LinkedIn can often seem like just a virtual resume. It’s easy to skim someone’s experience and move on. In reality though, LinkedIn offers more than meets the eye when it comes to vetting a potential employee. So what exactly can a hiring manager learn from LinkedIn?
INTANGIBLES
Intangibles are key things hiring managers learn from LinkedIn. The way a person describes the companies they’ve worked for, the positions they’ve held, and the career path they’re on all points to what a candidate values. Finding a potential employee that demonstrates leadership skills, seen in clubs or memberships, can be a great indicator that they will be a good fit for a self-motivated position. Additionally, especially in sales, the ability to create personal relationships is something that is hard to demonstrate, but can easily be seen in recommendations. Finding alternative means to source intangibles can help hiring managers vet out candidates before interviewing.
CONNECTIONS
For a sales position, a job seeker needs to have and be able to build connections. Looking at a candidates quantity and quality of their connection can show how well they leverage their network. Did they have a mutual connection reach out to you? Do they have a large connection in the area or industry? Have they only just created a LinkedIn recently? These types of questions hone in on how the job seeker operates in the professional networking world, how comfortable they are reaching out to people, and how focused they are when it comes to maintaining quality relationships.
SALES
While sales experience might seem apparent in someone’s job description bullets, there are other ways to see someone’s selling ability. First, looking at a profile picture is a great way to see how a candidate views themselves and professionalism. Reading through roles and experiences looking for dynamic metrics is also important. These aspects of a person’s profile are completely customizable. They offer a job seeker the means to create a true picture of himself or herself as an employee, and should be convincing to a potential employer. If you’re looking at a profile that doesn’t have any discerning features, they aren’t taking the idea of selling themselves seriously.
INTERESTS
Lastly, hiring managers learn from LinkedIn all about a potential employee’s personal interests. What clubs and key individuals a job seeker follows highlight values and passions. If they take the time to list their personal interests on their profile, the candidate has a reason for doing so. These interests are great points to touch on in an interview, compare to the company’s mission, and build out a culture outline.