Outsmarting the Computer: Linkedin Updates

Add a summary, list key skills. Recruiters/Linkedin uses boolean searches and look for key words in resumes. This gets your resume through the automated search engines since all your skills are listed up front.

You may also want to add accomplishments to your resume/profile showing how you achieved success/met business needs/attained certain metrics. You may also want to add any promotions too!

For the same reason mentioned previously (to “get through” the boolean searches), adding skills and expertise below is helpful. Of course you don’t want to lie about what you know, but you DO want to put down all the skills and systems you have worked with. For example, if a Recruiter uses the search words “ADP” or “HRIS,” my profile will most likely pop up in their search queue.

Recommendations have been extremely helpful in my job search. They are instant reference statements that employers can see at any moment. When I was laid off in December 2011, one of the reasons I believe I got a job so quickly is because I had 7 different recommendations from coworkers, Supervisors, and Executives I worked with. There’s no better representation of a person’s work ethic than through the words of their peers. As with any reference, make sure it’s someone you can trust, and Linkedin requires your approval to post this on your profile, so if someone tries to leave you a negative statement or you don’t like the wording, you can always reject it. This is an awesome feature, I always print my recommendations out and take them on interviews stapled to my resume. I’ve even had recruiters accept these as employment references (instead of calling and completing a form).