Last month LinkedIn introduced a new in-profile storytelling feature that allows users to upload visual content directly into their profile.
Here’s an overview of what that looks like:
LinkedIn’s new portfolio feature could end up being an extremely powerful tool for both job seekers and hiring managers.
Even though they’re not calling it a “portfolio,” that’s essentially what it is.
“For the first time, you will now have the ability to showcase your unique professional story using rich, visual content on your LinkedIn profile. This means you can illustrate your greatest achievements in the form of stunning images, compelling videos, innovative presentations and more.
From the analyst who makes annual predictions on tech trends to the 3D animator who is looking to fund a new short film, the opportunities are limitless for how professionals can now use the LinkedIn profile to help showcase these unique stories in a visual way.” – Udi Milo, Linkedin
Having the ability to take a more robust look at someone’s career experience or ‘story’ online could play a role in how much face time prospective job candidates get with the HR department. Currently, most people display their best work online in the form of a blog or a dedicated website, so LinkedIn’s new storytelling feature will help people consolidate everything into one polished space.
While discussing this the other day, a colleague asked if this will kill the physical portfolio? And my response to that was No.
If you’re lucky enough to get to the final stages of a recruitment process that warrants an in-person interview they’ve more than likely seen a good deal of your work online. However, you could still bring in a physical portfolio that was tailored or edited down to include only past work that is relevant to their company and/or industry.
Will this new feature kill the resume?
By itself, no. However, LinkedIn is working extremely hard to become the number one platform for professionals, so it’s only a matter of time before you start to see more companies integrate the platform into their recruiting process.
I’ve said in the past that I think the resume is dead and that it’s much more important to build a personal brand instead. However, I know that resumes are still widely used as a recruitment tool, but I do believe that with each new feature LinkedIn pushes it further into obscurity.
Here are a few examples of how LinkedIn’s storytelling feature can be used:
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