Consistency is Critical: What You Need to Know About LinkedIn and Your Resume

This is the second in a two-part series on LinkedIn and resume best practices. Catch up on the first article in the series here.

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 hotspot 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.

Thus, it’s in your best interest to have an updated and professional LinkedIn profile that accurately reflects the dates and job titles on your resume. Inconsistencies between your resume and LinkedIn profile can raise unnecessary red flags about your application.

For those of us who were taught to tailor our resume to each job we apply for, this advice may seem counterintuitive. While tailoring your resume is still good form, job titles should be consistent. 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.

Double check that 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. When inconsistency exists, it’s challenging to impress hiring managers and recruiters. We often wonder: was this done intentionally? If so, why are they trying to be misleading? And if not, what other details are they missing?

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.