3 Things to Keep Off LinkedIn

Social Media is a great platform for expressing yourself and showcasing your individuality. However, when it comes to your LinkedIn profile, you want to be a little more strategic with what you choose to share.

In this new age of digital recruiting, most hiring managers (and almost all recruiters) are utilizing LinkedIn to attract applicants and search for qualified candidates. Although it will never replace your resume, a strong LinkedIn profile can nonetheless help you attract and land your dream job, whereas a weak profile may give a hiring manager a bad first impression.

Now, here are the 3 things you definitely want to leave OFF your profile.

1. Unprofessional Job Titles
   I’ve seen titles like “House Husband at Funemployed,” and while that would be a pretty funny caption for an Instagram photo of “funemployment” escapades, it’s a one way ticket to the rejection pile. If you absolutely insist, go ahead and add “Seeking New Opportunities” to your professional headline, but the best way to address unemployment on your profile is simply not to. List your past work experiences/dates, and just don’t add a current role. By doing this, a recruiter or hiring authority will actually want to speak with you to find out the reason for any employment gaps, rather than immediately writing you off. This will give you a chance to explain it in more detail, and present it in a more positive, professional light.
2. Overly Fancy Job Titles
   Don’t excessively embellish your job title. There are many reasons not to do this, but the main reason is a little thing called search engine optimization. Do a reverse search for yourself as though you were a recruiter or hiring manager. Do you show up on the first page? Do you show up at all? What keywords would someone use in their search for someone like you? Your job title should be as close to those core keywords as possible. Don’t get fancy. Keep it simple and make it easy for those who might hire you to find you.
3. Too Much Personality
   There’s a section for Interests and Personal Details on your profile, and this should be the only place your personal life shines through your LinkedIn profile. Keep it professional, include some work-related interests, and don’t be afraid to add a little personality to these sections. Hiring authorities and recruiters will often look at this information to determine if you’ll be a good cultural fit. Always keep it positive and try to convey that which makes you who you are.

To wrap things up, just remember that the goal of your LinkedIn profile is to give enough information to attract potential employers, but not so much that it leaves your audience with no questions, or worse, feeling like you’re unprofessional or unqualified. You want it to inspire them to engage with you, so keep it professional, make yourself easily accessible, and know when and where it’s appropriate to share more of your personality. You’ll have hiring managers blowing up your inbox in no time!