Social Media 101 – Part 3 – Your LinkedIn Profile

Sometimes I feel like an evangelist when it comes to one’s LinkedIn Profile. It seems I tell the same story over and over, from slightly different angles, but is it the same story. For those who want the summary – Get your LinkedIn Profile in top notch shape. Clean it up as if your were going on that ultimate interview. Polish it until the shine is so deep it is a mirror. Your profile is your meal ticket. LinkedIn is where many recruiters go fishing. LinkedIn is where references are checked, Your LinkedIn Profile is where the rubber meets the road for jobs, referrals, and references. LinkedIn is the Human Resources Department of the future. This may sound a bit extreme for some, so lets look at real world claims an see what we can bring to light.

 When a personal friend tells me that he was refused an interview because his LinkedIn Profile was not professional enough. Listen clearly here. He was qualified for the job. Perfectly capable for the job, but was not even allowed to interview due to a poor LinkedIn Profile. It was a real gift that the recruiter was [usc_pullquote]Clean up Your Profile as if it was going on the ultimate date[/usc_pullquote]clear enough to give the reason for rejection. Yes it was disheartening. This is the equivalent of the old style of rejection for having a resume with typos.  You would have been rejected then for typos, and now you will be rejected for a low quality LinkedIn Profile. The lesson is here for all. So, get that LinkedIn profile up to date and current. Make sure it is a clear,complete and professional. Make sure it has all the parts in place to make you the candidate of choice. Without a good profile you chances are lessened, how much? It depends.

Now that I have said that lets look Well sometimes in come the complaints, caveats, grumbles, and prioritization when  It is the location of more resumes and CV’s than any company could ever use. LinkedIn contains information about you, your company and your competition. Lets look at the payoff for using while using answering a few of the snipes that I have endured.

I have a job, I don’t need LinkedIn or I will use LinkedIn when I need a job.

Yes you may be employed today, however in today’s market of down sizing, right sizing, budget cutting, and re-alignments nothing is forever. People move, things change, but your digital footprint should leave tracks.  To have your profile in good shape is considered wise. As was put by the ancient Chinese Proverb – The palest ink is better than the best memory. Over a career one will not remember all the assignments , or projects in which one has participated. Often those projects, especially the one you did well, can be the location of your best recommendations and endorsements. the Linkedin Profile will help that memory. The recommendations are the most glowing at that time, and capturing them, even if you are sticking with the same job, is best done when the iron is hot. Additionally if your work includes vendors and contractors, their recommendations and endorsements are like the fruit salad on the General’s chest. They show you have been in the mix and moving and shaking on the work front.

I am planning to retire with this company, I don’t need LinkedIn or I don’t have time for this nonsense.

OK lets say you are right. Let’s even assume you may have retired. So you think you don’t need LinkedIn for yourself. You are secure in your job forever. You are bullet proof as you own the company or maybe you just don’t care about such things. Well that may be good for you, however here are some scenarios where LinkedIn could be helpful to your company and / or your contacts and / or your employees and / or your contractors and / or your vendors.

Although you may not be looking for work, I think it would be safe to say that all of us know someone who is looking. For those looking one has the opportunity to help others with connections, recommendations and endorsements. LinkedIn is a tool that allow people to be acknowledged for good work they have done. LinkedIn allows people to collect information about their careers, that otherwise would fall into the cracks of oblivion. The information, references and connections that are collected are like an auxiliary memory. Things don’t get lost here.

These connections can be made with fellow employees, contractors, vendors and personal friends. These connections then can help each other throughout our terms in the jungle of business. One’s career cannot beat the top of the game without a solid LinkedIn profile.

Coming up next are the steps to build that solid LinkedIn profile.

See you next week.