Your LinkedIn Profile and Resume Should Not Be Identical

The previous post on this blog focused on four ways job seekers and jump-start their job search. Identifying what kind of jobs you want to search and apply for is one step followed by updating your resume and LinkedIn profile. Based on my experience as an employer, many people mistakenly assume they should copy and paste the content from the former into the latter. Erica Breuer, founder of Cake Resumes, wrote an article for The Muse that presents four differences between the LinkedIn profile and resume.

1. It Should Tell a Bigger Story

Ms. Breuer says "[y]our LinkedIn profile is a place for all that additional color you cut your from your resume to make it one page. But I'm not just talking about including portfolio items, projects, more skills, and so on (although those are great things to incorporate).

"Let's take your professional experiences section, for example. You have the opportunity to give the backstory on interesting twists and turns that can't be explained on your resume. So, instead of sticking with bullets, share a bit about your work."

Similar to the resume, I recommend including milestones or measurements of success as you tell your bigger story on your LinkedIn profile.

2. It Shouldn't Be Tailored

I agree with Ms. Breuer that "[y]our profile should include a few crowd-pleaser items that will appeal to a wider audience." Regularly sharing articles that you find interesting gives people an understanding of the sources that help you make informed decisions, which is a valued-skill to many employers.

Moreover, authoring an article, which provides insights into how you synthesize information or identify a problem and formulate proposed solution(s), is another feature you can utilize to help make your LinkedIn profile standout from the crowd. Publishing an article also provides people within your network with an understanding of your written communication style, which many employers, myself included, find valuable.

Ms. Breuer's second point provides a reminder for job seekers to tailor their resume to the position they are pursuing.

3. It Should Include Back-up

"On your resume," Ms. Breur explains, "information is more or less taken at face value until it's time for your interview. But when you're making statements about your talents or work style on LinkedIn, you have the advantage of backing your claims up."

She adds: "You can say, 'I always go the extra mile' in your summary, but a dazzling recommendation from a former boss proves it. Or, instead of just including that you love to write, keep your profile's publications section up to date with new articles. Are you an expert with Salesforce? Get the skill endorsements to reflect it."

It is important to note, however, that I have endorsements for skills from people whom I have never met. Unfortunately, this diminishes the value of skill endorsements. Nevertheless, I certainly support posting recommendations from your former colleagues, clients or managers to your LinkedIn profile.

4. It Shouldn't Be Too Formal

"Robotic third-person resume language is not going to cut it here," says Ms. Breur. "A summary that reads like a bio on the back of a book is one that no one reads. Instead, draft it by writing the way you speak."

I support her suggestion of using "a conversational tone and pepper in details about your work that humanize you. Don't just talk about what you do; talk about why you love doing it. Instead of focusing on the number of years of experience you have in XYZ industry, explain how you got your start there. Weave in bits about the types of teams you've enjoyed working on, your personal philosophy, or what kinds of projects inspire you the most."

Lastly, the Muse published an article that contains a useful infographic entitled "17 LinkedIn Profile Must-Haves." Below are a few points that I see of particular value in having a strong LinkedIn profile:

Brand Your Professional Headline

"Include information designed to encourage your potential visitor to find out more about you."

Align Your Industry

"Be found by the right people by being specific about your industry(s)."

Be Active!

"Update your status on a regular basis" and "share thoughtful/insightful news within your industry."

Strut Your Stuff!
- "Add items to your profile, such as projects, test scores, courses, patents, certifications, and volunteer/causes."

- Looking for work? 42% of hiring managers surveyed say they view volunteer experience as equivalent to formal work experience."

Join Relevant LinkedIn Groups
- "There are more than 200 conversations happening each minute across LinkedIn Groups."

- "Joining a Group lets other contact you using the Group messaging feature."

- "STATISTIC: 81% of users belong to at least one group."

While not mentioned in the infographic, the value in participating in a LinkedIn Group provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge with people whom may be a prospective employer or have knowledge of an available job opening.

What do you think makes for a strong LinkedIn profile?

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of GT Perspectives, an online forum focused on turning perspective into opportunity.

Using Blockchain to Verify a Candidate's Credentials and Fill Job Vacancies

Image: APPII

While researching articles for the previous post on this blog about Microsoft's Resume Assistant, which aims to help craft a compelling resume and see relevant job opportunities on LinkedIn, I read an article by Bernard Marr in Forbes who writes that "a new and potentially revolutionary application of blockchain technology could have wide-ranging implications for the way employers assess candidates and fill vacancies."

APPII Limited, Mr. Marr says, leverages blockchain’s function "as a 'trustless' system to give employers confidence that the candidate sitting in front of him is who he or she say they are." Based in London, England, APPII claimes to be "the world's first blockchain career verification platform."

"Blockchain," Mr. Marr notes, "is basically a method of recording information on a distributed and encrypted ledger – eliminating the need for trust, or middle-men in many applications. Today it is best known as the breakthrough technology behind virtual currency Bitcoin. But it has implications for any industry which relies on recording, storing and tracking transactions."

He further provides a thorough, yet simple explanation on how APPII's platform works:

APPII's platform allows candidates to create Intelligent Profiles – recording details of professional achievement or educational certification on the distributed ledger, where it can be verified and then permanently recorded.

It then allows organizations such as businesses or educational institutions to verify the "assertions" that candidates make during applications. By recording on a candidate’s profile that an assertion has been verified, there is no need for it to be checked again in the future.

It also uses facial recognition technology to verify the identity of candidates, by asking them to take a picture using the mobile app and comparing it to a photograph on official identification documents such as passports.

I share Mr. Marr's enthusiasm that "it's certainly very exciting to see blockchain starting to be put to use in some innovative ways, and making it possible for us to do things we just wouldn’t be able to do before. The concept of a distributed and encrypted ledger has obvious implications in finance - where many are speculating it can replace many of the traditional functions of a bank. But beyond that, I believe it can effectively and innovatively be put to use for just about any function which involves recording, verifying and tracking data."

In addition, I support APPII's assertion that "having the credentials of an individuals CV verified by educators or accreditors and former employers is of enormous benefit." The company further says,

Blockchain technology can be put to great use in the recruitment sector. The recruitment sector after all is a broker industry. The technology can assist in expediting commodity processes undertaken by intermediaries unlocking valuable capital to be put to better use by employers in growing or optimizing their businesses.

In APPIIs case, the broker role currently undertaken by 3rd party verification companies is superseded by the blockchain technology and network. The technology makes the process immeasurably faster and, at the same time, ultra-trustworthy.

The blockchain technology ensures that the verification activity only happens once and is stored securely and permanently for any person or organisation that wishes to view it. The technology also eradicates double handling and processing by multiple verification providers.

What do you think about using blockchain to verify an individual's curriculum vitae/resume or as a job recruitment tool?

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

Microsoft's New Tool to Help Craft a Compelling Resume and See Relevant Job Opportunities on LinkedIn

Photo: Microsoft

In a post published on this blog on Oct. 27, 2017, I discussed my motivation for co-founding CareerLight, LLC; namely, to help international students in the United States prepare for a successful career. Another reason for my involvement with the Seattle, Wash.-based company is to learn about how technology is used in human resource management and job recruiting. Therefore, I found interest in reading a blog post by Kylan Nieh, senior product manager at LinkedIn, about the release of Resume Assistant, a tool that integrates with Microsoft Word, through the Office 365 productivity software-as-a-service platform, in crafting a "compelling resume" and "see relevant job opportunities on LinkedIn that are personalized for you."

I agree with Mr. Nieh that "creating a resume that accurately represents who you are, what you've done and in a way that is tailored to the role you're aspiring to, is one of the biggest challenges for professionals." With the aim of overcoming this challenge, a user will select their desired role and industry and then the "Resume Assistant will pull LinkedIn insights from millions of member profiles so you can see diverse examples of how professionals in that role describe their work."

Photo: Microsoft

"Highlighting the right skills can help you get discovered by recruiters, but how do you choose which are the right ones to include on your resume?" Mr. Nieh asks. "Within Resume Assistant, you can see the skills other successful professionals in your desired role and industry have, so you can add them if applicable."

Resume Assistant will also provide users with the ability to"see relevant job listings from LinkedIn's 11 million+ active job openings to jump start" their search. Mr. Nieh notes that "along with job openings, you'll see details of what the job requires, helping you to tailor your resume to a specific role."

Moreover, "If you see something you like, you can go directly to the job opening on LinkedIn where you can learn more about the opportunity and apply. Within Resume Assistant you'll also see the option to turn on Open Candidates. This feature on LinkedIn quietly signals to recruiters that you’re open to new opportunities, and makes you twice as likely to hear from recruiters."

Bryan Goode, general manager for Office 365, notes: "The workplace is changing, impacting not only how people work, but also the frequency with which they change roles, introducing new challenges for job seekers. Nearly 70 percent of people say they have difficulty portraying their work experience effectively, and 50 percent struggle to tailor their resume to a specific job opportunity. Furthermore, job applications on LinkedIn have increased 40 percent year-over-year, signaling increased competition for jobs."

Mr. Goode asserts that "with over 80 percent of resumes updated in Word, Resume Assistant helps job seekers showcase accomplishments, be more easily discovered by recruiters, and find their ideal job."

Microsoft produced a short video about its Resume Assistant:



I am excited to see how other technologies including artificial intelligence (AI) will provide value to the arduous job search process.

Will you use the Resume Assistant tool? Do you have recommendations on how to create an outstanding resume?

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

Do Your Homework Before a Meeting

This post is a bit of rant about some of my professional experiences during the past few months. One of my professional strengths is that I arrive at meetings extremely prepared. I take the time to learn as much as possible about a company or person prior to my meeting. I review websites, new articles, press releases, and business reports just to name a few, which may take several hours of my time. In a business meeting, one party is seeking to gain something from the other. If you are looking to benefit from an individual's knowledge or sources (financial, technical, contacts, etc.), please take the time to learn about the person's business and interests prior to the meeting.

For example, a gentleman was seeking funding for a project he organized to develop businesses for the local population in central Africa. (On the surface, this project was aligned with my business and social interests.) Via e-mail, he sent me a 27-page business plan that contained all the financial and logistical details. Since he is in California and I am in Seattle, we agreed to allocate some time on the telephone so that I can listen to his pitch. I spent two hours the night before going over every detail of his business strategy. Can you imagine how dismayed I was when he informed me that he did not take the time to visit my website and blog to learn about my interests and background? A simple online search of my name would have led to my blog, LinkedIn profile, and Twitter page. His lack of preparedness was a key reason I decided not to support his project.

Another individual contacted me about getting involved with a couple of my entrepreneurial or consulting projects. He was referred to me by a good friend who thought that I can provide some advice or useful contacts. I was happy to schedule some time to meet for a cup of coffee and suggested that this person send his résumé to me prior to our meeting. I took the time to review his résumé and provided comments and recommendations to strengthen the document from an employer's perspective. Again, through our conversation, I learned that this individual failed to take the time to "Google" me.

I think many people underestimate the value of first impressions. Showing up at a meeting unprepared is the quickest way to fail in pitching your proposal. With today's electronic sources, it is easy to search a name and find information about a company or individual. The person you are meeting with is allocating a portion of their valuable time, so please make an effort to learn about their business or personal interests beforehand. Conduct your due diligence and arrive prepared!!

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.