Does Your Resume Direct Employers to Your LinkedIn Profile?

If you’re presently conducting a job search, why not make the most of your profile? Give employers the information they need—and direct them back to your profile. Recent statistics state that 90% of hiring managers are using social media to research potential candidates. Leverage this information, and utilize it to your advantage. Simply stated, add your LinkedIn profile address to your resume.

WHERE DO I ADD MY LINKEDIN PROFILE?

The most common place to add your profile address is in the header of the first page. This gives the hiring manager a Web address to view—and the opportunity to see more detailed information about who you are and your career history. If the hiring manager is going to be researching you online anyway, you might as well direct them to information that you can control.

ASK FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

Make sure your profile is chock-full of professional recommendations from colleagues, former supervisors, etc. This way, when a potential employer is reviewing your profile they’ll find your recommendations—and it will only make you look all the better.

USE A CUSTOM PROFILE ADDRESS

Instead of using the generic URL address that LinkedIn assigns to you, go into your profile and edit the URL so that it has your name in it. This way, the URL is shorter and looks more professional on your resume.

ENSURE THAT YOUR PROFILE IS NOT AN EXACT REPLICA OF YOUR RESUME

If the employer is looking for additional information aside from that which is contained in your resume, it’s best to not repeat everything that is already on your resume in your LinkedIn profile. Utilize additional details you did not include in your resume, and be sure to use keywords and terms that are searchable so a recruiter or hiring manager completing a search on LinkedIn can find you.

The moral of the story is: If you’re not including your LinkedIn profile address on your resume, maybe you should be. If 90% of employers are using social networks and online searches to dig up more information about you—the potential employee—why not provide them with the best information possible.