HBR Guides to Managing Your Career Collection (6 Books)

CHAPTER 14

Use Your LinkedIn Profile to Power a Career Transition

by Jane Heifetz

We all know the power of LinkedIn for job hunting and networking. But how do we use it to help change careers—to make sure we’re found by the right recruiters, hiring managers, colleagues—not ones from our past, but from our future careers?

It’s tempting to create an “everything but the kitchen sink” profile that makes you look qualified for both the job you have and the one you want. But that’ll just confuse your readers and send them running—to others’ LinkedIn pages. Instead, focus your profile on your new career direction, just as you’ve tailored your résumé to specific jobs. In both cases, highlight your most relevant experiences, and minimize or omit the rest. ...