Who Are You? Why Complete LinkedIn Profiles Are So Important.

April 2, 2012

I have to admit; I was a culprit of not having a complete LinkedIn profile until just this week. Now, I’m proud to say, my profile is 100 percent complete, according the LinkedIn’s standards. It took me all of five minutes and it is now an accurate representation of my professional skills and experience. Seems easy, right? It is.

LinkedIn is a rapidly growing resource in the recruiting industry. Some companies rely solely on LinkedIn for their sourcing and headhunting. Others, that have access to Monster or CareerBuilder, tend to prefer LinkedIn to find the most qualified candidates. Having a complete profile could make the difference in whether or not you are contacted for your dream job. Conversely, if you are consistently being contacted for jobs you are under or overqualified for, or that may not be relevant at all, your incomplete profile is likely to be blamed. It is very difficult for recruiters or HR professionals to get an accurate idea of your experience and knowledge from your titles alone. Every company has a slightly different approach to how they title their positions. For instance, some companies use the word “Manager” in a completely different context than others; a “Manager” could have a whole team of people working under them, or just manage accounts or information. That is a big difference for potential positions.

Also, when applying for a job that you found posted on LinkedIn, your profile is the first thing the hiring manager or recruiter will see. You need to make sure that what they see is an accurate representation of who you are and what your experience is.

LinkedIn is becoming the new resume — treat it as such and you will have no issues completing your profile. Here are some tips:

  • Don’t put the company description in the position description — recruiters have other ways of finding out about the company, or most likely already know about the company. Instead, put a brief description of your responsibilities and any notable accomplishments you achieved.
  • Make sure each position has accurate dates.
  • Only list each position once. I have seen many profiles with the same position listed 2 or 3 times.
  • List as many skills and expertise keywords in the provided section as possible.
  • Be truthful! Put your correct title and responsibilities; it is a huge red flag when your resume does not match your LinkedIn profile.

Are you not looking for a job? Great — you’re happy where you are! You should still have a complete LinkedIn profile and welcome any networking opportunities that may come your way. It has been said that 80% of jobs are acquired through networking; that recruiter who reached out to you when you weren’t looking may eventually be your ticket to your dream job, so be polite. Make sure to keep them in the back of your mind for when you are on the market for a new job.

LinkedIn makes it very easy and effortless to update your profile. When it prompts you for more information, give it to them. Your chances of getting contacted for a job or even getting a job will be much higher if you have a complete and accurate profile.

 

Senior Talent Manager, Engineering

<strong>Meghan Maher</strong> is Senior Talent Manager, Engineering, actively recruiting top talent for OpenView and its Portfolio Companies. Her tech background has helped OpenView hire for nearly 20 IT and engineering positions. Meghan began her career at AVID Technical Resources, where she was a Technical Recruiter for two years.