The world of social networking has become very important to many people. You can meet new people, catch up with old buddies, join groups, and even play games with others. One major aspect of the social networking realm that has become vital to workers is job seeking. Websites like LinkedIn allow you to improve your chances of finding a position by uploading your resume and networking.

LinkedIn is certainly a successful and major website for job seekers, and some wonder whether it’s advantageous to include a link to a LinkedIn profile on a resume. It’s a good idea. It’s a great way to set yourself apart and give a possible employer more information about you. It’s vital to spend some time making sure you’re not actually harming your chances, however. So if this idea has also crossed your mind, consider the following tips …

Your Resume and LinkedIn Page Should Match

Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if you sent your resume to a prospective employer with your LinkedIn link, only to realize later that day that a date was incorrect on your profile, or you forgot to add a former position to your resume? If you’re inconsistent between your resume and LinkedIn account, you might as well not put your LinkedIn account on the document at all.

Make Sure You Enhance Your LinkedIn Profile

What’s great about LinkedIn is that you have options to enhance your profile that can’t be achieved with a resume. For instance, you can take advantage of recommendations where those you’ve connected with can write personal professional references. Giving employers this virtual reference lists can cut down a lot of work for them. Sure, you give references on a resume, but the LinkedIn references seem more personal, and you can give ten or fifteen good references as opposed to three or four on a standard resume.

Leave the Dirt on Your Private Profiles

There’s nothing wrong with having a fun Internet life, but as you know, there are always risks involved. If an employer sees pictures of you slumped over with your drinking buddies, this may very well work against you in the application process. Most people don’t use their LinkedIn accounts to show unprofessional pictures, but pay attention to the contacts and references you post and think about how a hiring manager will perceive them.

Be Prepared for Employers to Follow Up with Your Connections

If you have 100 connections on your LinkedIn page and you offer your link on your resume, be prepared for any employer you apply with to try to follow up with any one of those connections. If you feel leery about this possibility, you may want to think about leaving the link off your resume because it could occur.

Adding your LinkedIn page to your resume can be a great idea as long as you have covered all of your bases in the process. If you have, then you might take advantage of this option as it may increase your chances of being hired for your desired position.