With the rise of professional social networking sites like LinkedIn, job seekers today have more options than ever when it comes to how they present themselves to potential employers. Some choose to rely solely on their resumes and cover letters, avoiding social media altogether. Others create robust LinkedIn profiles to complement their traditional application materials. So which approach gives you the best chance of landing the job? There are pros and cons to each method.
Applying Without LinkedIn
Some job seekers prefer to apply the old fashioned way, submitting a resume and cover letter without any social media presence. Here are some potential benefits to this approach:
Avoid overexposure
By opting out of LinkedIn, you limit the amount of personal information available to employers during the hiring process. This allows you to carefully control how you present yourself through your resume and interview responses. You don’t have to worry about employers making judgments based on your LinkedIn connections, group memberships, or other profile details.
Focus on qualifications
Applying without LinkedIn forces employers to evaluate you solely on your resume credentials and interview performance. There is no social media presence to distract from your substantive qualifications for the role. This can be advantageous if you have limited connections or groups on LinkedIn.
Personal touch
A traditional application centered around a resume and cover letter can give hiring managers a better sense of your personality and writing abilities compared to a LinkedIn profile. You have more control over these materials to inject your unique voice and story.
Applying With LinkedIn
While the traditional approach has benefits, leveraging LinkedIn as part of your application can also be advantageous in many cases. Here are some of the key advantages:
Broader exposure
With over 722 million users globally, LinkedIn offers unmatched exposure and networking opportunities. Your profile serves as a 24/7 online resume visible to countless recruiters and hiring managers. This gives your candidacy a much wider reach than just submitting to a specific role.
Professional endorsement
Recommendations and endorsements on your LinkedIn profile from former managers, colleagues, and clients serve as “social proof” of your abilities. This extra credibility can give you a leg up on the competition.
Demonstrates tech-savviness
The simple fact that you have a strong LinkedIn presence shows hiring managers that you are tech-savvy and understand the value of networking. For many modern roles, this can be an important point in your favor compared to candidates without LinkedIn.
Provides interview talking points
Your LinkedIn profile provides interviewers with plenty of ammunition to dive deeper into aspects of your background. They can ask about the specifics of your past roles, how you know your LinkedIn connections, your motivations for joining certain groups, etc. This gives you an advantage in interviews.
Key Factors to Consider
Weighing whether to apply with or without LinkedIn depends on several key factors related to you as a candidate as well as the role you are targeting. Consider aspects such as:
Your overall qualifications
If you have very strong credentials for the role, a traditional resume may be sufficient, and using LinkedIn offers limited additional benefit. But if you have gaps, lack relevant experience, or other weaknesses, the social endorsement of LinkedIn may help compensate.
Type of job/industry
For many modern, digitally-focused jobs where online networking is valued and expected, having a polished LinkedIn presence can be pivotal. For more traditional roles in conservative industries, avoiding social media may sometimes be preferable.
Hiring manager preferences
Research the hiring manager and team for the role. If they are actively involved on LinkedIn, leveraging it in your candidacy can help align with their preferences. But more analog executives may view online networking as less important.
Your career goals
Beyond just getting the current job, consider your longer-term aspirations. Building a strong personal brand on LinkedIn can facilitate future opportunities down the road. But if you want a more private career path, minimizing online presence may be desirable.
Tips for Utilizing LinkedIn Effectively
If you decide leveraging LinkedIn aligns with your goals, here are some tips to use it most effectively as part of your job candidacy:
Customize your profile URL
Claim a unique LinkedIn URL customized to your name instead of just your generic profile ID. This makes it easier to remember and share.
Use a professional profile photo
Invest in a high-quality, polished headshot to convey professionalism and get your face associated with your brand.
Showcase credentials prominently
Feature key credentials like titles, certifications, advanced degrees, and licensures prominently near the top of your profile.
List skills with supporting evidence
For key skills, provide tangible examples and scope of your capabilities (“Managed P&L of $10 million division”).
Get endorsed by connections
Proactively ask managers, colleagues, and clients to endorse you for the skills and accomplishments they can validate.
Share content and insights
Post regular content that provides value for your connections and demonstrates your subject matter expertise.
Join targeted LinkedIn Groups
Become an active participant in Groups focused on topics and industries relevant to the types of roles you are seeking.
Profile Section | Key Optimization Tips |
---|---|
Headline | Include your current title and company along with 2-3 key areas of expertise most relevant to target roles |
About section | Tell your professional story focused on strengths relevant to what you want to do next. Include scope and impact. |
Experience | Emphasize results achieved. Include keywords from target job descriptions. |
Education | Spotlight degrees and coursework relevant to desired roles |
Skills | Prioritize skills hired for in target jobs. Support proficiency with examples. |
Recommendations | Collect validated endorsements of qualifications from colleagues |
This table summarizes key optimization tips for the main sections of your LinkedIn profile when leveraging it to apply for jobs.
Should You Apply Through LinkedIn?
In many cases today, you don’t even need to submit a separate application for roles that interest you. More and more companies allow candidates to apply through LinkedIn with just the click of a button. Is this preferable to formally submitting a resume and cover letter?
Pros of Applying Through LinkedIn
- Streamlined application process
- Tap into your existing LinkedIn brand and network
- Easily customize application for each role
- Can leverage profile completeness percentage
- Takes advantage of LinkedIn’s reach for exposure
Potential Cons
- Less control over exact content of application
- Easy to inadvertently apply to unwanted roles
- Can be seen as impersonal by some hiring managers
- Profiles not always kept perfectly up-to-date
Tips for Applying Through LinkedIn
If utilizing LinkedIn’s apply features, make sure to:
- Double check profile for completeness and accuracy first
- Carefully review roles before applying to avoid mix-ups
- Customize your application summary for each specific role
- Follow-up with hiring manager to make personal connection
Key Takeaways
Here are some of the key points to keep in mind:
- Both traditional job applications and using LinkedIn have potential advantages
- Consider your unique situation and goals to decide which to emphasize
- A strong LinkedIn presence can enhance candidacy, especially for digital roles
- Be thoughtful in how you leverage LinkedIn applications to ensure a personalized approach
Rather than taking an all-or-nothing view, the best approach is likely applying both directly and using LinkedIn to complement each other. With some strategic thought, job seekers can maximize their chances by picking the right balance to match their industry, skills, and career aspirations. The digital age offers more options than ever, but also requires more nuanced personal branding strategies.
Conclusion
In summary, applying for jobs exclusively through traditional resumes and cover letters can help control your message and avoid overexposure. But leveraging LinkedIn as part of your application strategy can also boost your visibility, credibility, and chances of success for many roles. Consider factors like your qualifications, industry norms, company culture, and career trajectory when deciding on the right balance for your personal situation. With some finesse, you can use these tools in tandem to put your best foot forward. The prevalence of LinkedIn has made the hiring landscape more complex. But ultimately, it offers savvy job seekers more arrows in their quiver to launch an effective job hunt.