Are you thinking about changing careers or looking for a new job? If this is the case, now is an excellent time to optimize your résumé and optimize your LinkedIn profile for such purposes. Applying the aforementioned insights is a great place to start. It may just provide you with the edge you’ve been looking for.
LinkedIn’s resume builder service was discontinued a few years ago. Instead, you can now export your LinkedIn profile to a PDF or share it with a link. This may appear to be an appealing shortcut for creating your resume.
An effective resume must be tailored to specific job openings. When applying for a job, your main goal should be to persuade a recruiter that your skills and experience match the job requirements.
Unless you intend to update the content of your LinkedIn profile for each job you apply for, the content you export will not be relevant to recruiters’ needs.
You will be sending the recruiter a laundry list of previous responsibilities and experiences that may or may not apply to the prospective position.
The “Why” of using a LinkedIn profile for job search purposes is well understood, but the “How” of doing so effectively is less so. Unfortunately, many users mistake their profile for nothing more than an online résumé and set it up accordingly. While some information should be referenced in both a résumé and an optimized LinkedIn profile, the manner in which the information is presented should differ.
The bottom line is that your LinkedIn profile should supplement, not duplicate, your résumé!
When it comes to increasing your chances of getting hired through social media, LinkedIn is without a doubt your best friend.
While professional resume writers and LinkedIn profile writers have numerous methods for accomplishing this, a novice can use the following simple tips when writing his or her profile:
The key will be to differentiate your resume from your LinkedIn profile in three key areas: tone, headline, and summary section.
Not only will profile views increase, but so will quality interactions and recruiter outreach.
- Tone
A resume should be formal: In industries where formality is expected (e.g., financial services, risk management, accounting), a resume should be formal. This includes avoiding the use of the first person “I,” using muted colours, and making sure the wording is crisp, brief, and to the point.
Optimized LinkedIn profiles should be conversational: LinkedIn allows the reader to “hear” your voice, whereas a resume allows you to tell your story.
In other words, the tone should be written in the manner in which you speak.
- Headline
A resume can be customized: To demonstrate to your reader that you are well-suited for a specific role, a resume headline can be tweaked based on the job posting.
LinkedIn profiles must be keyword searchable/keyword optimized: Uncheck the box that makes your headline appear as your current job title by default. Instead, include keywords that a hiring manager or recruiter might use to find candidates like you. LinkedIn gives you 120 characters to work with; we recommend that you use them all.
- Summary
A resume should be brief and to-the-point: the summary should convey how you are uniquely qualified for a specific role. Given the limited space on a resume, I recommend dedicating no more than five or six lines to this endeavor.
LinkedIn profiles can contain anything you want until you run out of space: LinkedIn provides 2,000 characters in this section. I recommend that you make the most of this by including career highlights, a skills section, and contact information.
Take the time to create a visually appealing and targeted résumé and profile that will attract and impress employers. Make certain that both are designed in such a way that they complement and reinforce one another. If you lack time or are unsure of your résumé and profile writing abilities, hiring a professional writer with experience in these areas is often preferable to doing the work yourself.
In terms of specific content considerations, here are a few ideas for improving and optimizing your LinkedIn profile to support your job search:
Put a profile picture
Yes, putting a face to a name is beneficial. Select a professional photo that recruiters will be able to see. If you have a photo on your resume, match it.
Use LinkedIn’s Summary section to your advantage.
Because the Summary Section limits the number of characters in your content, use it wisely. It should be a keyword-rich, first-person narrative that entices the reader to read the rest of your profile. Keep in mind that, unless you set up an open profile, non-connections can only see the first 50 characters of your profile.
Write the Experience section completely.
While your résumé should be written strategically to include relevant and recent employment history, your LinkedIn profile allows you to mention previous professional experiences. This is not to say that you should include information for the sake of filler. Still, if you want to demonstrate useful experience from previous jobs, this section allows you to do so.
Both active and passive job seekers should post a current résumé as a viewable document on their LinkedIn profile. However, suppose the content and presentation are the same. In that case, a chance to demonstrate additional professional abilities to potential employers may be lost.
To conclude, although a strategically crafted and professional LinkedIn profile is not required for a formal job application, it is a valuable informal source of information for recruiters.
Consider your optimized LinkedIn profile an additional tool for persuasion.
It’s a good idea to include a LinkedIn link on your resume to direct recruiters to your profile.
Even if you don’t, they’ll probably look you up online anyway. When they do, demonstrate to them that you are more than your resume or cover letter suggests.
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