Why is your LinkedIn profile empty?

I often get asked by people to review their LinkedIn profile and give them some feedback. Typically I review resumes and offer my opinion on them, but sometimes I look at a LinkedIn profile and let the person know what I think. The funny thing is though - half the time it's empty.  Not completely empty, but there is often very little information for me to comment on. 

Here is what I often see at the top:

A name and picture.
A headline that states the person's current job title and perhaps the company's name.
Location, number of connections, articles, activities, blah, blah, blah.
The first two lines of a summary, if that. Read this.

Then in the experience section - the most important section for recruiters - I often just see job titles, company names, dates, and locations. That's it. Then the same thing for the next job, and the next job, and the next job. That's it. No descriptions of accountability, no achievements, no other information regarding work history.

If you're not job searching, then I can understand that you may not want a lot of detail in there - no problem. But if you are job searching, why is there no information for recruiters to see, beyond the basics? I get confidentiality, but not everything is, or needs to be, confidential. You can include some details surrounding your accountability and achievements to whet the reader's appetite, to get them interested in you, to get them to take the next step. 

Not everything that is on your resume needs to be in your LinkedIn profile, but some of it can - and much of it can. 

Bottom line: If you wouldn't send in a resume that only includes company names, job titles, and dates, then why would you expect a recruiter to get excited seeing only that information on your profile?

More thoughts on LinkedIn profiles.

It's a really, really competitive job market out there. I wish you all nothing but the best.