Quick question for those reviewing resumes: do you click LI URLs or look up profile manually?

When an applicant lists their LinkedIn URL on their resume, how likely are you to click right from the document versus look them up manually by name?

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Permalink Reply by Sandra McCartt on March 23, 2013 at 2:49am

If a candidate has a live link on their resume, I will always look at their profile. If they do not include it I might or might not take the time to sign in and do a name search. If I do and there are 25 people with the same name I rarely continue looking at that point. If I move forward with their resume I will look them up. If the profile is well done I will include the link in my cover letter to my client.

I appreciate it when a candidate includes the link on their resume.

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Permalink Reply by Kelly Blokdijk on March 25, 2013 at 7:07pm

Thanks, Sandra. That's what I was interested in finding out. I'm not much of a "clicker" at first. I figure the resume either tells me what I need to know or not. If I'm at the review stage prior to phone screens, I'm not likely to click a link (but it depends on the type/level of position). If the person gets past the initial screening step, I'd probably want to see more info before moving them to the next phase of the process.

There's still a lot of people with crappy LI profiles, so it concerns me if they put the link to something that doesn't do them any favors.

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Permalink Reply by Amy Ala Miller on March 25, 2013 at 7:44pm

Hi Kelly - agree with Sandra (of course haha)

If you're going to include a link, though - please have it to a decent, complete profile with a pic and also use a vanity URL. It's better to skip including your LI profile if it's not adding to your resume - to your point about having a profile that's not doing them any favors.

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Permalink Reply by Saz A. on March 26, 2013 at 6:15am

I would check their provided LI link but wouldnt search them manually.

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Permalink Reply by Sandra McCartt on March 26, 2013 at 4:56pm

I check out LI links for several reasons. I want to see what my client is going to see if they do a web search for a candidate. I want to see some of the things they are interested in that don't have anything to do with their resume. Are all their groups professional groups or do they belong to some hobby groups or interest groups. If somebody does not have a pic on linkedin it makes me very nervous. Why would you not if you are putting a profile on a major board and putting your link on your resume?

I have more than once checked out a profile only to discover that dates on the profile did not match dates on the resume...major red flag.

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Permalink Reply by Aaron Lintz on April 15, 2013 at 11:33am

If you do want to look the person up on LinkedIn, open a private browser session and search for them from Google.

LinkedIn generic search

"first name last name" "city or LI metro area"

This way your profile picture does not show up as having viewed their profile. Not perfect, but works most of the time for people with public profiles.