As you might expect, I speak with many senior executives and other job hunters on a regular basis. As I review their job search techniques and situation, the common refrain I hear is that they’ve set up a LinkedIn Profile, but then failed to do anything else with it.


These executives are often just peripherally aware that using LinkedIn can help their job search, but they're not sure what steps to take that will help them leverage it properly - and so they're stuck in neutral.


Here’s the fact that you’ll need to face if you plan to find a job in 2010 or beyond: your online identity is already starting to eclipse your traditional resume.


That's right - a branded, search-optimization-friendly synopsis of your background on LinkedIn has become a REQUIREMENT for finding your next job.


The proof is in the results, as noted by this article that points out how Oracle's new CFO was headhunted directly from LinkedIn. And that's not all: the piece includes more advice on how recruiters can learn more about prospective candidates by using social media to track job hunter activities.


And just to hammer the point home, here are several recruiters that publically noted their search methods in the LinkedIn Answers Forum, giving you a birds'-eye view on exactly how YOU might be found and recruited on the site!


So, it's time to alter your thinking. Even the most powerful, well-written resume on the planet, when unaccompanied by an equally strong LinkedIn Profile, will cause your job hunt to stall.