Speaking in 3rd Person. Diane despises writings in 3rd person - everyone does really. It is among what we joke about - do not be on that side of the joke.
"Open to New Opportunities" The job search is a lot like dating - it is a dance, know the steps. This phrase is comparable to wearing too much cologne - it reeks of desperation. Hiring Managers want to hire the candidate that is highly sought after, that never has to solicit themselves for new opportunities. Companies want that candidate that they had lure out of their competitor's offices because this strokes their ego and makes them feel like the person only changed jobs because it was just too good to pass up. Know your audience and play the game. I know, I know, we all hate games but if you want to win, you gotta play and if you are going to play, you should know the rules.
Including Dates for Education. Depending on the situation, this has the potential to be damaging in a couple of different ways. First, many industries are ageist. They are not supposed to be and can get some heat for it, but it is hard to prove and why not just eliminate the possibility for bias from the start? Second, it can create gaps if the jobs directly out of college are not included and gaps create unanswered questions and unanswered questions give the hiring manager a reason to rule you out of the running. There are so many profiles to sift through that they are just looking for a reason to toss it and move on to the next.According to studies you have 6 seconds to make an impression - use it wisely.
Using Buzzwords. There are certain phrases that are overused, overly generic, overly vague, space filling, and highly annoying. Among the biggest offenders are: "team player" "self-starter" "highly motivated" Ideally, you will demonstrate these things with your experiences instead of preach about them on deaf ears. Unfortunately, you are not a reliable reference for yourself so best not to try to should like one. Your accomplishments should speak for themselves, no overselling needed.
Not Using Buzzwords. There are certain phrases that are necessary industry key words that serve the purposes of allowing companies to find you and reach out with relevant opportunities. Profiles should be effectively searchable. The more accurate the key words, the more relevant the opportunities that those annoying recruiters reach out about. Common examples: "RTB" "Programmatic" Supply-side", "Demand-side" "Trading Desks" "Agency Trading Desk" or "ATD's", etc.
Too Much Information. Enough information should be included to find you and qualify your experience as relevant but not too much information that the smallest thing eliminates you. Strive for the perfect balance. Be clear about what department you belong in, what level your experience is, who you sell to, and general responsibilities.
Not Enough Information. Empty profiles show little effort and looks as though you do not care about what you do. Highly engaged employees have something to say about what they do. Passion speaks and it speaks clearly, legibly and tolerates no errors.
No Picture. It is not beauty contest but the platform works by creating a network of working professionals. Sometimes you have personally met and worked with members of your network and other times you have not. Studies show that including a photo increases the readers' feelings of personability. Linkedin becomes a valuable tool as network members work with the precedence of reciprocity and helping each other up. Additionally, I have personally worked with Hiring Managers that will not interview a candidate without a posted picture. They feel this shows that the candidate is not using all of the tools available to them, which is an important factor in many job openings. Now finding the right picture, now that is a whole different article!
Unexplained Gaps. Many candidates figure they will explain the unexplained once in an interview but this does not account for all of the interviews you are not invited on because of preliminary "red flags" that have eliminated you before ever having the opportunity to explain yourself. The objective is to gain as many opportunities as possible and in order to do that, your profile or resume needs to be as water tight as possible. I received a resume that included in the place of an 18 month gap in her experience an explanation of adopting a child from Morocco which is an acceptable reason. If left blank, questions and visions of the candidate on a job hunt with zero offers for an extended period of time. This could be enough to eliminate the opportunity. This topic is highly relative, specific questions should be addressed with resume writers specific to your industry or recruiters that know what relevant hiring managers are looking for.
Typos and/or Grammatical Errors. Your profile serves as your first example of your work. It reflects your level of engagement, work ethic, and abilities, even without meaning to. Be careful not to say something about your self that you never meant to say.
If you want to take it up a notch and include a few extras, here are some things that go the extra mile:
An Impactful Summary that Sets You Apart. Many profile summaries simply copy a generic statement about what the company does and is easily recognizable as such. Summaries that stand out are well written statements about why you do what you do and your unique talents as they lend to the organization as a whole.
If you are in sales, including a list of relationships detailing companies you have sold to in the past paints a very clear picture of the relevancy off your experience for a given role. This will also help improve the kinds of opportunities that people are reaching out to you about. The more vague your experience, the more broad and largely irrelevant opportunities will be presented to you. If you want to clean up your inbox of recruiter InMails, the more detail should be included.
Team Rankings.
Quota Attainment Percentages.
Awards and Recognitions: "Rookie of the Year" "President's Club" and any "top performer" designations
Being recruited by a former boss into a new position. This is like a built in recommendation and shows instead of tells.
Public speaking engagements. Public speaking establishes and enforces your personal brand as the market expert and increases your opportunities in number.
Cheats:
Seek guidance for resumes and profiles from actual job descriptions of relevant opportunities you would like to generate. This will bring more interest and relevance.
Check your connections at companies before submitting your resume. Often companies will have bonuses for employees who submit your resume. Make sure this is an employee you want to associate yourself with. This can garner more interest than submitting your resume on your own.
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