Question About LinkedIn and Companies You Have Worked For

How do you handle the Experience section of your LinkedIn profile when there is more than one name for your company in LinkedIn?

Ex: I worked for Maersk Inc. However, there is also a Maersk Line. Some of my recommendations come from Maersk Line. I have been including both companies in my experience, but this looks extremely unprofessional. This is true with more than one company on my profile. In some instances the names are not even close because the parent company's name is completely different.
You can check my profile to get a better understanding.

Anyone have this problem as well?

Thanks and God Bless,

G

Dear G:

From my standpoint, the name of your company, parent company and any subsidiaries with that root name (Maersk) is so unusual and distinctive, that it would not have raised an eyebrow at all. There are many companies such as Proctor & Gamble that have many brands under them that are totally different than the P&G name. If would not be unusual if you were in a position where you had visibility by these other entities, you might get a recommendation from one or more of these related companies that do not bear the same name as the actual entity you work for.

Moreover, I have been recommended by vendors, suppliers, ad agencies and others affiliated with companies for whom I've worked. The main thing is that they thought I was worthy of their recommendation and took the time to write one. If a prospective employer ever has a question about what my relationship was to these individuals at these other companies, then it's easily explained. I believe this would be the same in your case.

Another thing that sometimes occurs (especially in today's economy and it is prevalent in certain industries such as financial services), is that one company acquires or merges with another or as was the case with the company I work for, spins off from another company. More specifically, I worked for Cardinal Health for over three years, left, and after five years, returned. This was a "feather in my cap" and looked good on my resume, as this demonstrates that my prior employer valued my work enough to rehire me. Then Cardinal Health spun off to form CareFusion. Early on, it had no brand equity as it was newly-formed. Although it is a market leader today, I still note the original name (in a parenthetical like this) after "CareFusion Corp." so that it is clear that I was rehired.

Bottom line ... from my perspective, it does not look unprofessional or suspicious in any way. It may provoke a question from time to time, but I believe that you can easily address that. The important thing is to get as many recommendations from as many different types of work relationships (supervisor, head of department, peers, vendors, subordinates, co-workers, etc.) as possible.

I hope this helps put things in context and has ameliorated any concerns you have.

M2

The Importance of Linked Recommendations & Tips to Get Them

More and more, employers and search firms are turning to Linkedin to “separate the wheat from the chaff” and improve their chances of hiring someone who will be successful in a job. In addition to checking for common contacts on a job seeker’s Linkedin profile, they are beginning to rely more on Linkedin recommendations to get additional “insurance” when making a hire. In fact, if you look closely, a growing number of job postings state that candidates with X number (fill in the blank) of Linkedin recommendations will be more strongly considered. If you do not have eight to ten recommendations, (ideally one to two from each employer, and ideally from the person to whom you reported and either a colleague partner or subordinate), you need to “get busy!”

For those out of work, their self esteem may understandably have "taken a pounding," but it's important to center yourself and remember who you've been professionally. Think about the many obstacles you've overcome and the many successes you've contributed to. Also, reflect about which skills and experience you possess that are "head and shoulders" over others in your arena. Once you've done that, it's time to think about who you've worked with who has respected your work, your work ethics, skills, or has enjoyed partnering with you. Make a list and send them a request to write a recommendation. If you need them to focus on a specific area, ask them if they are comfortable writing a recommendation that focuses on X strength, XX strength, or XXX strength. In other words, suggest some things they may be able to write about you that are important for those in hiring capacities to know about you. This gives others a better idea of what to focus on, and helps you support your credentials.

To ease into a request for a recommendation, you might consider the following:

"I am in the process of exploring job opportunities, and wondered if you would be comfortable writing a brief recommendation for me. If you are open to this and have time, it would be great if you could focus on some of the skills that I am trying to leverage, namely, my X skills, XX background, or my XXX industry experience.

Many thanks, in advance,"

For those who are uncomfortable asking for a recommendation, try this:SELECTIVELY provide recommendations on an unsolicited basis for those with whom you've enjoyed working or otherwise have interacted professionally, and whose work you respect. There's nothing like getting a recommendation to make someone's day, and often, if a recipient feels similarly, they may write a recommendation for you, as well. It's best not to expect someone for whom you've written a recommendation to reciprocate in return, but if they opt to "return the favor," it's always a welcome gesture, and will help build your online credibility and reputation. So go ahead, make someone’s day!I hope these tips prove to be helpful in building your repertoire of recommendations.