6 Reasons the Resume is Out and LinkedIn is In

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Playing chess game The resume was great while it lasted, but LinkedIn (LI) is making it look pretty antiquated. LI simply offers so much more than a Word doc ever really could. And now that applicant tracking systems are onboard with LI, there’s really no stopping it.

1) The Lies, Oh the Lies…

Business Insider claims that 46 percent of resumes have some sort of false information and 70 percent of college students said they would lie on their resume if it landed them the job they wanted. Herein lies the beauty of a public resume.

No matter what type of candidate recruiters are hunting for, they are far less likely to fib about their work history on a professional network, and if they do, they are far less likely to get away with it.

2) Why Settle for a Trailer When You Can See the Whole Movie?

LinkedIn offers a far more detailed look into the candidate’s professional life than a resume will lend. Recruiters are able to view professional connections, past and present work, interests, what the candidate looks like and how they communicated socially. A resume offers far less information (let’s face it), in far more boring manner.

3) Ooh, Ooh, I Wanna Hit the Button!

We loved hitting that elevator button. It’s the satisfaction of pressing a little button and getting instant results. Boom, you’re on the top floor. Boom, you’ve just applied for a job. Candidates love the “Apply with LinkedIn ” button. There isn’t an easier, more inviting process that an organization can offer. The applicant tracking system then grabs pertinent information and presents it to the recruiter. It’s a beautiful thing.

4) You Can Check Out Real Examples of Work

Many LI users are now using this social network to share work or projects with their connections. Recruiters then get to see the candidate’s skills and experience without the back and forth of emails, files and links.

5) Passive Means Nothing

While LinkedIn is considered a great tool for active job seekers, the number of passive candidates is much higher. This has nothing to do with superiority of the candidate types; it is a sheer matter of numbers. There is some great talent in that passive pool and LinkedIn is an excellent way to source them and reach out to them. (Please leave all of your comments about why recruiting passive candidates is stupid at the bottom. Thanks.)

6) Get the Real Scoop

While the little “Endorse this Person” button might not be as accurate as we like, written endorsements and comments from professional connections can prove to be very relevant. Furthermore, recruiters and hiring managers can see what connections they might have in common and scope out the candidate (preferably in a totally legal and non-creepy way).

From time-to-time I still hear stories about a job listing requiring the candidate to fax or mail a resume, and I realize how far our tech has come in such a short amount of time. LinkedIn is such a useful tool, and it is only becoming more of a solid part of business each day. It won’t be long until the resume and video stores are reminiscing about their glory days.

By Maren Hogan