Amanda Clark
When Leonardo da Vinci penned the first resume back in 1482, he unknowingly sparked a trend that has carried on for centuries. His resume showed the Duke of Milan exactly why he was what the Duke was looking for and how he could be of benefit. He was an innovator. And while the job search process has evolved over time, unfortunately many job seekers’ resumes are still reminiscent of the Dark Ages. People are not taking advantage of the wealth of opportunity that advancing technology has provided. LinkedIn can be a great way to take your resume to the next level and show off your personality.
Add more depth than you would on your resume. While you need to be mindful of space on your resume, you have more room to work with on your LinkedIn profile. Include additional accomplishments, awards you have won, and notable publications.
Think outside the box and upload copies of recommendation letters, significant projects, articles, or other documents that support your qualifications. Make your profile more interactive so that hiring managers have a variety of resources to look at that prove your abilities.
Boost your skill set with other relevant skills. For your resume you may select the top few that best highlight your strengths, but on your LinkedIn profile you can list even more and your connections have the opportunity to endorse these skills. Endorsements can show employers what strengths others value in you.
Leverage recommendations from others to show your accomplishments. Comments from colleagues, supervisors, and other professionals can serve as quick references without hiring managers even having to ask. As they review your profile, these positive recommendations are right there for them to see and give you an edge over the competition.
Take advantage of networking opportunities by following companies and executives that you are interested in working for. Become actively involved in conversations they start and stay up-to-date with the information they publish to learn more about their company. Building these connections can work to your benefit when you go to job fairs or recruiting events because they may already be familiar with who you are.
Share information with others through posts and comments to show that you are current with industry happenings and best practices. Whether you are reposting articles you find interesting, sharing your own blogs, or preferably a combination of both, it demonstrates what you value and provides meaningful information for others.
LinkedIn provides an ideal opportunity for you to add more spice to your traditional resume by making it more interesting and innovative. It also allows you as a job seeker to be more engaged with potential employers. Take advantage of the different sections available on LinkedIn and build out your profile to really reflect who you are and the value you bring. While you want to remain professional, be creative and use the various features to your advantage. More employers are turning to online resources so keep pace with this growing trend.
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