In today’s digital age, LinkedIn has become an indispensable tool for professionals looking to network, build their personal brand, and advance their careers. With over 722 million users worldwide, LinkedIn is the largest professional networking platform and a key part of many job seekers’ strategies. But do employers actually look at LinkedIn profiles when assessing candidates? The short answer is yes – 98% of recruiters use LinkedIn to vet and evaluate potential hires.
LinkedIn profiles provide hiring managers and recruiters with a wealth of information beyond what can be gleaned from a resume alone. A comprehensive, well-branded LinkedIn presence allows candidates to showcase their skills, experience, recommendations, portfolios and more. Employers use LinkedIn to vet candidates in the following ways:
Profile Screening
93% of recruiters will review a candidate’s LinkedIn profile before making a hiring decision. They look for several things:
– Professional headline and summary – Do they accurately capture the candidate’s experience and goals? Are there typos or errors?
– Experience – Does the experience listed match the candidate’s resume? Are there any red flags or gaps unexplained?
– Skills – What skills are listed? Do they correspond to the role requirements?
– Recommendations – Do connections and colleagues endorse the candidate’s skills and work ethic?
– Groups and activities – Is the candidate active in relevant professional groups and associations?
– Profile completeness – An incomplete profile may signal that the candidate is not detail-oriented or serious about their job search.
Background Checks
79% of recruiters use LinkedIn to perform background checks on candidates. They look for consistency across the candidate’s online presence and any red flags:
– Do claims about education, certifications and experience check out?
– Does the candidate have recommendations from managers at previous companies listed on their resume?
– Are there any endorsements or feedback that seem questionable?
– Are there concerning gaps in employment or obvious career downgrades unexplained?
– Are the candidate’s posts and groups consistent with their professional brand?
– Are there discrepancies between the candidate’s resume and LinkedIn profile?
Cultural Fit Assessment
LinkedIn provides key insights into a candidate’s personality, communication style, interests and values. Recruiters assess cultural fit in the following ways:
– Personality comes through in the profile photo, headline, summary and work examples. Is it a match with company culture?
– What types of groups has the candidate joined? Do they align with company values/causes?
– What does the candidate post about? Do they share content relevant to industry trends and best practices?
– How do they communicate with their network? Is their tone friendly, helpful and appropriate?
– Who do they follow and connect with? What does their network reveal about shared interests/values?
Digital Competency
A thoughtful, complete LinkedIn presence demonstrates a candidate’s ability to navigate professional social media effectively. Key factors assessed:
– Profile optimization – keywords, headline, media use
– Regularly updated work history and participation
– Strong portfolio presence
– Large network of genuine connections and followers
– Active engagement through posts, likes and comments
– Recommendations from managers and colleagues
– Overall brand polish and consistency
When Do Employers Review LinkedIn Profiles?
Employers leverage LinkedIn at every stage of the hiring process:
1. Sourcing Candidates
Even before a role is posted, recruiters search LinkedIn for potential matches based on skills, experience and connections. A robust profile means you can be discovered and contacted about opportunities.
2. Assessing Applicants
Once resumes come in, LinkedIn provides additional context beyond the 1-2 pages of a resume. Recruiters look for red flags, cultural fit and qualifications.
3. Interview Diligence
Prior to interviews, recruiters use LinkedIn to verify resume details and prepare questions based on skills, experience and interests observed.
4. Finalist Vetting
The final step before presenting finalists to a hiring manager, recruiters thoroughly vet LinkedIn profiles, looking for any reason to disqualify.
5. Closing Candidates
To make a final hiring decision, recruiters may reach out to a candidate’s network for references or feedback provided on LinkedIn.
How Much Weight Do Employers Give LinkedIn?
While a LinkedIn profile alone won’t make or break most candidacies, it does carry significant influence. Some key statistics:
– 70% of recruiters reconsider candidates based on their LinkedIn presence
– 80% of recruiters use LinkedIn to vet passive candidates not actively job searching
– 59% have reconsidered a candidate based on their LinkedIn profile content
– 78% of hiring managers are unwilling to interview a candidate with an incomplete LinkedIn profile
So while LinkedIn is rarely the sole determiner in a hiring decision, it does play a pivotal role in forming a candidate’s overall image and viability. An exceptional profile can get a foot in the door, while a poor presence can remove you from consideration.
What LinkedIn Red Flags Do Employers Watch For?
While every employer weighs criteria differently, there are some common red flags that sour candidacies:
– Spelling/grammar errors
– Content inconsistent with resume details
– Discrepancies in job titles, timelines, skills
– Gaps in work history unexplained
– Lack of recommendations from managers
– Controversial political/social content
– Appearances of career downgrades
– Minimal endorsements and follower engagement
– Lack of portfolio/work examples
– Duplicate versions of profile
– Incomplete profile sections
– Generic, repetitive or keyword-stuffed content
– Main profile photo is unprofessional
– Connections to senior level profiles they haven’t actually worked with
What Gives a LinkedIn Profile a Competitive Edge?
While a poor LinkedIn presence can remove you from consideration, an exceptional one can set you apart. Here are some profile enhancements that can give you a competitive advantage:
A Customized URL
Using your name instead of a generic URL makes you more searchable and memorable.
A Professional Headline
Summarize your current focus and skills tailored to target roles vs. just a job title.
A Branded, Polished Banner Photo
Showcase your personality and values visually with a banner that reinforces your professional identity.
A Compelling Summary
Share career narratives that bring your experience to life and showcase soft skills.
5+ Skills with Endorsements
List key skills with tangible examples and endorsements from connections.
3-5 Recent Recommendations
Positive feedback from managers carries significant weight.
Content Showcasing Thought Leadership
Share articles, presentations, videos and original content that displays your subject matter expertise.
Proof of Certifications
Listing certifications allows you to substantiate key skills and depth of knowledge.
Ongoing Activity and Engagement
Stay active by liking, commenting, posting and joining groups. This shows you’re invested in your network and industry.
Contacts Who Authentically Know Your Work
Quality connections who can vouch for you make a profile stand out.
Above All — Authenticity
The most important thing is representing your genuine skills, values and personality.
10 LinkedIn Profile Tips to Catch Employers’ Attention
Here are 10 key strategies to make employers take notice of your LinkedIn presence:
| Tip | Details |
|---|---|
| Choose the Right Headline | Summarize your current professional identity vs. just a job title |
| Showcase Your Authentic Personality | Let your summary and content reflect who you are |
| Demonstrate Thought Leadership | Share content that displays expertise in your focus area |
| Optimize with Keywords | Incorporate keywords recruiters search for |
| Highlight Hard and Soft Skills | List key skills and get endorsements |
| Promote Your Portfolio | Display and link to your best projects |
| Engage With Your Network | Comment, like and share to stay active |
| Join Relevant Groups | Show you’re invested in your industry |
| Collect Recent Recommendations | Positive feedback from managers is key |
| Customize Your URL | Use your name to be searchable |
Do Employers View LinkedIn Profiles Differently By Industry?
While most employers rely heavily on LinkedIn to vet candidates, there are some differences by industry:
Technology
Tech recruiters look for coding languages, technical skills, portfolio projects, and recommendations/endorsements displaying capabilities.
Finance
Financial services want to see certifications like CFA, Series 7, etc. along with business metrics and continuity in relevant roles.
Healthcare
Healthcare employers look for required licenses and specific medical experience/specialties endorsed by colleagues.
Engineering
Engineering recruiters seek out technical expertise, patents held, recommendations from superiors, and membership in key professional organizations.
Education
For educators, teaching certificates, leadership roles, student endorsements, and group involvement are weighted heavily.
Marketing/Media
Content sharing, creative examples, media, followers, and thought leadership establish subject matter expertise.
Sales
Awards, rankings, recommendations from managers, connections to past clients, and content sharing build credibility for sales roles.
Should You Customize Your Profile for Each Application?
Maintaining one robust, comprehensive profile with your full work history allows you to customize what hiring managers see for each opportunity while keeping all information up-to-date in one place.
To customize for a specific role:
– Update your headline with keywords from the job description
– Add any newly gained skills sought for the role
– Make your summary specific to the company/role
– Rearrange your work history to highlight the most relevant experiences
– Add projects and content that demonstrate desired abilities
This allows you to hone in on the skills and achievements most pertinent to each application. Just be sure not to substantially alter your overall brand or work chronology.
How Often Should You Update Your LinkedIn Profile?
As a best practice, you should update your LinkedIn at least once per quarter to keep it current. More specifically:
– Update work history when changing roles or gaining major accomplishments
– Add new skills as they are developed
– Share content/articles consistently
– Engage with your network regularly
– Join relevant new groups over time
– Collect recommendations/endorsements after major projects
– Revise your headline and summary based on current goals
– Change featured work samples when gaining new projects
The more active you are, the more opportunities your network has to endorse you and increase the strength of your profile. Routinely keeping it updated ensures your profile never stagnates and always accurately reflects your most recent experience.
Conclusion
In today’s digital hiring landscape, your LinkedIn presence is undoubtedly part of your professional identity and personal brand that employers will evaluate.
An exceptional, comprehensive profile can get you on recruiters’ radar for opportunities and offers a platform to demonstrate your leadership, knowledge and capabilities beyond what a resume can capture.
Conversely, red flags, gaps or errors on your profile can remove you from consideration. That’s why it’s critical to thoughtfully optimize and maintain an accurate, polished presence that convinces employers you have the skills, experience and professionalism to excel in your next role.