In today’s digital age, LinkedIn has become an essential tool for networking and job searching. With over 722 million users worldwide, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network. As such, most employers now look at candidate’s LinkedIn profiles as part of the recruitment process. This raises an important question – should you proactively share your LinkedIn profile when applying for jobs?
The Arguments for Sharing Your LinkedIn Profile
Here are some of the main reasons why sharing your LinkedIn profile can benefit your job search:
- It gives recruiters more information about you – Your LinkedIn profile provides additional details about your background, skills, achievements, recommendations etc. Giving recruiters access to this can strengthen your application.
- It endorses your professional brand – Your LinkedIn presence establishes you as an expert and thought leader in your field. Sharing a strong, updated profile reinforces your professional brand.
- It demonstrates your tech-savviness – Including your LinkedIn URL proves you are adept at using an essential professional networking platform. This strengthens your application for many roles.
- It enables recruiters to vet you in advance – Recruiters will often search for candidates online before contacting them. Providing your LinkedIn makes it easier for them to find and evaluate you.
- It allows for behind-the-scenes screening – Some recruiters may use LinkedIn to discreetly screen you before bringing you in for an interview. Giving them your profile facilitates this.
- It shows you have nothing to hide – Declining to provide your LinkedIn could imply you have something in your background you wish to conceal. Sharing it demonstrates openness.
- It gives you control over the narrative – Enabling recruiters to view your profile on your terms allows you to control how they perceive your candidacy.
- It facilitates warmer outreach – Recruiters can reference shared connections, groups or content on your profile when reaching out. This helps break the ice.
- It enables relationship-building – Sharing your LinkedIn profile establishes an online relationship with recruiters that persists beyond any one role.
In summary, providing your LinkedIn profile can portray you as a modern, competent, transparent candidate while giving recruiters valuable extra context. This can elevate your candidacy and enable deeper relationships.
The Reasons Against Sharing Your LinkedIn Profile
However, there are also some potential drawbacks to consider:
- It removes mystique – Giving complete access to your background online leaves less mystery about who you are.
- It exposes your existing network – Your connections and groups on LinkedIn reveal who you know and the communities you are part of.
- It highlights any employment gaps – Any sizable gaps between jobs may become conspicuous on your profile timeline.
- It reveals your age – Your graduation dates and tenure at jobs can make your age obvious.
- It demonstrates job-hopping – Frequent changes between short-term roles can reflect poorly.
- It shows an incomplete profile – Sparse profiles with few details or recommendations raise questions.
- It spotlights unflattering content – Photos, posts or groups that convey unprofessionalism undermine you.
- It enables prescreening bias – Recruiters may inadvertently screen you out based on profile details.
- It signifies desperation – Overeagerness to share your profile can imply you are desperate for a role.
- It focuses attention on LinkedIn – Drawing focus to your LinkedIn presence can distract from strengths not conveyed there.
In short, sharing your profile exposes you to scrutiny, assumptions and unconscious bias. This could unintentionally derail your candidacy early on.
Best Practices for Sharing Your LinkedIn Profile
Given the valid pros and cons on both sides, the decision around sharing your LinkedIn profile is a matter of personal preference and context. However, if you do choose to provide your profile, here are some best practices to follow:
- Only share a robust, complete profile – Your profile should have a professional photo, branded headline, summarized roles and a detailed experience section at minimum.
- Clean up your content – Remove unprofessional posts. Omit controversial groups. Eliminate unflattering photos.
- Be selective about connections – Prune any dubious contacts from your network.
- Expand your audience – Beyond connections, customize your profile URL and settings to be public.
- Enable recruiter alerts – Turn on notifications so you know when recruiters view your profile.
- Personalize any outreach – When sharing your profile URL directly, include a warm, tailored message.
- Update your privacy settings – Adjust your settings so only necessary information is visible to wider audiences.
- Remove sensitive details – Omit elements like contact info, birthdate and location to maintain some privacy.
- Link to a printable version – Provide a PDF version that preserves your branding and omits interactive elements.
- Be selective about when to share – Consider timing and context when deciding which applications warrant sharing your profile.
Following these tips helps maximize the upside of sharing your LinkedIn profile while minimizing any potential downsides.
Should You Include Your LinkedIn URL on Your Resume?
Given how vital LinkedIn is for recruiters, another key question is whether you should proactively include your LinkedIn profile URL on your resume. Here are some things to consider:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Shows tech-savviness | Clutters resume design |
| Enables quick vetting | Redirects focus from resume |
| Facilitates contact | Not always appropriate |
| Strengthens professional brand | Raises privacy concerns |
Overall, the best practice is to include your LinkedIn URL strategically only when it adds value and fits with the role. For example, when applying for tech, marketing, or communications roles where LinkedIn proficiency is valued, including your profile link can strengthen your resume. But for conservative fields like finance or government, an explicit URL may seem inappropriate or distracting.
How to Share Your LinkedIn Profile While Job Searching
Assuming you decide sharing your LinkedIn profile can benefit your candidacy, here are some tips on how to share it effectively:
On Your Resume
- Add a LinkedIn icon and URL visibly in the contact section
- Hyperlink your name to your profile
- List your customized public profile URL
On Online Job Applications
- Paste your profile link in the Website field if available
- Include your LinkedIn URL in your cover letter
With Your Application Emails
- Mention your LinkedIn in your email signature
- Include a line in your cover letter inviting viewers to connect or view your profile
Networking with Recruiters
- Reference your LinkedIn profile in outreach emails or messages
- Add a link to your profile in your email signature
- Mention your profile and openness to connecting when meeting recruiters
The key is to share your profile selectively, tactfully, and only when appropriate so that it comes across as value-added rather than promotional.
Conclusion
Sharing your LinkedIn profile during your job search is a strategic decision with compelling arguments on both sides. Much depends on your specific situation and priorities. However, if you cultivate a robust, professional profile and share it selectively, doing so can often tilt the scales in your favor. Just be mindful of any downsides and utilize best practices to control your narrative.
Ultimately, your LinkedIn presence is a powerful asset in today’s digital hiring landscape. But it requires careful management to maximize its impact. With a thoughtful approach, sharing your profile can be a difference-maker that elevates your candidacy and propels your career trajectory upward.