Should I Add LinkedIn to My Resume?

The social networking world has become a major part of daily life. You can meet new people, catch up with old buddies, join groups, and even play games with others. One major aspect of the social networking realm that has become vital to workers is job seeking. On sites like LinkedIn, you can not only post your resume and garner recommendations, but also network with others as you search for opportunities.

Because LinkedIn in particular has become such a major cornerstone of job seeking, some seekers have begun to question whether they should add a link to their LinkedIn profile on their resume. It’s definitely not a bad idea. In fact, it can increase an employer’s knowledge of your career. However, you want to make sure that if you do add the link, you do it the right way. So if this idea has also crossed your mind, consider the following tips …

Your Resume and LinkedIn Page Should Match

Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if you sent your resume to a prospective employer with your LinkedIn link, only to realize later that day that a date was incorrect on your profile, or you forgot to add a former position to your resume? It’s bad enough to have an error on your resume, but if there are inconsistencies between your LinkedIn page and resume, you will undoubtedly look bad in the employer’s eyes.

Make Sure You Enhance Your LinkedIn Profile

What’s great about LinkedIn is that you have options to enhance your profile that can’t be achieved with a resume. For instance, you can take advantage of recommendations where those you’ve connected with can write personal professional references. Giving employers this virtual reference list can cut down a lot of work for them. Also, you’re giving them access to potentially dozens of opinions of you versus the three to five they would receive through the standard job application.

Leave the Dirt on Your Private Profiles

There’s nothing wrong with having a fun Internet life, but as you know, there are always risks involved. If an employer sees pictures of you slumped over with your drinking buddies, this may very well work against you in the application process. Of course, anyone with half a gnat’s brain should know not to post a crazy picture on their LinkedIn profile; however, choosing the appropriate contacts and even what’s written for your recommendations can make just as much a difference when employers are studying your page to determine who they may be dealing with.

Be Prepared for Employers to Follow Up with Your Connections

If you have 100 connections on your LinkedIn page and you offer your link on your resume, be prepared for any employer you apply with to try to follow up with any one of those connections. If you feel leery about this possibility, you may want to think about leaving the link off your resume because it could occur.

Adding your LinkedIn page to your resume can be a great idea as long as you have covered all of your bases in the process. If you have, then you might take advantage of this option as it may increase your chances of being hired for your desired position.