Marcelle Yeager says that many people think résumés and LinkedIn profiles are one and the same, but they are not.
She suggests that the basic data in a resume should relate to a specific job or position. There should be a reason for every element of information or it should not be included. You are striving for quality not quantity. The goal of your résumé is to highlight your greatest accomplishments and skills.
Cutting and pasting from your LinkedIn profile to create your résumé is not wise because LinkedIn probably includes more information than you need on your résumé. A résumé and profile serve different functions. Some employers compare résumés and LinkedIn profiles for consistency. However, they want to see more in your LinkedIn profile about your experience and skills. Granted, LinkedIn offers more opportunities to expand on your résumé and you should take advantage of that.
Here are a few of the ideas that resonated with me, and a link to the original article.
Consistency in Basic Information
It may sound obvious, but make sure to double-check basic data. Is your contact information correct? Are your company names spelled right? Are the dates of employment accurate? Mismatching employment dates could signal that you’re hiding something or simply not paying of attention to detail.
Photos and Images
While employers in the U.S. and in some other countries do not expect or want to see a photo on your résumé, employers do want to see you on LinkedIn. According to Brie Reynolds, director of online content for FlexJobs, when a candidate doesn’t have a LinkedIn profile picture, the generic gray stock image cartoon can be off-putting to employers. Even if you don’t want to share your actual photograph, try to include a professionally appropriate image that represents you.
Recommendations
Résumés do not contain references or recommendations, but LinkedIn allows them. This is a function you should absolutely be using. The employer gets a reference before even meeting you – what could be better than that? If you can get several recommendations from former or current colleagues, you are doing yourself a huge favor. Offering to provide a recommendation for another person may inspire them to return the favor.
Expertise
“The publisher option on LinkedIn is a really easy way to create a professional blog where you can expand on your expertise and opinions related to your career field,” Reynolds says. “This will help give life to the experience listed on your résumé.” You don’t have to be a published author or communications guru to use this feature, which is why it’s so great. You can write small articles about projects you’ve worked on, a noteworthy development in your industry or the latest thing you’ve learned related to your career. This adds depth to your résumé and positions you as an expert in your field.
Related Articles: Hiring or Being Hired … five HUGE mistakes! and What’s Not in a Job Description?
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