Your resume and LinkedIn profile: Do's and Don'ts To Make Your MBA Application Competitive
In a recent GMAT YouTube live session, Paul Lanzillotti, admissions expert and founder of Amerasia Consulting, gave valuable advice. How to make your resume and LinkedIn profile look as competitive for your MBA application as possible. Firstly, your resume and your LinkedIn profile should "match". In the very least, they should not be inconsistent. This includes names, titles, as well as dates. Here are some more pointers Paul recommends:
With respect to current work experience:
Have less information on your LinkedIn profile than on the resume you submit with your business school application.
You do not know who will be looking at it - potentially anyone, including Archive.org.
With respect to your current employer - don't show your hand.
Bosses and colleagues may think you are looking for a new job, or applying to business school. And you’ll potentially be running the risk of getting put aside with regards to work opportunities.
If you "round up" with respect to numbers, make liberal guesstimates, don’t make mistakes... you may be in awkward position with coworkers, bosses, potential employers.
With respect to previous work experience - be as conservative as possible (for many of the same reasons above).
With respect to previous work experience:
Be conservative - as well for many of the same reasons above.
Keep in mind admissions committees generally view your LinkedIn profile as an afterthought. They may not even look at it. After all, they have all the information they need right in front of them on the online app.
If they do ask you for your LinkedIn profile (or if you list it on your resume) then they will probably click and take a quick read through.
Bottom line: keep it higher level, don't dive into as many specifics as you would with your resume. But also make sure nothing is inconsistent with the resume you are handing to an admissions committee.
With respect to your education section:
Again, your resume and your LinkedIn profile should match. In the very least, they should not be inconsistent.
In contrast to my advice for work experience, I would be more liberal with the content you list under "education".
If you did your resume right, your current work experience will take precedence over experiences that happened years ago, such as your educational experience.
This means a lengthy education section may have to be sacrificed for more current and relevant content (in the admission committee’s view).
If you list any professional certifications - CFA, CA, CPA, Series 7, etc. - be prepared to provide documentation for that certification.
Do not list your specific class rank if it is not on your transcript.
I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule, but if your transcript can't back it up, don't list it on LinkedIn.
I do not recommend self-translating/converting your GPA from a 10-point scale (for example) to a 4.0 scale. Keep your grades in their native form and let the admissions committees do the conversion their way. After all, this is not their first rodeo.
Bottom line: your LinkedIn profile is where you would add back in the educational experience content you sacrificed on your b-school resume.
Have all changes made within a few days after submitting your first application.
Better yet, have this done before you submit your first application.
However, should work circumstances change after you submit, don't worry about it too much.
For example:
An impending/expected promotion - list that on the resume you submit to the admissions committee. But you don't need to list that on your LinkedIn profile.
For example - if you switch employers after you submit your application, consider waiting a few weeks before updating your LinkedIn profile.
Let the dust settle at your new job and with your in-process business school application before adding more noise to the mix.
With respect to your interests:
(It goes without saying), take down anything you wouldn't feel comfortable showing your grandparents.
Affiliation with any questionable groups could mean your questionable judgment to the admissions committee.
This could include controversial politicians, political groups, celebrities, religious movements, and social causes.
We all have strong feelings or opinions or perspectives, and that's okay. Just use your best judgment when advertising them to the rest of the world.