Ask HN: Do you have to use LinkedIn to get hired? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Do you have to use LinkedIn to get hired?

#11

Post by PaulHoule » Wed, Jan 12, 2022, 2:38 PM UTC

I joined LinkedIn early on. When I was working as an individual contributor I first thought it was super effective and I became a "LiON" who tried to build as large and as open a network as I possibly could.

At that time I got numerous jobs thanks to my LinkedIn profile. On top of that I would tell anybody who was listening, particularly anyone who was struggling in job searches, that they should join LinkedIn too.

I went through a phase of business development for a new idea and found that LinkedIn attracted an unlimited number of bullshitters to the point that I was starting to become a bullshitter. I was getting sick and tired of the spam email I was getting. I was angry and resentful all the time and starting to feel guilty for thinking horrible racist thoughts like "They should rename it to linked.in", etc. It just seemed everybody was a "consultant" named "Joe Blow" who had a company called "Joe Blow Incorporated" or a personal trainer, life coach, etc.

Around the time Trump got elected I deleted most of my social media accounts including my LinkedIn account.

Since then I did two job searches without LinkedIn. In one case I went from "damn i really have to get a job" to having a job in a month, in the other case it took a few months.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have to use LinkedIn to get hired?

#12

Post by throwmeaway666 » Wed, Jan 12, 2022, 2:39 PM UTC

It is the only social network that I find worth engaging with and by that I mean just create your profile and fill in some of your data so recruiters have an idea of what you can do. You don't NEED it to get hired but it sure has helped me find new jobs more than once.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have to use LinkedIn to get hired?

#13

Post by ericalexander0 » Wed, Jan 12, 2022, 2:46 PM UTC

Hiring is a signal to noise problem. Know the signal they're filtering for, filtering tools in use, and you'll get an interview. If they're asking for a linked in profile, then it's a tool in use.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have to use LinkedIn to get hired?

#14

Post by jrockway » Wed, Jan 12, 2022, 2:46 PM UTC

I've never had a LinkedIn account and have held several jobs throughout my career.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have to use LinkedIn to get hired?

#15

Post by franze » Wed, Jan 12, 2022, 2:47 PM UTC

Participated in a lot of hiring at a hyper growth startup in London.

The recruiters get your CV, go to your linkedin. See if it matches good enough. Look throug your linked to see if there is something they can use (they are human resource after all) and then maybe push you one up in the hiring pipeline process. Next step is reading / skimming the other stuff you sent over.

Without linkedin you and they have more work in the first step, so even though I hate linkedin with a passion and use its stream mostly as an art project, for jobsearches you should use it.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have to use LinkedIn to get hired?

#16

Post by woodruffw » Wed, Jan 12, 2022, 2:52 PM UTC

No. I have never used LinkedIn to apply for a job, and have received multiple offers (and solicitations to interview) without ever having one. But I've also never worked or applied at a place that seemed to expect me to have a LinkedIn.

In my experience, having a personal website has all of the upsides of being on a "professional" social network with none of the downsides.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have to use LinkedIn to get hired?

#17

Post by mellavora » Wed, Jan 12, 2022, 2:52 PM UTC

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #3

We can’t read the mind of your hiring manager, but most places don’t strictly require a LinkedIn. However, it’s so easy that you might as well just do it. You can have it set up and filled out in 10 minutes and it’s an easy link for people to pass around when discussing you as a candidate.

yes, but no, it isn't "just 10 minutes", you should give it the care and attention you'd give to your cv or any other professional presentation of yourself.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have to use LinkedIn to get hired?

#18

Post by james_impliu » Wed, Jan 12, 2022, 2:54 PM UTC

As an employer, I find LinkedIn profiles faster (and thus nicer) to screen (we're a company that doesn't ask for a set application format) - since you don't have to adjust your brain to the format! I'm less likely to miss stuff, but might skim faster versus reading your story.

That said, if someone just sends me (I'm cofounder, post series B startup) an email directly which is well thought out connecting your skills with what we're working on, I will 100% read it / consider it. This ticks a box that you're interested in what we're working on - which we need to feel to hire you.

I do not now look at the vast majority of submissions, since the vast majority of those are generic, so we have a full time recruiter looking through.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have to use LinkedIn to get hired?

#19

Post by ohCh6zos » Wed, Jan 12, 2022, 2:54 PM UTC

I think Linkdin is largely a productivity trap. There are whole articles out there about how to optimize Linkdin, but I’ve never glanced at it for the 100’s of people I’ve hired over my career.

Re: Ask HN: Do you have to use LinkedIn to get hired?

#20

Post by moritonal » Wed, Jan 12, 2022, 2:58 PM UTC

AlexandrB wrote: post #8

reidjs wrote: post #4

It would be a red flag for me if they are younger/early career, but if you are older and have a good resume and/or portfolio website I wouldn’t care.

Out of curiosity, why would it be a red flag? All it indicates that the applicant doesn't use LinkedIn.

It's just... odd. It's a signal that the candidate has some reason for not wanting a LinkedIn account, which could range from a messy history to a passionate belief in not having an online record. All of which _might_ translate to a difficult candidate who isn't prepared to make it easier for the employer.

As ever with these kind of eccentricities, if the candidate is good enough they can pull it off, but otherwise it's a orange flag.