- Resume vs LinkedIn profile: You might be doing it all wrong
- Don't ignore your LinkedIn profile for fear people will know you're "looking."
- Always have a customized resume ready to go.
- Stack your LinkedIn profile and resume with keywords that recruiters might use in searches.
Most people think they need a perfect resume. They spend a lot of time crafting the one magic bullet that will get anyone who reads it to say, "Whoa, you're EXACTLY what I'm looking for! Can you start Monday?" (Hint: This doesn't ever happen.)
Most people also ignore their LinkedIn profile for different reasons. You've seen profiles with a minimalist introduction and, under "Experience," a list of the job titles, the firms, and the years employed, with no description of what they accomplished. You might have that profile now.
I've heard every reason (read: excuse) as to why people don't work on their profiles, from fear — "I'm afraid that others will think I'm looking for a job," to laziness — "I don't need a great profile if I have a great resume," or complacency — "I don't need one if I'm not looking, which I'm not."
Reality check! You should ALWAYS be looking. Your CEO is looking right now, and she has everything — resume, profile, references - ready to go at a moment's notice. Why not YOU?
Another reality check! If you have a bare profile, it actually shows people that you're boring, you're definitely not "sexy", and you may lack good communication skills (which is listed as a prerequisite on every job description). Who is going to swipe right on your profile?
I've heard many times that the busiest people sometimes have the worst LinkedIn profiles. While that may have been true at one point, that's not a valid excuse anymore!