A lot of professionals make the mistake of thinking that their LinkedIn profile should read the same was as their resume. The truth is, both are very different mediums and they play differing roles in a job search. Here are four important ways that your LinkedIn profile should differ from your resume.
You’ve Got More Space on LinkedIn, So Use It
Resumes must be succinct for several reasons. First, you have to get your resume past any automated scanning software. Second, the hiring manager does have an hour to spend on your resume trying to determine if it matches the job posting.
LinkedIn is a different story. Hiring managers and recruiters will spend more time here, and they expect that your profile will tell a more robust story about who you are as a professional. On LinkedIn, you have the space to provide insight and context that aren’t possible on a traditional resume.
“LinkedIn provides recruiters the chance to search by years of experience and it automatically updates as time moves forward. This is a huge advantage when my team is looking for the passive sales representative that is knocking it out of the park but needs between 5 and 8 years of solid experience!” says Abby Prince, Managing Director, CSS ProSearch.
Show, Don’t Tell on LinkedIn
Your resume is an introduction into who you are as a professional. Hiring managers use it to determine whether or not they want to learn more about you. They use LinkedIn as a tool to learn as much as they can about a potential candidate, so take the time to prove your claims with endorsements and recommendations from your network. If you say you are an expert in Excel, hiring managers can see that by browsing your profile and noting that nearly every skill endorsement includes Excel, and that your old boss called you a “spreadsheet ninja” in her recommendation. In a resume, you must tell without showing. On LinkedIn take every opportunity to show, rather than tell. You can post blogs you’ve written and presentations you’ve put together. These examples give you the ability to show, rather than tell!
Your LinkedIn Profile Is Tailored To Your Profession, Not One Specific Job
Every resume you send out should be tailored to the unique job to which you are applying. However, your LinkedIn profile shouldn’t be as laser-focused. Instead, it should tell the story of where you’ve been in your career and the direction in which you are heading. A new feature that LinkedIn offers is the ability to say under employment type that you will consider contract work. Check this off if you’re open to proving yourself to a company and seeing more doors open!
Recruiters and hiring managers conduct keyword-based searches when looking for talent. But you never know exactly what it is they are looking for, and you never know just how savvy they are at making targeted queries. Keeping your profile narrowly focused means potentially missing out on a great opportunity.
You Can Be Less Formal on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a professional platform, but it is still a networking site. Posting your profile in third-person language is awkward and can be off-putting. Instead, opt for a professional, yet conversational tone that allows your passion for your work to shine through. You want to humanize yourself, and robotic language won’t help you accomplish that goal. Use complete sentences and don’t be afraid to share insight into your favorite projects or the factors that drive you to succeed.
If you are a talented job seeker searching for the right new opportunity to grow your career, the recruiters at Contemporary Staffing Solutions are here to help. We will partner with you to match you with positions that align with your career goals, and we can help you spruce up your resume and LinkedIn profile. Contact us today to amplify your job search.