Dear Sam: I understand that LinkedIn plays a crucial role in job searches today. While I have built my network over the past few years, I haven’t invested much time adding value to my LinkedIn profile. Currently, I do have a headshot, I have added a few of my experiences, and I have listed my education. My company just got purchased by a private equity group, so I am concerned about the future of my position. I want to be proactive and prepare for a potential job search, and I thought LinkedIn would be an excellent place to start. I am concerned, however, that my boss will see a new and improved LinkedIn profile, and he will take that as an indication of an impending job search. How do people represent themselves on this platform without sending a red flag to their current employer? – James
Dear James: That is a fantastic question. First, LinkedIn is your opportunity to present yourself professionally as a potential candidate and a representative of your current employer. Your employer should want a complete and optimized LinkedIn profile, given that you also represent their brand. I understand that if your boss is aware of your current lackluster LinkedIn profile and sees your new and improved profile, he would be aware that you are professionalizing your digital candidacy. Unless you already have a challenging relationship, if this was ever brought up, you could easily say that you wanted to ensure you were represented to the new owners as professionally and thoroughly as possible, given that they will likely make some talent changes.
There are a few other things that you can do on LinkedIn to ensure you are not sending a direct message about potential job search plans.
First, when creating your recruiter profile, you do not need to select that you were actively engaged in a job search. Most people, even if happily employed, will entertain opportunities, so having a recruiter profile does not automatically say you are in an active search. In addition, be sure…
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