LinkedIn Profiles Contain Fewer Lies Than Resumes 88
RichDiesal writes "New research reveals that personal information provided on LinkedIn may contain fewer deceptions about prior work experience and prior work responsibilities than traditional resumes. However, LinkedIn profiles contain more deceptions about personal interests and hobbies. This researchers believe this may be because participants are equally motivated to deceive employers in both settings, but perceive lies about work experience on LinkedIn as more easily verifiable."
Example of a LinkedIn lie (Score:5, Interesting)
I had a grad student last year who stopped showing up after the first few weeks, and eventually had his studentship discontinued.
Being a student here gave him an email address here and one at a university with which we had a collaborative arrangement.
While he had it, he created a LinkedIn profile listing himself as a "Research Scientist" here and a "Software Development Consultant" at the other university. He then proceeded to connect through LinkedIn with others who work at both organisations who didn't know him, but who probably thought they should, given the relevant email address and link requests. He was careful not to try to link this fraudulent account with anyone who did know him and his real position here.
The profile is still there. I don't know whether it is to protect his ego (he seems to have problems in that area) or whether he is using it to fraudulently get consulting contracts. Guess I should do something about it, but I don't want to stir up trouble.
Answers a lot. (Score:5, Interesting)
I am on the "interview" team at work (interviewing candidates,) and I usually try to search for each applicant on LinkedIn, etc. I have noticed that when job titles differ from resume to LinkedIn, they are almost uniformly less-inflated on LinkedIn. (One applicant's resume read as almost completely different than their LinkedIn history - it even took effort to realize that the LinkedIn profile showed the contract agency, with the client company in the small print, while the resume showed only the client company, in nearly every job.)
Re:One lie to rule them all (Score:4, Interesting)
I have a bogus name on my LinkedIn account. I've about half filled in my stuff, stopping when I felt it was too intrusive. I look once in a while, to see what garbage is on there for me to look at. LinkedIn == Myspace for "professionals"
If you don't take it seriously and you just put in bogus info and/or collect connections like business cards, then yes, it is useless and noisy (unless you are a headhunter). But if you take time to setup a proper profile, disable noisy features and maintain a relevant network of connections, it can bring interesting opportunities. For my last two contracts I was contacted via a LinkedIn reference and never sent a resume. (And I'm not talking about mass-mailing from head hunters but contacts from actual connections).
I don't buy much into the "give a reference" feature, but I know that potential (and current) clients have been looking at who are my connections to get an idea of who I am. Which is why I have only a handful of high-quality, relevant connections.
But hey, if you enjoy doodling around in Word every time you want to switch jobs or apply for a RFP, be my guest.