LinkedIn: is it necessary?

Montjuic

Hi,

I don't have a linkedin profile and am applying for jobs many of my peers tell me most employers give a quick search of you on LinkedIn just to get a sense of who you are apart from the tailored CV you may have applied for in said job.

They all claim not having one smacks of that you have something to hide or are dodge in some way?

Any thoughts?

Teyla Emmagan

I find it great. Mine is a long version of my cv basically, but it's great for networking and keeping in touch. Have been contacted by loads of potential employers through it.

Daisy03

I recently set one up and find it completely pointless, to be honest. It mainly seems to be people in recruitment firms using it to make their job easier. I can't say whether prospective employers use it to suss people out but the main purpose my friends use it for is keeping tabs on where college friends are working.

People saying that people who haven't one are hiding something are ridiculous. Any place that don't hire you just because you don't have a LinkedIn profile aren't worth working for.

yankinlk

cant disagree more.

not having linkedin is like not having a cv. many company hr depts will check the cv against LI and some will rather print out LI as it is more comprehensive, and usually has a photo to boot. this makes remembering someone from a stack of cvs easier, plus often there is more than one person that needs to discuss the candidate.

helimachoptor

Pretty much any contact I have with recruiters comes from LinkedIn, can't understand why everyone isn't on it tbh

yankinlk

Daisy03 wrote: »

It mainly seems to be people in recruitment firms using it to make their job easier.

because the first thing you want is to make it harder on HR for picking you?? good luck with that.

gugleguy

Paying a subscription is'nt necessary. If you've money to throw away for all the good ofbeing a paid member does.

ABajaninCork

I just have the free one. Paying for the Premium Membership isn't worth the money, IMO. I've been contacted by loads of prospective employers. But they're all in the UK where I'm from! No bloody good to me when I'm based in Ireland :pac:

One thing though. Getting endorsements from people is a little pointless I think. Some of my contacts know me personally, but don't have any idea how I work (getting lost in the mists of time though - it's been so long since I've worked!). So those endorsements are nice, but mean jack!

Tarzana

I think it's OTT of your friends to suggest that not having a Linkedin profile is construed as you being dodgy!

But Linkedin can work very well for some people. People that have loads of in-demand skills and niche qualifications. The bastards. :pac::P My BF got got his current job through it. The bastard.

irishguy1983

You might get nothing out of it but it can't hurt anyway.

Tarzana

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Getting endorsements from people is a little pointless I think.

+1 Someone I never worked with once recommended me for PCR, a molecular biology technique I've barely used.

The recommendations can be a bit cringey too and it's seems a waste of your best referees. I'd imagine if you receive a job offer, they'd look for referees in addition to the people who recommended you on Linkedin.

Sugar Free

I don't know if it's absolutely necessary but putting a bit of effort into your profile and network selection will stand to you.
My current role was I believe, only advertised on linkedin and the company website. I'm also about to move roles again as I was head-hunted* through linkedin.


*Head-hunted is probably not fully accurate as I imagine a few dozen people were contacted for the role.

Stheno

I find it invaluable for keeping in touch with people, keeping in touch with whats going on in my area, and knowing whos on the lookout for a new job.

Just this evening, someone mailed me there looking for a contact we share whose name they had forgotten, whilst I mailed someone asking if they were still looking to move to a new role, as I know someone who is recruiting.

Endorsements, particularly in specialist areas, return you on a ranked basis if someone is searching for people with those skills in particular so can be useful in that regard.

Zascar

I know a lot of recruiters and I've had this conversation with them - obviously it depends on the industry you are in, but most of them said they would simply not consider anyone unless they had a LinkedIn profile.. Some said unless their LinkedIn in fully filled out and impressive, its a big minus mark to them. I referred a friend for a job in my last company and because her LinkedIn was very old and sparse, he just said no way - the type of people who dont care about LinkedIn are not the type of people we want working for us.

Last job I went for I had links to my LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. They are going to be searching for you anyway - why not give it straight to them. They commented that they loved my online persona and I that's the type of person they want working for them

I'm flabbergasted that anyone active in a highly competitive job market would not put huge effort into LinkedIn.

Tarzana

Well, if you put loads of effort into Linkedin and it's still doing nothing for you, it's understandable to question its worth.

bitemeluis

Zascar wrote: »

I know a lot of recruiters and I've had this conversation with them - obviously it depends on the industry you are in, but most of them said they would simply not consider anyone unless they had a LinkedIn profile.. Some said unless their LinkedIn in fully filled out and impressive, its a big minus mark to them. I referred a friend for a job in my last company and because her LinkedIn was very old and sparse, he just said no way - the type of people who dont care about LinkedIn are not the type of people we want working for us.

Last job I went for I had links to my LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. They are going to be searching for you anyway - why not give it straight to them. They commented that they loved my online persona and I that's the type of person they want working for them

I'm flabbergasted that anyone active in a highly competitive job market would not put huge effort into LinkedIn.

lol online persona - I see you werent forthcoming with the boards.ie username

Sugar Free

Tarzana wrote: »

Well, if you put loads of effort into Linkedin and it's still doing nothing for you, it's understandable to question its worth.

Perhaps but if the person simply has a lacklustre career to date - multiple career changes, employment gaps, no real progression in seniority - then even a well spruced up profile won't really change things.

Wabbit Ears

I regularly get Job offers on LinkedIn and its a very good way to keep business contacts you would lose contact with otherwise. As already said, Its basically your Online CV and if you have marketable skills, you really should have a good LinkedIn profile.

The fact that some people don't see or get any benefit from LinkedIn is really more of a statement about themselves then it is about LinkedIn

Shy Ted

I agree with most of the posts above. Its been invaluable to me as I managed to get my current job from it. Its a good sign when you see that the HR dept of a prospective employer are viewing your profile. I have stopped accepting invitations from recruiters though, as they can harass you a lot. LinkedIn is a sales tool for them; and you're the product they want to sell.
If I wanted a new job, I'm sure I'd find something advertised on Indeed or I could use the search filters on LinkedIn.

Tarzana

Sugar Free wrote: »

Perhaps but if the person simply has a lacklustre career to date - multiple career changes, employment gaps, no real progression in seniority - then even a well spruced up profile won't really change things.

Yeah, a lot of us are fúcked. Absolutely agonising to hear of people getting jobs offers via Linkedin. I can't see a point in my life where that will happen to me, and I'm 30.

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

The fact that some people don't see or get any benefit from LinkedIn is really more of a statement about themselves then it is about LinkedIn

Cheers.

For anyone in Ireland trying to get a career going post-2008, it's very tough indeed.

gozunda

Linkedin=Facebook for employers.
Not always a good idea I reckon.

A Greedy Algorithm

What if you are really ugly, do you think that would maybe make potential employers/recruiters disregard you for a job? Serious question.

Sugar Free

Tarzana wrote: »

Yeah, a lot of us are fúcked. Absolutely agonising to hear of people getting jobs offers via Linkedin. I can't see a point in my life where that will happen to me, and I'm 30.

For anyone in Ireland trying to get a career going post-2008, it's very tough indeed.

I am a 2008 graduate which was just as employers were initiating knee jerk hiring freezes in response to the economy. It certainly was tough for me to get my initial start (it took me a year!) but since then it's been a mix of some luck combined with making education and employment choices that favoured better long term prospects ahead of short term financial gain.

An example being several of my former colleagues taking contract roles that pay 100K+ but remaining stuck in a somewhat commoditised field where their roles can easily be shifted to low cost labour markets.

Wish you the best of luck with your job hunt, don't give up

SPM1959

I use it and have had some success in the past. It's not the be all and end all though.

I reduced my profile a few months ago though as an ex-colleague (who wasn't the same grade as me or did the same role), linked with me, pretended she did have the same job and went on to copy what I had down (and have down on my CV) as responsibilities/achievements.

Stheno

Tarzana wrote: »

Well, if you put loads of effort into Linkedin and it's still doing nothing for you, it's understandable to question its worth.

What do you class as loads of effort though?

I keep my profile updated, contribute to local and global groups related to my area, link to articles of interest related to changes in my industry etc, which I'd class as a fair bit of effort, but not much.

Tarzana

Stheno wrote: »

What do you class as loads of effort though?

I keep my profile updated, contribute to local and global groups related to my area, link to articles of interest related to changes in my industry etc, which I'd class as a fair bit of effort, but not much.

Giving a comprehensive overview of each job and what you did in them, adding in new skills you've learned, new qualifications, linking to relevant people. What you do is above average effort and giving it far too much, IMO. Doing that in top of doing your job and living you life? No thanks. Guess this must be my problem, and if it is, it's a problem I'm happy to have. What you do is living to work territory, which is grand but not my thing. As we all know, being a work to live type doesn't mean you don't do your job very well.

Stheno

Tarzana wrote: »

Giving a comprehensive overview of each job and what you did in them, adding in new skills you've learned, new qualifications, linking to relevant people. What you do is above average effort and giving it far too much, IMO. Doing that in top of doing your job and living you life? No thanks. Guess this must be my problem, and if it is, it's a problem I'm happy to have. What you do is living to work territory, which is grand but not my thing. As we all know, being a work to live type doesn't mean you don't do your job very well.

I have my job title for each role, duration of each role, and qualifications listed on my profile, no photo, no detail of each role, as most of them are self explanatory.

I contribute to groups as it's very relevant to my job, and post links to inform others who may not be aware of changes which impact globally or to invite opinions as the area I work in is in a way self governing and invites active participation from practitioners.

I'd estimate I spend no more than an hour to ninety minutes a week (over a full seven days) on linkedin tbh. Today for example I spent fifteen minutes on it, less time than I've spent reading and posting on this thread.

It has garnered results for me though.

SPM1959

A Greedy Algorithm wrote: »

What if you are really ugly, do you think that would maybe make potential employers/recruiters disregard you for a job? Serious question.

No. Once it's a professional photo (e.g man wearing suit) it shouldn't be an issue.

Some of the profile photos I've seen recently have been ridiculous though (more suited to Facebook)

2Mad2BeMad

Find it useless
but then again I don't exactly have the education/experience for big company type jobs.

Stheno

2Mad2BeMad wrote: »

Find it useless
but then again I don't exactly have the education/experience for big company type jobs.

I see posts like this, and I actually wonder if education these days is going the right way.

For me any third level education should include:

1. How to write a c.v.
2. How to use social media.

I spend a limited amount of time helping people wanting to get the most basic qualifications in my field to achieve that, but I know if I were screening and saw them ask on linkedin for such advice, and there is no shortage of it, I'd rank them for having the bravery to ask, compared to the rest who didn't.

Gavin "shels"

On a side note, people who do use LinkedIn and have a fairly comprehensive one, do you have a link to yours on your CV?

helimachoptor

Gavin shels wrote: »

On a side note, people who do use LinkedIn and have a fairly comprehensive one, do you have a link to yours on your CV?

yep i have mine on it, however for the most part if i apply for a job i normally see the recruiter/someone from the company has visited my profile.

There arent too many people in Ireland with my name so that helps

Mrs OBumble

Gavin shels wrote: »

On a side note, people who do use LinkedIn and have a fairly comprehensive one, do you have a link to yours on your CV?

Yes. And my primary email address in LinkedIn is the same one that I use for job applications (and nothing else).

Luckily I have a fairly common name in Ireland, so by doing this I have a fair degree of control over what an employer sees about me.

gozunda

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Yes. And my primary email address in LinkedIn is the same one that I use for job applications (and nothing else).

Luckily I have a fairly common name in Ireland, so by doing this I have a fair degree of control over what an employer sees about me.

How so?

Montjuic

My issue is I don't really want to post so much what is essentially private information for every busy body down in our small town to know. I work abroad in a job which is difficult for most people to understand ( as I live abroad Irish people tend to believe that you are either selling drugs or unemployed if you cannot describe your job in one word i.e teacher butcher, baker candlestick maker etc)

Another issue is I walked out of my previous job due to a corruption scandal with my boss where he tried to stitch me up for it. I don't want the hassle of the organization harrasing me by doing a quick search of me on linkedin and perhaps putting my current job in jeopardy. They are quite vindictive and would be capable of telling wholesale lies to the current crowd I work with just for the craic.

Jellybaby1

I'm different to the rest of you here I'm sure, (female in my 60's) and I worked in admin before redundancy. I don't have second-level or third-level education. We went to work from primary school back then. A guy just recently suggested I get a Linkedin account. He has the same education as me but works in construction in the UK and has got lots of jobs through it. Just wondered if there are any ordinary folk like myself here in Ireland using Linkedin or is everyone super qualified? Just wondering what are my chances here in Ireland on it, for a part time or temporary few hours a week.

Wabbit Ears

Montjuic wrote: »

My issue is I don't really want to post so much what is essentially private information for every busy body down in our small town to know. I work abroad in a job which is difficult for most people to understand ( as I live abroad Irish people tend to believe that you are either selling drugs or unemployed if you cannot describe your job in one word i.e teacher butcher, baker candlestick maker etc)

Another issue is I walked out of my previous job due to a corruption scandal with my boss where he tried to stitch me up for it. I don't want the hassle of the organization harrasing me by doing a quick search of me on linkedin and perhaps putting my current job in jeopardy. They are quite vindictive and would be capable of telling wholesale lies to the current crowd I work with just for the craic.

You'll find it does a world of good to your own mental health to wash off those paranoid delusions. Your old life and employers probably havent spent longer then it took you to write that post thinking about you.

Wabbit Ears

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I'm different to the rest of you here I'm sure, (female in my 60's) and I worked in admin before redundancy. I don't have second-level or third-level education. We went to work from primary school back then. A guy just recently suggested I get a Linkedin account. He has the same education as me but works in construction in the UK and has got lots of jobs through it. Just wondered if there are any ordinary folk like myself here in Ireland using Linkedin or is everyone super qualified? Just wondering what are my chances here in Ireland on it, for a part time or temporary few hours a week.

Its just basically an online CV, Replace where you wrote 'Linkedin' with CV and the question answers itself.

TimeToShine

Is LinkedIn big in the US? If you were applying over there would it be safe to assume they'd search for you or is it only prevalent in the UK & Ireland?

I don't have one but as time goes on it's almost becoming a necessity. Any graduates or people new to the employment game will probably have to bite the bullet sooner rather than later, myself included.

gozunda

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

You'll find it does a world of good to your own mental health to wash off those paranoid delusions. Your old life and employers probably havent spent longer then it took you to write that post thinking about you.

^^^ these type of disparaging remarks are completely uncalled for. You do not know the OP or their background.

This country is too small a place to believe that Social media such as FB, LinkedIn etc etc are not used in the way described and unfortunately dodgy / poor employers/managers will make use of such information for their own ends. As with any social media it is best to careful and not provide fodder for professional type assassinations.

Where bonafide employers are looking for an employee they will already have been given full access to that employees CV.

LinkedIn is supposed to be about contact and professional development not employer verification.

gandalf

TBH LinkedIn is a very strong tool to try and get a job. When I was unemployed I got far more traction from applications I made via LinkedIn for Jobs advertised on it and also got more contacts from Recruiters than I did from normal applications.

I work in Sales & Marketing and tbh after talking to clients, prospective clients or suppliers I always check out their details on LinkedIn and it is really strange if someone doesn't have a profile. It is nearly worse if they do have a profile but it contains no detail. I also use it to identify prospects.

In the current environment anything that helps you get a job should be welcomed with open arms. It is a tool, how you use it depends on you but as others have said the majority of recruiters both consultants and in-house use it quite extensively now to look for candidates. If you ignore it then you are denying an opportunity that you could be spotted.

gugleguy

Echoing other posters here, Linked In is another type of Curriculum Vitae or (professional) life story, loosely translating from original Latin context here. Linked In is here to stay for all my life, and after I reach retirement age, which will be 68.

mikom

gugleguy wrote: »

Linked In is here to stay for all my life, and after I reach retirement age, which will be 68.

Just like Bebo.

seamus

Honestly before I got my current job I wouldn't have thought too much of it. I kept it more-or-less up to date, but to a certain extent I just considered it a kind of wanky business-ey thing where people with MBAs could go to measure penises and pretend that they have a real qualification.

But then I saw the other side of the recruiting curtain and realised just how heavily recruiters and HR people lean on it. Not least for the basic stats about you and what you do, but also who you're connected to - do you know other people in my company, do you know anyone else I know, do you seem to have a lot of connections within the field where you work?

I know former recruiters who've been turned down from getting back into recruiting purely because they come from the "pre-linkedin" era. It's generally considered that if you don't have a linkedin profile, or you don't have one that's up-to-date, then you're out of touch with your industry and probably just the kind of person who wants a 9-5, clock in and clock out job.
Industry-dependent of course. Technology and business, it's essential. I imagine in construction and SMEs it's probably not that important, and especially given the size of Ireland, word-of-mouth referrals are still the primary way of getting a job.

Mrs OBumble

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

I'm different to the rest of you here I'm sure, (female in my 60's) and I worked in admin before redundancy. I don't have second-level or third-level education. We went to work from primary school back then. A guy just recently suggested I get a Linkedin account. He has the same education as me but works in construction in the UK and has got lots of jobs through it. Just wondered if there are any ordinary folk like myself here in Ireland using Linkedin or is everyone super qualified? Just wondering what are my chances here in Ireland on it, for a part time or temporary few hours a week.

There are ordinary folks on it. And some who don't choose to put their earliest jobs or qualifications on it.

If you're looking for p/t or temp work, then connections are generally the best way to get it, because jobs like that often don't go through agencies.


So you may well find that it's helpful to sign up, make a profile that:

• Has your last 20 or so years of jobs on it,
• Says what you are looking for, ie "Part time and/or temporary opportunities"

Then look up people who used to work with, and ask to connect with them. You never know who might need a temp, and have you come into mind just at the right moment due to LinkedIn.

Zascar

Can we please please hear from someone who actually works in recruitment to tell us the real story?? From what I believe for many of them LinkedIn is the primary tool they use to look for candidates. Recruitment is pretty much LinkedIn's entire business model.

La_Gordy

I was contacted through LinkedIn for my current role. I actually don't actually like that my experience is there for anyone to peruse, but the usefulness of the site is very clear.

Montjuic

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

You'll find it does a world of good to your own mental health to wash off those paranoid delusions. Your old life and employers probably havent spent longer then it took you to write that post thinking about you.

Mr Wabbit,

Thanks for the mental health advice but really what do you know how serious an issue a dodgy past employer is where 400K went missing never mind the gap in a CV, 400K missing with the cops called in and I stiched up for it is not paranoia as it actually happened.

With that tone you are either a dodgy employer yourself, a public sector worker or just have been lucky enough to never encounter the bad bastards I have.

Please explain how you that can be adequately captured on a Linkedin profile?

Either way forgive me but your tone makes you come across as an awful wnaker.

gandalf

Also remember the beauty of LinkedIn is you include what you want to include, it isn't as restrictive as a CV.

Rather than look at it as a CV, look at it as an opportunity to pitch your skills as a potential employee, business contact etc.

Montjuic

gozunda wrote: »

^^^ these type of disparaging remarks are completely uncalled for. You do not know the OP or their background.

This country is too small a place to believe that Social media such as FB, LinkedIn etc etc are not used in the way described and unfortunately dodgy / poor employers/managers will make use of such information for their own ends. As with any social media it is best to careful and not provide fodder for professional type assassinations.

Where bonafide employers are looking for an employee they will already have been given full access to that employees CV.

LinkedIn is supposed to be about contact and professional development not employer verification.

Thanks for the support Gozunda I fear Mr Wabbit has never experienced the dodginess of some employers or white collar crime before lucky him/her!

InReality

I was looking a person's profile who was in a senior role.
I was surprised not notice that it had quite a few big gaps between jobs , the sort you'd be told never to have on a CV.

So I think its quite possible to do well with a "poor" or non traditional CV or linkedin profile.

As a side note I've mistakenly expected linkedin to collapse for years now.