Many of us are accustomed to the traditional resume. As the great Bob Dylan sang, the times they are a-changin’. Whether or not you’re actively pursuing a new job or career path, it’s always important to have an updated resume and, these days, a standout LinkedIn profile.
Ben Sever, VP of Strategic Partnerships and Community Relations for AtRock Consulting Group, shared, “LinkedIn branding is quickly becoming as important, if not more important, than a resume.” AtRock, a one of a kind organization in the bay area, helps business professionals maximize their LinkedIn brand. “Possessing a strong LinkedIn presence can lead to an increase in job offers, partnerships and client acquisition,” extended Sever.
The consulting group surveyed talent acquisition professionals in five major, metropolitan areas. All participants reported that LinkedIn, beyond being the number one tool for sourcing candidates, is crucial for vetting candidates. The AtRock team, who mainly recruits for IT positions, analyzes candidates’ LinkedIn profiles as the first step in the vetting process. “We engage in that analysis whether a candidate’s name came from an online applicant, personal referral, or any other source,” explained Sever.
The AtRock team helps professionals understand that a strong LinkedIn profile helps others take note of the following:
- Professionalism of attire
- Community relations/Volunteer work
- Skills others endorse
- Chronological list of peer recommendations
- Topics and articles a candidate engages with
- Writing ability, particularly in the summary section
AtRock is proud to be founded on traditions of perseverance, leadership, confidence, stability, and loyalty. When it comes to assisting clients with translating and quantifying skills and accomplishments that recruiters search for, though, the team goes beyond the traditional bullet point. Sever expounded, “Presently, it’s about how to appropriately engage with trending conversations, groups, and potential employers. With AtRock, clients benefit from both our expertise and strategies, which are derived from digital natives all the way up to team members with Fortune 500, C-level experience.” While rooted in certain traditions, the AtRock team understands the importance of staying current, being forward thinking, and pushing beyond the status quo. That is why their LinkedIn branding services help clients achieve professional goals.
One AtRock client, an E-Trade executive, shared, “The AtRock team created my LinkedIn from scratch when I started my job search, and I had recruiters reaching out to me with job opportunities in under two weeks. As a residual effect of AtRock’s excellent execution and training, LinkedIn has become an invaluable addition to increasing my sales pipeline as well.” It might be uncomfortable to embrace the shift to LinkedIn and step aside from the traditional resume, but meaningful change doesn’t happen in comfort zones.
It serves noting that AtRock is a socially responsible group and offers pro bono LinkedIn branding and resume revamping to veterans. Sever partnered with Project Transition USA and created a scholarship fund for veterans.
