Is LinkedIn insincere?

This comment popped up on my blog yesterday. I think it’s a great observation.

“What I really don’t understand is how people can just outright lie on their profiles and experience or blend short term failures in jobs like amalgamating dates.

Also there are so many creamy sweet comments but no criticisms, unlike real life.

Is LinkedIn a sincere place?”

So is LinkedIn insincere?

Yes. Somewhat. But you’d expect it to be.

For job hunters, the purpose of a LinkedIn profile is to get you an interview. Not much different from a resume. So of course you want to highlight the best bits about you. That’s what everyone does.

However, good recruiters and headhunters can see through a lot of waffle that goes on a LinkedIn profile.

Take for example your recommendations  If a friend writes your recommendation then that’s pretty obvious. As are the recommendations your team may write for you. If the language in your recommendations is not as glowing as the superlatives in your profile then that looks a little odd as well. I’ve looked at fabulous profiles, then I’ve looked at the person’s  recommendations, and when they do not quite match, I go hmmm.

The other thing to think about, is that your LinkedIn profile shows who you are, so much more than you know. A good recruiter will know that if you started at position “a”, then in five years if you have the skill set they want, you should be at “b”. You can’t really hide too much of that on your profile, without outright lying.

As for number of recommendations you have, I would rather see a whole heap of recommendations, than just one or two. Even if there is a lot of gushing. To me it shows you take networking seriously. And that you care about what goes up online.

In a way LinkedIn keeps people honest. It’s public. If you stretch the truth too much, then your managers, colleagues and customers will know how you are describing yourself. And you may just end up looking like a bit of a goose.

Make that an insincere goose.

Tagged as: LinkedIn Tactics