Train wrecks: Human Resources and Recruiters Are Some of The Worst LinkedIn Profiles Out There

You see them posted everywhere – experts doling out advice on how job search candidates must update, enhance, optimize and create LinkedIn profiles that will grab the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. I admit, I am one of those oracles of LinkedIn and even teach LinkedIn classes to those looking to make a career or job change.

I’m on LinkedIn morning, noon and night and what I’ve seen is that some of The Worst profiles are those belonging to recruiters and human resources professionals.

I’ve seen a profile photo of a recruiter French kissing her dog. OK, she worked at a start-up but plu-eeze.

I’ve seen seductive poses. Most recently, I came across a Recruiting Director’s profile where a she poses in a black, tight dress, plunging neckline, leaning seductively on a fence.

One of my favorites is the HR leader who looks like he posted his FBI Most Wanted profile photo. I’m calling the police just to report a crime against my eyeballs.

There are profiles with summaries longer than “War and Peace”, paragraphs that would bore anyone to tears under each job, and a complete lack of attention to detail.

One of my most recent favorites: an HR Manager with a heading that is entirely misspelled. So if she comes up in a search, her lack of professionalism is front and center.

Maybe I shouldn’t be teaching LinkedIn profile classes to job seekers alone. Maybe my target audience should be my HR and recruiting colleagues.

For the love of L&D, please walk the walk AND talk the talk. How can we be such hypocrites? We expect so much of our candidates, so why don’t we take care of our own side of the street?

Enough said. You know who you are. Get walking.