Job Search using LinkedIn

Is your LinkedIn profile resume ready?
Social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter have become main stream for job seekers and recruiters. So much so, it raises the question of “what might happen to traditional job boards?”. We’ll address that controversial topic in a future discussion but for the time being, just accept the fact that you are at a serious disadvantage if your job search (active or passive) does not include a social media strategy. This blog post focuses specifically on LinkedIn for job seekers and how to build a profile that works better than a resume.

LinkedIn offers a simple standard that bypasses the complicated Microsoft resume templates with restrictive frames and hidden formatting. LinkedIn Resume Builder offers a quick and easy tool that helps you build a resume in less than 5 minutes in a format that is likely compatible with most corporations’ applicant tracking systems.

If the content on your LinkedIn profile is good enough for public viewing then it should be good enough for a resume. What is good enough?

•Complete every section of your LinkedIn profile.

•Ensure your contact information is thorough and accurate.

•Write your complete employment history as if it were a resume boasting your accomplishments, responsibilities, skills and talents.

•Don’t be shy! Fill in the sections that describe your previous awards, education, publications, interests and skills.

•Include a photo. A head-shot photo with professional attire works. Stay away from avatars, cartoons, group photos or personal family photos. A photo will drive up your connections, interactions and responses.

•Ask colleagues for recommendations and then reciprocate by posting a recommendation on their profile too.

•Join groups. The groups you join portray your interests, skills and demonstrate a commitment to your professional and personal development.

•Insert site addresses of your blogs, twitter account or website. LinkedIn profiles are indexed and searched by Google and other search engines. Think SEO and use key words that are unique to your skills, expertise, employment, education and interests.

Most employers use the free version of LinkedIn.com as a bare minimum and many use the Corporate Recruiter version that permits direct importing of profiles into their tracking systems and allows them to categorize, sort, list and save your profile for current or future jobs or networking.

The LinkedIn Resume Builder feature is free to all LinkedIn users. It helps you create a professional CV directly from your LinkedIn profile. There are eleven great formats to choose from. Resumes can be exported and printed in PDF format. Also, each resume gets a custom link so you can share your resume directly from Linkedin with others via email, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

You can test drive this free Linkedin feature at http://resume.linkedinlabs.com

Whether you are using Linkedin to network, develop business, learn or as a job search tool, rest assured more opportunities will come your way if you present yourself in a thorough, positive and professional manner on LinkedIn There are well over 100 million Linkedin users and over 54,000 have already tried Linkedin Resume Builder.

Also, LinkedIn becomes a far ,more effective tool as you develop a larger network of connections. Stay tuned to The People Bank Blog for a future post on the benefits of and how to develop your LinkedIn professional network.

Steve Jones is President of The People Bank, Allen Professional Search, Aimco Staffing Solutions, GoTemp, Medical Recruitment Network and La Banque de Personnel which are all registered brands and divisions of Design Group Staffing Inc.

Wiki - “Curriculum vitae is a Latin expression which can be loosely translated as [the] course of [my] life.”