it from the list, or pick one under Suggested based on your profile.
- Tick the boxes for the roles where you used this skill.
- Click Save.
Add a skill on your phone
- Tap your profile picture, then View profile.
- Tap Add section.
- Tap Core, then Add skills.
- Search for the skill or choose a suggestion, tick where you used it, and tap Save.
Skills at a glance
| Question | LinkedIn's answer |
|---|---|
| How many skills can I add? | Up to 100 |
| Is a Skills section required? | No, but it won't appear without at least one skill |
| Can I link skills to jobs? | Yes, by ticking where you used each skill |
| Can I remove a skill? | Yes, from the Skills section's edit option |
Why linking skills to experience matters
When you add a skill, LinkedIn asks where you used it and shows your current and previous roles as tick boxes. Linking a skill to a specific job tells people you didn't just list it, you've done it somewhere. For a consultant, linking 'Email marketing' to three client roles says far more than a bare word in a list.
Which skills to add
- The skills clients hire you for, in the words they'd use to search.
- Specific tools you're strong in, such as particular software.
- A few broader skills that describe how you work.
- Leave out anything you wouldn't be happy to be tested on.
- Include one or two skills that set you apart from others in your field.
You can add up to 100, but you don't need anywhere near that. A focused list of skills you're known for is more persuasive than everything you've ever touched. Use LinkedIn's suggestions as prompts, not a shopping list, and only add the ones that are true for you.
Use your clients' words
The best skill names are the ones your ideal clients would type into a search. A business owner looking for help is more likely to search 'email marketing' than 'lifecycle communications strategy'. When LinkedIn shows suggestions as you type, pick the most common, plain-English version rather than inventing your own wording. Then check your headline and About section use the same language, so your whole profile points in one direction. Consistency across these sections makes it easier for people, and for LinkedIn's search, to understand exactly what you do.
Remove skills you no longer use
- Go to your profile and scroll to Skills.
- Click the Edit icon on the section.
- Click the Edit icon beside the skill you want to remove.
- Click Delete skill and confirm.
If you've changed direction, say from employed marketing manager to independent consultant, prune old skills so your profile tells your current story.
Order and endorsements
LinkedIn has separate help on choosing the order your skills appear in, and on endorsements, where connections vouch for your skills. Put your most important skills where people see them first. And endorse others for skills you've seen them use: it's a generous habit, and people often return the favour. My guide to endorsing someone on LinkedIn walks through it.
Skills are one part of a strong profile
Skills support the rest of your profile rather than replacing it. Your headline, About section and experience do the heavy lifting; skills reinforce them. If your headline needs work, my headline swipe file is a good starting point, and if you're job hunting, what makes a resume look good to a hiring manager applies just as much to your LinkedIn profile.
Keep your skills up to date
Review your skills whenever you take on a new kind of work or finish a big project. Add new ones you've built, link them to the role where you used them, and remove ones that no longer represent you. Ten minutes twice a year keeps the section accurate, and it's a good prompt to update your headline and About section at the same time.
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My verdict
Add profile section, Core, Add skills, then tick the roles where you used each one. Choose a focused set of skills you're known for rather than filling all 100 slots, link them to your experience, and prune the old ones as your work changes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add skills on LinkedIn?
Go to your profile, click Add profile section, then Core, Add skills. Choose a skill, tick where you used it and click Save.
How many skills can you add on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn says you can add up to 100 skills to your profile.
How do I remove a skill from LinkedIn?
In your Skills section, click Edit, then the Edit icon beside the skill, then Delete skill and confirm.
Why can't I see a Skills section on my LinkedIn profile?
LinkedIn says the Skills section doesn't appear if you have no skills listed. Add one to make it show.
Should I link skills to my jobs on LinkedIn?
Yes. Ticking the roles where you used a skill links it to your experience and makes it more credible.
