The team at digital selling firm Vengreso was
ready to hire an instructional designer. They found someone on LinkedIn
who seemed perfect for the job, and he likely would have gotten an
offer after a cursory interview. But there was just one problem, says
co-founder and Chief Visibility Officer Viveka von Rosen: He had no
contact information listed.
That was the “final straw” from an already weak profile, says von Rosen, author of LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day.
Sure, she could have messaged him through the platform, but they didn’t
know how long it would take him to check for messages and the fact that
his profile made it more difficult than necessary to contact him was a
deal-breaker. The team moved on to look for someone else. “Update your
contact information and consider including it in your summary, too,” she
says. “Make it easy for them to find you.”
You may have built your LinkedIn profile and network over
the course of years–or you may pay little attention to it at all.
Either way, your profile may have red flags to recruiters or hiring
managers, undermining your job search. But refreshing it
doesn’t have to take long. In addition to keeping your contact
information up-to-date, here are seven more red flags to keep in mind.
MISTAKE #1: A MISLEADING HEADLINE
The headline next to your photo is one of the most valuable pieces of LinkedIn real estate you have. Use it wisely, says executive recruiter and career advancement coach Suzanne O’Brien.
If you have aspirations of moving up, don’t use your current title in
your headline. Instead, opt for something that reflects the job you want
without being misleading. “Try using something that encompasses your
current role and where you want to go, along with your unique value,”
she suggests. For example, “Leadership in Product Management with Mobile
and Healthcare Expertise” or “Marketing Professional for High-Growth
Companies.”
“For the company that’s looking for
someone with that expertise, they’ll know right away that you’re a
‘bull’s-eye’ candidate and they want to speak with you,” she says. Avoid
very broad descriptions like “Consultant” or “Tech Explorer with a
Systematic Approach.” Also, it’s not the best place for a quote from
your favorite author, she says.
MISTAKE #4: RESUME MISMATCH
If you do nothing else before your next
job hunt, do this: Pull up your resume and compare it side-by-side with
your LinkedIn profile, Boggs says. Make sure the dates, positions, and
job titles match. When resumes and LinkedIn profiles aren’t aligned,
recruiters don’t know what to believe, she adds.
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