The Secret All Successful Job Seekers Know: Resume and LinkedIn Consistency Matters
Successful job seekers know what it takes to get noticed by hiring managers and recruiters: a resume that matches the skills they seek and a LinkedIn profile to boot. For some time, it has been common knowledge that it’s no longer enough to just have an impeccable resume. You must also have an up-to-date LinkedIn profile that accurately reflects your skills and experience as mentioned on your resume. This is job-seeking 101 and only skims the surface of what your profile can do. Keep an eye out for an upcoming post that will explain how to take your profile to the next level and how to stand out as an expert in your field.
The ideal professional resume consists of your employment history, skills and education. It’s also a best practice to add job titles and dates, and to place your contact information at the top. The Muse provides 43 Resume Tips That Will Help You Get Hired, including putting your accomplishments in the top third. This acts as a hook to encourage the hiring manager to read further.
Your resume should also be free of spelling errors and typos, and have enough white space to make it easy to read. You may also choose to include a hyperlink to your LinkedIn profile. These basic components make it easy for recruiters and hiring managers to assess your qualifications.
Since its inception in 2002, LinkedIn has continued to grow in popularity and is known as the world’s largest professional network. In addition to being the place for those seeking new opportunities, it has also become the hot spot for hiring managers and recruiters to find qualified candidates. The company provides a plethora of information about talent acquisition and even has a proprietary recruiting tool that has become an industry staple.
Therefore, it’s in your best interest to have an up-to-date and professional LinkedIn profile. Also, all dates and job titles on your profile should match those on your resume. This may seem obvious, but inconsistencies between your resume and LinkedIn profile can raise needless red flags about your application.
For many of us who were taught to tailor our resume to each job we apply for, this advice can seem counter-intuitive. And yes, tailoring your resume is still good form; however, be sure to keep your job titles the same (your actual job title is your job title after all, changing this may be perceived as dishonest). Instead, tailor the skills and accomplishments listed to highlight certain aspects of your experience in the bullet points as it relates to each job posting. Also, make sure the dates of your employment are accurate and consistent because discrepancies will be revealed during the employment verification process.
Don’t risk missing a great opportunity over something as avoidable as a mismatched resume and LinkedIn profile. Competition in the job market, especially among marketers, is stiff, and it’s hard to impress hiring managers and recruiters. By taking the time to match your two most essential job seeking assets you will be one step closer to landing an interview and safe from needless pitfalls that can exclude you from a job you may be qualified for. Contact us to find out how we can help you find the job of your dreams.
