Selecting Your Industry on LinkedIn (with PDF List)

The following post explores the topic of Selecting Your Industry on LinkedIn.

When setting up your LinkedIn profile, choosing your industry might feel like a throwaway step – but it’s not. Your industry selection plays a big role in getting discovered by recruiters and establishing your narrative.

Read: Benefits of Following Companies on LinkedIn

Related: Tips for Boosting Engagement on LinkedIn

Your listed industry helps LinkedIn categorize you, and it’s one of the filters recruiters use when searching for talent. Mislabeling your industry can hurt your visibility and skew the impression you give.

Here’s what you need to know.

Overview

If you’ve ever wondered what industry to select on LinkedIn, you’re not alone. A common misconception is that “industry” refers to your job function – like accounting, marketing, or HR – when it actually refers to the space your company operates in.

Simply put, your LinkedIn industry selection should reflect your employer’s industry, not your individual role.

One of the challenges in selecting your industry is that LinkedIn doesn’t display a full list to browse. Instead, you have to start typing what you think fits best, and LinkedIn will display relevant choices. To make this easier, I have included a PDF with the full list of LinkedIn industry options at the end of this article.

Below is a screenshot of the industry selection box when editing your LinkedIn profile.

Select the Industry of Your Employer

If you work for a company like Boeing, you’re in the Aerospace industry – even if you’re a Certified Public Accountant. Similarly, a graphic designer at Pfizer works in Pharmaceuticals, not in “Design” or “Marketing.”

Your job title reflects what you do; the industry field reflects where you do it. This is especially important because recruiters often search by industry to find candidates who have experience in a specific space.

When You’ve Worked at One Company for a Long Time

If you’ve spent the majority of your career with a single employer, then selecting that company’s industry is the most accurate and credible reflection of your background.

Even if your role (HR, accounting, IT, etc.) is transferable across industries, your experience has been shaped by the environment in which you worked – and that’s what industry represents.

When You’ve Worked Across Multiple Industries

Some professionals have moved between companies in different industries and don’t have a clear theme. In that case, the best practice is to select the industry of your current employer. It reflects your present focus and positions you for future opportunities in that space.

If you’re targeting a new industry altogether, you can clarify that through your headline, summary, or job search settings – but your profile’s industry field should still match where you work today.

If You’re Currently Unemployed

If you’re unemployed, list your last employer’s industry. If that doesn’t reflect the core of your experience, consider using the industry where you spent the most time or held the most responsibility.

The key is to choose the industry that best represents your actual experience – not your future goals or personal branding. You can communicate those aspirations in other parts of your profile.

This step can be challenging for students, especially those with limited professional experience and a busy schedule. If you’re worried about balancing job hunting with your studies, don’t hesitate to seek support – whether you need essay help or project assistance. Professionals from PapersOwl can offer assistance with research papers and presentations. This allows you to focus on exploring industries that align with your studies and position yourself for future career growth.

Still Unsure? Check Your Employer’s ‘Company Page’

If you’re not sure what industry your company falls under, the easiest way to find out is by checking the company’s LinkedIn page. Nearly every employer with a LinkedIn presence has an official company profile, and that page includes an industry designation selected by the company itself.

Just search for your employer’s name on LinkedIn, go to their page, and look for the “Industry” field near the top. It’s the clearest way to align your profile with how your employer identifies within the platform.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, I hope this article clears up the confusion around LinkedIn industry selection and helps you choose the option that best reflects your professional background. Remember, it’s about the industry your company operates in – not your occupation.

Download the LinkedIn Industry List (PDF)