Small things make a difference . . . like your URL
I wanted to point out two quick tech tips for candidates. The first tip has been around a long time but is still widely overlooked: shortening or customizing your LinkedIn URL or Uniform Resource Locator. The second is an unintended but common issue we are seeing – candidates using resume templates from the internet or Microsoft Word with a LinkedIn hyperlink that goes nowhere.
Personalize that LinkedIn URL
“Concise is nice”, is a saying that I try to incorporate into all of my communications. Here’s a piece of cake way to personalize your URL from the one LinkedIn assigns you when you first create your profile:
- Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
- Click View profile.
- Click Edit public profile & URL on the upper right side.
- Under Edit your custom URL on the right side, click the Edit icon next to your public profile URL.
- Type the last part of your new custom URL in the text box (most people use their name, but get creative if you want to stand out).
A very cool person I work with incorporated the word rockstar into her URL. Makes me smile every time I see it, and it definitely stands out.
Edit that hyperlink
Over the years we’ve seen multiple candidates submit cool looking resumes with a hyperlink that simply says “LinkedIn”. I’m not trying to make anybody feel dumb here, but that is where you are supposed to add your URL (see above ☝️).
These sleek well-designed resumes often come from Google searches or standard Microsoft Word templates. The first few times I ran across one, I thought the hyperlink was a great touch. That is until I clicked on the link and realized it wasn’t really a link at all because the candidate never set it up.
Bottom line: if you’re going to use the hyperlink then use it properly.