Don’t forget to add this to your resume

I have read several studies recently that claim that between 80 to 90 percent of all recruiters are using social networking sites to gain additional insight into the candidates they are interviewing.  If you are currently job hunting, you will want to make sure that your making it easy for your future employer to find the information they are looking for.  The easiest way to do this is to include your Linkedin address on your resume and direct them to your profile.  This will allow you to provide the recruiter with a more complete picture of you and can work to your advantage.

Where should I include my Linkedin address?

There are two places that I recommend to my resume writing clients.  The most common is in the header right after your email address.  The second place is at the very end.  I like this option best and recommend this to my resume writing clients.  Instead of ending your resume with a boring statement like – “References furnished upon request,”  why not spice it up by saying - ”Check out my profile at linkedin.com/in/dankeller for more information.”

Here are a couple of tips to help you get the most out of this technique:

• Make sure you have recommendations – It is essential that you have at least a couple of positive recommendations.  A profile with zero recommendations may be a red flag.
• Customize your address- Make sure to change the generic address that Linkedin provides.  It is very easy to get a personalized address.  The extra two minutes it will take to make the change will go a long way in creating a professional image.
• Image matters- Make sure you have a picture on your profile.  Since Linkedin is a professional networking site, I recommend a professional picture.  I am sporting a suit in my profile picture, which is much different then the profile picture you will see on my Twitter or Facebook account.

Bottom Line:  If you know that recruiters will be searching for you online, why not direct them to a place where you are putting your best foot forward.

5 Responses to “Don’t forget to add this to your resume”

1. John Papers says:

   December 18, 2010 at 8:00 am

   Can you write more about “Don’t forget to add this to your resume”..?
   I am making a list of the “Don’t forget to add this to your resume”..
   John..
2. Jeff Umbach says:

   November 23, 2010 at 9:15 pm

   While I don’t put it on my already overly crowded resume, I do include my LinkedIn address on my personal business cards. Since you can’t carry resumes with you all the time, nor is it proper to be handing them out to everyone you meet, having it on a card with your desired position and contact info makes for a way to help new contacts keep you in mind.
3. Sandy says:

   November 3, 2010 at 1:45 pm

   Your advice about adding the LinkedIn information is a great way to let others know you are up to date on the most current social media trends. I agree that you want to have a couple of good recommendations included. Great tip for today’s job seekers!
4. Nick Schaefer says:

   October 13, 2010 at 3:45 pm

   Good article. I really like the idea of placing the LinkedIn URL at the bottom of the resume–replacing the “references” part. Good idea.
5. classycareergirl says:

   October 12, 2010 at 11:51 pm

   I never thought about putting my linkedin profile on a resume but that is a good recommendation. I guess I will have to do some work on my profile and make sure it is perfect! Thanks for the tips!