By Adrienne Erin
Contributor, Online Career Tips
If you’re in the market for a new job, you know standing out from the crowd and doing things right is of the upmost importance. This applies in both the big picture and the little details in today’s competitive market. So while you’re preparing your interview questions, cover letter and resume, don’t forget to put your best foot forward via your social media accounts, namely by giving your LinkedIn profile a refresh, too. But it’s important to note it’s not as simple as copy and pasting from one to the other – in general, your resume should be short and sweet, while LinkedIn gives you a chance to elaborate. Here are some general rules for things that belong on your profile (and not your resume).
Every Single Job You’ve Held
When reworking your resume for a particular position, it’s important to angle it for that job. This means aligning the objective and your skills to match the job you’re applying for. LinkedIn gives you more leeway and is more extensive. While a prospective employer might not be interested in your high school job at a hardware store, there’s room on the profile, and on a grander scale, it shows you were responsible enough to hold down a job at a young age. According to Mashable, your LinkedIn profile can serve as your broad “master resume,” and you can pull from it to create unique resumes, per position.
Recommendations
Space is precious on a one-page resume, so don’t waste it by listing references. Employers either know to ask for them when/if needed, or will get that list via the formal job application you access online. But on LinkedIn, recommendations are a great thing. Since space abounds, you have the ability to reach out to numerous managers, bosses and team members who you worked with in the past, and ask them to write a quick summary about your performance. It’s a great place to house and showcase feedback, which can speak volumes. Plus, recruiters are known to pay special attention to this section of your profile.
Private Info
When it comes to things like your age and marital status, it’s up to you if you want to include them on your LinkedIn profile – but it’s highly recommended that you don’t include them on your resume. Unfortunately, age discrimination is still a factor many worry about, and some take marital status into account when hiring for a position. Keep your resume strictly about your work, sharing those more private details only on LinkedIn, should you so desire.
Interests
Unless your interests are strongly tied to the job you’re applying for (example: Volunteering at an alcohol rehab center when hoping to get hired as a counselor at your local rehab facility), they only belong on your LinkedIn profile. While things like the fact you enjoy writing and are taking classes to learn how to fix cars are interesting, they take up precious space on your resume without being very helpful.
The key here is to find a balance between sharing applicable information and simply over-sharing. I say, when in doubt, keep it off the resume. Here’s hoping these tips help you in your job search – good luck!
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