Dear Sam: What impact does an absence on LinkedIn have on employment? Is it a sign of covering up your employment history or a lack of knowledge? Or do employers care? – Peg
Dear Peg: It depends. If you are in a professional position where networking and some level of technical aptitude are expected, the lack of a LinkedIn profile could harm you. Not only is LinkedIn a professional networking site, but it is also a prominent recruitment tool used by recruiters and employers to source candidates, so the ramification of you not having a profile extends far beyond your ability or lack thereof to “push” information to your target audience. On the “pull” side of a job search — where employers and recruiters actively search for you versus the other way around — if you do not have a profile, you not only won’t be putting your best virtual foot forward, but you will have a lesser chance of being found during profile searches.
Now, having said that, I believe the absence of a profile is a better option than having a lackluster profile. If you are going to have a profile, be sure it is worth the reader’s time to review it. I’d say for it to be worth your time investment on LinkedIn, you should virtualize the majority of your contacts, add targeted content from your resume to engage searchers and connections, join groups and associations to reinforce your brand, seek recommendations to attach to your roles, and accept skill endorsements from your connections. You’ll see there is much more to LinkedIn than just having a profile or not having a profile. To make it effective, you must put some time and effort into it, but I promise it will be well worth your investment if you do so.
Samantha Nolan is an Advanced Personal Branding Strategist and Career Expert, founder and CEO of Nolan Branding. Do you have a resume, career, or job search question for Dear Sam? Reach Samantha at dearsam@nolanbranding.com. For information on Nolan Branding’s services, visit www.nolanbranding.com or call 888-9-MY-BRAND or 614-570-3442.