Excellent LinkedIn profile but should we rely on it?

Social media usage has increased significantly over the last few years and LinkedIn is a place where this is abundantly clear.

Originally the playground of the ‘white collar’ worker LinkedIn now proves itself to be an arena for factual but sometimes extravagant professional working profiles.

More and more employers will have accounts and build a network of contacts which are relevant to their world. On occasion potential hires will be scrutinised according to their credentials presented on the account but can this add to the ambiguity of accurate information?

When reviewing any profile it always pays to delve into the basics:

Does the individual have more than one account? (creating a varied presence online)

Academic records, can these be accounted for?

Length of time at previous companies and responsibilities (is this factual and accurate)

Whether you’re an advocate of the wonderful ‘endorsement’ system or not the more preferable gauge for credibility would be recommendations stating a clear testimonial from hopefully a relevant individual

More and more people are actively making their CV redundant and opting for the electronic link to their profile. In the past the validity of CV’s could sometimes be questionable and we should move forward with the times by being just as prudent with the digital version of the modern CV.

Written by Stephen Minney

Managing Consultant at SET Recruitment (A trading name of Aaron Wallis Recruitment and Training Ltd), Self Confessed Geeks who live with their commitment to technology

You can contact Stephen on 01908 764280 or stephen.minney@setrecruitment.co.uk