Before you start fiddling with LinkedIn’s website features and fine tuning the “skills” you decide to include in your profile, make sure you take a step back and keep the larger picture in mind. It’s true that the site offers charts and graphs that give you an estimate of which skills are rising and falling in popularity among employers in your field. And, in theory, if you study these charts hard enough, you’ll know exactly how an average employer feels when she sees “project management” included in the list of skill sets you’ve elected to mark with a click for inclusion in your profile.

But responsible, intelligent managers don’t hire candidates based on this list. In real life, most potential hiring managers and recruiters will skim your profile for a general sense of your engagement, the width of your online network, and the impression provided by a quick glance at your endorsements. If you have two hundred endorsements for “project management” and this job specifically requires project management experience, this may or may not generate a mild positive impression in the mind of a potential employer. At the very most, it might inspire this person to take a closer look at your resume to see what you’ve actually accomplished and what kinds of “projects” you’ve actually successfully “managed.” That being the case, there are two important tips to remember as you shape your LinkedIn profile for maximum effect.

Your Skills Should be Reflected in Your Resume

Whenever you decide to add a skill to your list, make sure this skill appears in greater detail in the work history and summary section of your profile. And make sure it also appears in your formal resume. It’s one thing to simply click a mouse and select a skill off a menu of glowing, impressive terms. It’s another to back up this easy claim with actual substance.

Bring Your Selected Skills to the Interview

By the same token, you’ll need to be ready to discuss each skill you select when you’re called in for an interview. Every “skill” has a story, so be ready to explain your story to a recruiter or hiring manager in a conversational setting. How will you describe your project management abilities when you’re asked about them? What formal training have you received in this area? How do you apply this skill on a daily basis in your current or most recent position?

For more information on how to maximize the benefits of LinkedIn without relying on them too heavily during your job search, make an appointment with the Texas staffing pros at Expert.