Do Recruiters Really Trust Your LinkedIn Recommendations
If you’re about to start a job search, you can expect nearly every company will look at your LinkedIn profile shortly after reviewing your resume. What they see not only has to do with your work experience, but also what groups you belong to and what others are saying about you.
LinkedIn is the online destination for professionals. When someone from your network endorses your skills, others can see that. With increased visibility to decision makers who are looking for new candidates, your network and those endorsements could make a huge difference. But, only if companies really use and trust them.
Endorsers Profiles
Endorsements only support professional experience when the endorser has his or her own strong LinkedIn profile. If your endorsements come from people unrelated to your work history, then how do they really know your professional strengths and skills? Recommendations from colleagues with complete and detailed LinkedIn profiles have more legitimacy.
Link People and Projects
LinkedIn allows you to upload photos and projects, so you can provide an online portfolio of your experience. It makes a much stronger impact to have an endorsement from a connection that worked with you on a project posted on your profile. This adds credibility to your skills.
Recommendations aren’t references
While endorsements can help give credibility to your LinkedIn profile, they aren’t the same as a reference. You still want to have strong supporters willing to help sell you to an employer on a search. These potential employers will not weigh your LinkedIn endorsements as heavily references.
Distribution of Endorsements
If you have twenty skills down, but only half of those are endorsed, what impression do you think that will have on a potential employer? Will it look like you’re very strong in some areas, but not others? Perhaps it will reflect poorly on your self-perception. Maybe it will seem like you aren’t truly aware of your own strengths and talents? Be very intentional with the skills you choose, so that the endorsements reflect all of you. If you have skills listed that aren’t getting endorsed, try to find out why.
Whether or not an employer takes endorsements seriously depends entirely on the individual company. The hiring team may or may not even use social media in their selection process. However, that’s no excuse to let your online profile slide. In today’s high-tech, social networking society, job seekers must maintain a robust professional online persona.
Is it time to revamp your brand on LinkedIn? If you are thinking of changing jobs, contact the experienced recruiters at Burnett and Choice Specialists for their assistance. With our help, you can get connected to job opportunities that fit your life, goals and skills.
