Why A Great LinkedIn Profile Isn’t Enough

A winning LinkedIn profile can get you noticed by recruiters. But that doesn’t mean CVs are less important.

Nick Deligiannis, Managing Director of Hays in Australia & New Zealand, says a CV and and a LinkedIn profile are two separate but complementary entities.

“If you register with a recruiter or apply for a job, your CV will be viewed first,” he says.

“This document gives the recruiter a factual and chronological snapshot of your skills and experience and explains why you are both interested in, and suitable for, this job specifically.

“It provides the background knowledge a recruiter needs to determine if you have the skills and experience required for a particular role.

“Based on the information conveyed in your CV, the recruiter will form an opinion of your fit for the role.

“In most cases they will then search for you on LinkedIn to learn more and see evidence of your work. You’ll then either be invited in for an interview, or will not make the shortlist.”

Thowever, recruiters and employers are also using digital technology and data science analytics to reach deep into candidate pools to find suitable talent.

According to Hays, it’s online presence and LinkedIn profiles that enables a recruiter to zero in on the right candidate.

But a recruiter will still need a CV to send on to his clients.

“That’s why it is important that you continue to adapt your CV to fit the types of roles you are applying for,” he says.

“You can then complement this by creating a strong LinkedIn profile to bring your CV to life.

“For example, add visual examples to demonstrate your skills and achievements, such as videos from a conference you organised or a PDF of an external document you put together for your executive.”