I’ve been putting into action for my clients a terrific suggestion from Jason Alba of Jibber Jobber. In his book “I’m on LinkedIn, Now What?”, he mentions that an online profile can stand in for your resume. Whether you’re in a job search or interested in career management best-practices, this is something you should consider and applies to any profile you have on an online social networking site.
Once you have a great branded resume that differentiates all the best you have to offer, you can use it in several ways. Working from a text version of your resume, you can literally copy and paste chunks of your resume into appropriate sections of your online profile. If you have a hard-hitting brand statement in your resume – and hopefully you do – place that at the beginning of the profile summary for the best impact. The very first thing people notice in your profile can make or break whether they’ll read the whole thing and consider you.
It’s also a good idea to personalize your profile URL. Edit the default indistinct mix of letters and numbers at the end so your URL reads:
www.linkedin.com/in/yourname
Including a link to your online profile in emails to your network and/or hiring decision-makers accomplishes a few things, including:
Immediate access to powerful, branded information about you with just one click, no need to open attachments.
The fact that you’re on LinkedIn and have a brand-focused profile sends the message that you’re up to date and embrace the latest trends in career management and personal marketing.
As Jason notes, sending your resume says, “Can you help me?” But sending a link to your branded online profile says, “Here’s who I am, check it out.” A confident, forward-thinking way to present yourself.
I’m not at all proposing to abandon resumes in job search. They will always be important and necessary. I’m just laying out a way to go beyond traditional resume distribution. This practice of sending a link to your profile can make a difference when you’re networking your way to your next great career opportunity.
