At 200 million plus users, LinkedIn is one of the biggest employment marketplaces in the world.  Because of this, people called sourcers spend their lives on LinkedIn looking for people for their clients and employers to hire.

When sourcers find a likely prospect (this could be you!), they want to send them an email or call them. And they can’t. Because very few people include their contact information on their LinkedIn profile. That is the biggest mistake most people make on LinkedIn.

Would you leave your email address and your mobile number off of your resume or your consulting marketing materials? “No! Of course not!” you say. Then don’t leave them off of your LinkedIn profile either – because it might be your only resume or marketing piece a potential employer or client ever sees.

“But people can send me an In Mail,” you say. Uh huh. They cost money and they have a high failure rate. A really high failure rate. I shudder thinking about In Mail. Really. I have to change the subject. Now.

“But I don’t want to be contacted by sourcers,” you say. OK, but without contact information no one else can contact you either. And, if that’s the case, why are you even on LinkedIn?

“Groups.”

OK. You’ve got me there. If it’s all about groups for you, and you’re one of the lucky few who doesn’t want to change jobs this year, I suppose you don’t need to add contact information to your LinkedIn profile.

But, if you’re part of the vast majority who would like a new job, then add your contact info to your profile now. Sourcers love it when you list both an email address and a mobile number because it makes it easy for them to get in touch in with you. Provide at least an email address.

If you’re concerned about privacy, set up a separate email for LinkedIn and forward it to your primary email. If you’re concerned about what your boss will think, don’t provide a phone number. Just be sure to make it easy for everyone — sourcers, former colleagues, whoever — to connect you to your next great job or consulting opportunity.

I write executive resumes and LinkedIn profiles and blog at AvidCareerist. For more information, you can find my LinkedIn profile here or email me at donnasvei@gmail.com.

This post originally appeared on AvidCareerist.com.