Don’t Just Say It, Display It: LinkedIn Profile Additions

Have you heard? LinkedIn has made a few enhancements to the user profiles today. It's an interesting addition and I think it makes a statement as to the thought process of the product leaders at the company.

Whats different:

Users will have the ability to showcase their achievements user what LinkedIn calls "Visual Talent". Users can now use video, images, presentations (similar to previous versions) among a few other options.

Quoted "What this means is that candidates can visually showcase their work and professional brand on their member profile, which in turn, gives recruiters even more data to mine to identify and hire the best candidate for a job.

For example, prior to today's announcement, a photographer could say they're a sports photography expert, and be endorsed for "sports photography." Now that photographer can post their favorite sports photos to their member profile — making it much easier for a recruiter to quickly determine whether or not that photographer is relevant for a sports photography job."

I think the headline on the first slide of the presentation below is taking this a bit to far but that is just me. A visual resume is fun and potentially very informative based on the information displayed, however this certainly will not overtake a resume.

Don't just say it. Display it on your LinkedIn Profile. from LinkedIn

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Permalink Reply by Valentino Martinez on May 4, 2013 at 2:22pm

@Ryan,

These types of “display resumes” have long existed in: the arts; artistic design; the visual-arts; packaging display, brand & marketing management professional communities. It was only a matter of time for the visual impacting resume to show-up in what LinkedIn is attempting to motivate its membership to leverage.

However, “professional” and “display” may or may not be the cohesive end result when all is said and done. While you feel this type of resume will not overtake the standard traditional resume – I feel it has the potential to take that resume to the next level – because recruiters and hiring managers want to know and also want to validate the veracity of what is stated in a resume.

While “words” literally say it – the power of a well done/powerful visual can give those words a new level of credibility. To use your example of photography – what better way to make an assessment of impacting photography than impacting photography? Words alone would not do it justice.

My concern is that a rash of poorly done -- even unprofessional display resumes will most likely be the result unless the displayer has the capability and material to make it work…professionally speaking. This new trend will no doubt create a cottage industry for Visual Arts majors and others to come to the aid of people wanting to better portray their stuff to magnify what their resume tried to say with words alone.

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Permalink Reply by Ryan Leary on May 8, 2013 at 7:08am

I fully agree with this statement:

These types of “display resumes” have long existed in: the arts; artistic design; the visual-arts; packaging display, brand & marketing management professional communities. It was only a matter of time for the visual impacting resume to show-up in what LinkedIn is attempting to motivate its membership to leverage.

It's not new and I am not sure that I appreciate tools that pass product launches as new.

Valentino Martinez said:

@Ryan,

These types of “display resumes” have long existed in: the arts; artistic design; the visual-arts; packaging display, brand & marketing management professional communities. It was only a matter of time for the visual impacting resume to show-up in what LinkedIn is attempting to motivate its membership to leverage.

However, “professional” and “display” may or may not be the cohesive end result when all is said and done. While you feel this type of resume will not overtake the standard traditional resume – I feel it has the potential to take that resume to the next level – because recruiters and hiring managers want to know and also want to validate the veracity of what is stated in a resume.

While “words” literally say it – the power of a well done/powerful visual can give those words a new level of credibility. To use your example of photography – what better way to make an assessment of impacting photography than impacting photography? Words alone would not do it justice.

My concern is that a rash of poorly done -- even unprofessional display resumes will most likely be the result unless the displayer has the capability and material to make it work…professionally speaking. This new trend will no doubt create a cottage industry for Visual Arts majors and others to come to the aid of people wanting to better portray their stuff to magnify what their resume tried to say with words alone.