So, newsflash job seekers! It is 2016! You MUST have a LinkedIn profile!! I’m serious about this. Regular readers of mine know I am not the world’s biggest LinkedIn fan. I have to tell you though, even as the LinkedIn stock tumbles, I am telling you confidently that you cannot be successful in your job search without one. Period. End of story!
I use LinkedIn daily. I truthfully don’t know one recruiter who doesn’t use LinkedIn. I don’t know what the future holds with LinkedIn, but it has become too large to go away completely. There are too many platforms that are tied to LinkedIn for it not to be around in some format a decade from now. Maybe Google buys LinkedIn? I don’t know. What I do know is that candidates who don’t have good LinkedIn profiles are being eliminated by hiring managers very quickly.
LinkedIn has become a key component in a hiring manager’s decision making. Let’s put it this way. I recruit sales people. Sales is all about networking. How in the world can a good or great salesperson NOT have a Great LinkedIn profile? Don’t salespeople use LinkedIn to help them sell products? Don’t they use it to find the right decision makers? If you say “no” then why in the world would you hire them?!! Many would argue that cold calling is dead. Connections, and social profile connections are where most salespeople start the conversation with individuals.
Recently, I have been disgusted with candidates and their poor profiles on LinkedIn. How in the world can candidates have less than 500 connections? Really? C’mon- this product has been around more than a decade. Are you living under a rock? Don’t you know LinkedIn makes your job easier to do? I guess there are certain professions that it helps more than others. But really!! C’mon dude!
How and why would you not have a professional picture taken? Why? I mean even if you aren’t looking for a job it is just smart. Wouldn’t you agree? If millions of people can view your profile, wouldn’t you want to put your best foot forward? I sure would!!
This stuff seems so basic to me. I guess that is why I am writing it. I want to eliminate any doubt that regardless of where you are in your career and regardless of what your job title is, you should have a LinkedIn profile that is top notch.
I am finding it more common to see resumes with candidates without a LinkedIn profile AT ALL!! What in the world? I have heard excuses like “I got hacked”. When I told a manager recently that a candidate didn’t have a LinkedIn profile, their response was “Oh really, their dog ate their homework”?
Managers won’t even consider your resume if you don’t have a LinkedIn profile. Who you are connected to DOES matter. Knowing who has recommended your work DOES matter. Knowing what skills you have been endorsed for DOES matter.
I’m not telling you that if you aren’t a recruiter, you should be on LinkedIn every day. I get very frustrated with the ridiculous ads, and horrific blogs that pop up every 5 seconds. If I weren’t a recruiter or salesperson, I would venture to say I wouldn’t be on it daily.
What I am saying though is that the market is highly volatile. Employers don’t give a damn about you and you should always be networking. The most stable job in the world can downsize you tomorrow. It is just plain and simple facts!
If you say you don’t have time, I want you to re-think your whole philosophy. You never know what tomorrow might bring and you should start networking for your next career today, because it is a matter of “when” not “if” you need to find another job. The longer you are out of work, the harder it becomes to find a job.
Simply stated, make it a priority to have a LinkedIn profile.
Do it today. There is no time better than the present.
I don’t have 500 connections, I don’t randomly connect with people I don’t know, nor can I vouch for in their professional lives. LinkedIn isn’t a popularity contest, it’s about real connections and references. The 296 people I DO have connected through LinkedIn, I actually have dealt with in my real life, and to me that’s a lot more powerful.
Hey Sally. Thanks for commenting. I used to feel like you did. Truthfully. I was very careful of who was in my LinkedIn network. 10 plus years later, I could care less. The way LinkedIn is set up is that it is easier to connect with people that you want to meet when you have more connections. When you are looking for a job or looking to network with people, you can connect the dots easier. You have to beat LinkedIn at their own game. They are trying to monetize every penny from the consumer to the employer. You are right, it isn’t a popularity contest, it is just an easier way to network. Like I said, we all need to network because it isn’t a matter of “If” you need to look for a new job, it is a matter of “when”.
Thanks Will
Great advice! Time to grow my LI network:)
Everyone should have a good LinkedIn presence. 🙂
You used the word that exemplifies how wrong you are about this. Recruiter. If you are running a business that takes peoples resumes and links them with other people, you are a middleman. You add absolutely nothing to this process and then want either the business or the employee to pay for this. It is like a temp agency that does not even work for you but gets paid.
My business does not use linkedin at all for hiring and would never use them. We work with dozens of business and not even one of them uses linkedin ever so why would you lie and say most use it, most don’t!
Respectfully, I 100% disagree with your statement. Normally, I would delete a response like this, but I think it is important to drive a point home here. What line of business are you in?
I must say the statement you made: “If you are running a business that takes peoples resumes and links them with other people, you are a middleman. You add absolutely nothing to this process and then want either the business or the employee to pay for this” is ridiculous.
Don’t you know that 99% of the time the candidates have absolutely no idea about an opening? They weren’t looking and they are truly “passive” candidates. I know there are bad recruiters out there, trust ME! With that being said, there are some really good ones out there who DO KNOW what the hell they are doing and create opportunities that enrich lives and the overall happiness of their careers. If I told you I had a job that gave you a 40% increase in pay and had all of the characteristics of a job you are looking for, would you ignore it? I hope not. You are being ignorant and I can also say that if you believe your company cares about you, then think again. Good luck on your next round of layoffs. It happens. Life happens. I would say, that is what I do and I am damn proud to be a recruiter and I do much more than flip resumes to the hiring manager to make a dollar.
You may say, I know everyone I need to know. Really? Are you sure about that?
I urge you to re-think your philosophy. You don’t have to use LinkedIn every day, but why be an ostrich? You may hit the lottery.