Archive for Category: LinkedIn
How to Tap Your LinkedIn Network for Your Next Opportunity
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Communication Skills Job Search Tips LinkedIn Networking Advice Networking and Personal Branding Social Media on June 4, 2013 at 11:15 am
A recruiter once told me that he always has two stacks of resumes on his desk: one super tall stack of resumes he receives unsolicited from the Internet and one very short stack of resumes that have been passed along from people he knows and trusts.
Not surprisingly, when this recruiter has a job to fill, he reaches for the smaller stack of referred applicants first. It’s simply more efficient and effective to check out candidates who come with a recommendation from a trusted friend or colleague.
So, how do you get your resume into the coveted short stack? Here are some tips:
1. Put people first.
Instead of starting your job search with job postings, start with the people you know. Where do they work? Where did they used to work? Who do they know? What advice and introductions can they provide?
The new LinkedIn Jobs makes this easy by showing you all of the companies (that are currently hiring) where you have LinkedIn connections. Just scroll down the main Jobs page to “Jobs in Your Network” and start browsing opportunities. You can also visit theLinkedIn Company Pages of the organizations on your prospect list and view anyone in your network who currently works or used to work there.
2. Gather information and build relationships.
Now it’s time to reach out. Before you apply for any position, try to speak with or have an email exchange with someone who has worked or currently works for the employer — in other words, conduct informational interviews. Your goal in these conversations is not to ask for a job or even to ask for your resume to be passed along. Not yet. Your objective at this point is to gather information that will help to: 1) give you an edge when you do apply for a position, and 2) build a relationship with the person providing the information so that in the future this person will make a referral.
Here is what you might say in an outreach email to an existing connection:
Hi Rachel,
I hope all is well – I loved the recent article you posted on LinkedIn about the new iPhone. As you may know, I am in the midst of a job search and I was wondering if you would be willing to provide a bit of guidance. I am very interested in a position in IT support at Nike and I know that you worked there for several years. Would you be open to a brief phone chat or to answer a few questions by email to provide some insight into how Nike hires and what they look for? I would be so grateful for your time and very happy to return the favor.
Thanks,
Lindsey
Read the rest of this post on the Official LinkedIn Blog…
Image: LinkedIn
How to Job Hunt When You’ve Been Away from the Workforce
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Job Search Tips LinkedIn Networking Advice on May 20, 2013 at 3:57 pm
You’ve probably heard the saying that it’s easier to get a job when you have a job. Well, what if you don’t currently have a job? What if you haven’t had a job for a long period of time?
Don’t despair. It may take some extra effort to land a job after a long period of unemployment, but it is absolutely possible. Here are five Es to guide you:
1. Explanation
First and foremost, it is a mistake to hope that employers won’t notice that you are currently out of work. A gap in your LinkedIn profile or your resume is certain to raise a red flag. You need to address it directly.
Depending on the reason for your time away and your personal comfort level, you can either explain the gap at the beginning of your LinkedIn profile Summary or in your InMail correspondence or cover letters to recruiters when you apply for positions. In whichever place you choose to give your explanation, do it quickly, honestly and positively.
Here’s an example if you stopped working because of a layoff:
I am a creative, client-focused public relations professional with deep experience in the financial services industry. Since ABC Public Relations closed its financial services practice in June 2012, I am currently seeking a new opportunity to join a large agency.
Here’s an example if you stopped working for personal reasons, such as childcare:
I am a corporate generalist attorney with substantial in-house legal experience. For the past three years, I have focused on raising my family and I am now eager to commit my substantial energy to a full-time position as an in-house counsel for a small- to medium-sized company.
Read the rest of this post on the Official LinkedIn Blog...
Image: iStockphoto
The Top Job Search Trends of 2013
Posted in Employment Trends Job Search Tips LinkedIn Social Media on January 14, 2013 at 3:29 pm
Happy New Year! I love new beginnings, and January 1st is the newest and freshest start of them all. If you’re a job seeker, now is the perfect time to reinvigorate your efforts, try some new strategies or consider a fresh perspective.
With those goals in mind, here are three career trends I’m predicting for 2013 and tips on how you can incorporate them, with the help of LinkedIn, into your New Year’s job search:
LinkedIn profiles replace resumes
We’ve seen this happening for some time — people leading with their LinkedIn profile vs their resume. I believe 2013 is the year that many employers will rely more on LinkedIn than traditional resumes to make their hiring decisions. Employers may still request traditional resumes, but those will take a backseat to your LinkedIn presence. The reasons why are numerous: a LinkedIn profile provides so much more information and richer context for one’s career path, skills and experience; a resume limits you to one or two pages while a LinkedIn profile is unlimited; and your LinkedIn profile is public, so employers consider it to be more trustworthy (i.e., very few people lie on their LinkedIn profiles because their connections would quickly call out any untruths or exaggerations).
In some ways, your LinkedIn profile needs to mirror your resume. Factual information, such as your job titles, dates of employment and educational credentials, need to match exactly. And your overall skill set, experience level and areas of professional focus need to remain consistent so you don’t appear to be two completely different job candidates.
Beyond those basic similarities with your resume, your LinkedIn profile is completely customizable. To make your profile most appealing to employers, first craft a compelling, keyword-rich headline, such as “Big Idea Salesperson with Track Record of Success in the Construction Sector.” Not sure what to say? Gather inspiration by researching the LinkedIn profile headlines of some successful people who have the type of job you want.
Next, add a professional photograph to your profile to help recruiters match your name with your face when they meet you in person. Then, make sure that the rest of your profile acts as a more comprehensive version of your resume, including all of your experience, unique accomplishments, measurable results (e.g., “decreased average customer service call wait time by over 2 minutes”) and recommendations from former colleagues and managers.
Once you feel your profile is the best it can be, tap a few trusted friends or family members to review it with a critical eye. Specifically, ask them two questions:
- Is it clear from my profile what kind of job opportunities would be a good fit?
- Is it clear what makes me unique and valuable?
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If your friends can’t answer these questions, or their answers are not what you’re hoping for, then go back to the drawing board.
One last point: remember that your LinkedIn profile is a living, breathing representation of you, so regularly revisit your profile to make sure it’s up-to-date with new accomplishments. You can also keep your profile fresh and appealing to recruiters by frequently sharing interesting articles or brief commentary about topics that matter to you. These shares appear right at the top of your profile in the “Activity” section, so they will keep your profile looking active and compelling.
Read the rest of this post on the LinkedIn Blog…
Image: iStockphoto
Quick Tips for Networking Through Social Media
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Generation Y/Millennials LinkedIn Networking Advice Personal Branding Recommended Career Resources Social Media on November 15, 2012 at 12:38 pm
This week I had the pleasure of presenting during “office hours” for The Levo League, a new community for professional women of the Millennial generation.
I love the mission of the organization — Levo is the Latin root of the word “elevate,” which captures the organization’s mission for professional women to ascend together and achieve their career dreams – and I had fun answering questions from Levo Leaguers about social media and personal branding.
Here are some of the tips I shared for networking and building a strong personal brand through social media:
- Take a “clicks and mix” approach to networking online. “Clicks and mix” is a phrase I borrowed from my friend and social media expert, Diane Danielson. It means to combine the online and offline in your networking efforts. For instance, you can get an introduction via social media, but then make a date to meet for coffee. Never hide behind your computer screen.
- Get serious about your LinkedIn profile. The very top of your LinkedIn profile is the first thing people notice. Make sure you have a great professional headshot on your profile, and make sure your profile headline is a broad description of who you are, including keywords that a recruiter or client might use to search for you.
- Use Twitter as a research tool. Think of Twitter as your own personal news feed. Create a stream or list) where all you’re following are companies you want to work for or clients you want to pursue. Have a stream or list that is totally career related. (You can follow Ashton and Lady Gaga elsewhere!)
Click over the the Levo League blog to read more tips!
Tags: Levo League, LinkedIn, Social Media
How to Get a Job with Your Dream Employer
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Getting from College to Career Job Search Tips LinkedIn Networking Advice Social Media on October 26, 2012 at 9:17 am
If you could work for any company in the world, which employer would you choose? You can see the most popular answers to this question on LinkedIn’s recently released list ofMost InDemand Employers, which ranks the most sought-after companies on LinkedIn, ranked geographically and by job function.
If your dream employer appears on this list, you’re certainly in good company. But it also means you’re up for some intense competition. What does it take to land a job at one of the world’s most sought-after employers? Here are some tips:
It takes confidence. Yes, it can be challenging to apply to a top organization, but don’t take yourself out of the running before you take the first step. The very first step in landing a job with your dream employer is believing it’s possible. You’ll never get a job you don’t apply for.
It takes a good fit. That said, you have to be realistic about what opportunities you pursue. Just because a company is popular doesn’t mean it’s the right career or cultural fit for you. Take time to thoroughly research a potential employer by exploring that organization’s website and reading through its LinkedIn Company Page. The “Careers” tab of any Company Page will provide information about that organization’s culture, and the company’s status updates — which you can follow by clicking the “Follow” button in the upper right hand corner of any Company Page — will alert you to the organization’s current news and priorities.
I also recommend following a potential employer’s competitors (which you can generally find under the Insights tab of the Company Page under “People Also Viewed”). Research how a potential employer compares to its rivals in terms of culture, services, career opportunities and more. If you prefer another organization’s activities and positioning, then perhaps that company is your dream employer instead.
Read more on the LinkedIn Blog…
Image: iStockphoto
The Best Way to Network with Alumni on LinkedIn
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Education Generation Y/Millennials Getting from College to Career LinkedIn Networking Advice Recommended Career Resources Social Media on September 25, 2012 at 9:00 am
If you’ve been feeling the urge lately to buy fresh pencils and open the first page of a crisp new notebook, you’re not alone. Whether you graduated two years ago or 20, September always feels like the beginning of a new school year.
For job seekers, this sense of a new beginning can inspire you to inject new energy into your hunt. In particular, the fall season is a nice time of year to reconnect with members of your college or university alumni community, who may be feeling nostalgic for their school days as well (particularly if you have a good football team!).
Here are some tips for connecting and reconnecting with fellow graduates of your alma mater:
1. Join your alumni community. The first essential step is to become a member of your university’s alumni group on LinkedIn. Virtually every college and university in the world has one or more, as do many high schools as well. Go to the Groups Directory and search for the name of any educational institutions you attended. You’ll find that some schools have multiple groups, so join as many as appeal to you.
Once you’re a member, scan the group’s Discussions, Members and Jobs for networking opportunities. For instance, join a discussion of fellow alums talking about your industry, comment on an article someone has posted or introduce yourself to the Group Manager, who is often a representative of the Alumni Association (often a very connected and helpful person).
You can also start your own discussion, perhaps posting an article with a few personal comments or posing a question to group members. Or, you can introduce yourself and your goals: “Hi fellow Tigers: I’m new to the group and excited to connect with fellow alums. I’m currently looking for a job as a graphic designer and eager to connect with any other job seekers or design folks. Happy to help anyone I can. Thanks!”
Remember also that LinkedIn permits you to send a message or connection request to anyone with whom you share a group on LinkedIn (as long as that person has opted to accept such messages), which will help you build one-on-one relationships with individual group members.
Read the rest of this post on the LinkedIn blog…
Image: Trinity University
How to Network with VIPs on LinkedIn
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Job Search Tips LinkedIn Networking Advice Social Media on August 29, 2012 at 11:30 am
One of the first pieces of advice I always give to job seekers is to network with the people you already know – friends, family, neighbors, former colleagues and fellow college alumni. These people are valuable members of your LinkedIn network and, ideally, will be happy to introduce you to potentially helpful contacts in their LinkedIn networks.
However, there are some instances where you’ll want to reach out to people who are not at all connected to your existing network and are, in your estimation, Very Important People. Your VIPs may include recruiters, hiring managers, senior executives at prospective employers or “stars” in your industry.
If you’re ready to network several rungs up the career ladder, here are some tips:
1. Ensure that your profile makes a great first impression. VIPs are busy people, so if they receive a LinkedIn message from you and decide to check out your LinkedIn profile, chances are they’ll only spend a few seconds reviewing it. This means your profile has to be stellar.
First, craft a profile headline that is very specific and sells your skills and uniqueness, such as “Deadline-driven copywriter with 10+ years of experience at top-tier ad agencies.” Next, make sure your profile is 100% complete so a potential employer can quickly understand your education, experience and key skills. Finally, quadruple check your profile for typos, grammar mistakes or “red flags” such as outdated certifications or unexplained gaps in your experience.
How to Showcase Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn: 8 Tips
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Job Search Tips LinkedIn Personal Branding Social Media on July 9, 2012 at 9:00 am
Like professional athletes, we now live in a time of career free agency, where we must regularly prove our unique value in a competitive and frequently changing marketplace.
This means that it’s no longer enough to have a good reputation in one’s current position. We need to think about how we’re perceived in the broader marketplace by potential future employers.
Even if you intend to stay in your current job forever, clarifying your unique value is something you need to attend to. Clients, conference planners, awards committees and other professionals may be checking you out — primarily online — and you want to make sure that they find the best representation of you.
We’re talking about personal branding, a key element of success in the Internet Age.
A term first coined by Tom Peters in 1997, personal branding includes your professional reputation, online image and personal characteristics such as your work style, community engagement and worldview.
It incorporates the particular skills, talents and areas of expertise you’ve cultivated. When I host workshops on personal branding, I ask participants the following questions to help determine the elements of their personal brands:
- How would your colleagues describe your strengths?
- On what issues are you the go-to person in your organization?
- What do you know more about (web design, compensation plans, marketing to baby boomers) than most people?
Once you’ve defined your personal brand, it’s time to showcase it to recruiters, bosses, customers and others who may be assessing you. Here’s how LinkedIn can help:
- Be authentic. The best personal brands are genuine and honest both in person and online. It can be tricky to showcase your personality on the web (you might love puns, but those don’t go over well on a professional profile), but it’s possible with a bit of effort. For instance, if your personal brand includes a balance between your detailed accounting skills and your friendly personality, your LinkedIn profile can include both your technical credentials and the fact that you belong to several networking groups. You can also ask former and current colleagues to write LinkedIn recommendations highlighting this combination.
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Read the rest of this post on the LinkedIn Blog…
Image: iStockphoto
Be a Gutsy Grad: LinkedIn Tips for the Class of 2012
Posted in Career Advice for Young Professionals Generation Y/Millennials Getting from College to Career Job Search Tips LinkedIn Personal Branding Social Media on May 25, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Congratulations, graduates, and welcome to the Real World!
First, the good news: Employers are expected to hire 10.2 percent more college graduates this year than they did from the Class of 2011, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
The bad news? It’s still a really tight job market for young people, with one of every two recent grads either unemployed or underemployed.
How can you be among the fortunate ones? As someone who has guided college students to careers for the past ten years, I can tell you that it takes hard work, persistence and — perhaps most important — the guts to step out of your comfort zone. Here are some tips on how to use LinkedIn to be a courageous post-college career seeker:
1. Show your stuff. While resumes are limited to one page of standard-format, bullet-pointed information, your LinkedIn profile can go way beyond the basics. The information on your resume and profile definitely need to match (job titles, employment dates, key accomplishments, etc.), but think about LinkedIn as an expanded portfolio of who you are and what you can do professionally. Include a well-written, confident summary statement both to explain what you offer to employers and to show your written communication skills. Beneath that, fill your Specialties area with keywords representing all the skills you gained during your college years.
Next, don’t be shy about including all professional experience you have, even if that experience was unpaid or part-time, such as a spring break internship or after-school tutoring. If you don’t have much paid work experience, you can showcase volunteer work, school projects, internships and extra curricular activities.
Add additional sections to your profile in areas where you particularly excel, such as standardized test scores, volunteer work, honors or awards, or a creative portfolio of your visual work.
Finally, collect a few recommendations from professionals who are willing to publicly sing your praises, such as a professor, an internship manager or a boss from your summer job. Just remember to ask each person to vouch for you in specific and professional terms, such as “Robert demonstrated excellent attention to detail and budgeting skills as head of the student government fundraiser,” rather than “Robert is a great person and very smart.”
Although it may feel weird, it’s okay to prompt your recommender with a few bullet points of what to include in his or her recommendation (once that person has agreed). And remember that you have to be connected to a person on LinkedIn to request a recommendation (see the next tip for strategies on growing your network).
Read the rest of this post on the LinkedIn Blog…
Image: iStockphoto.com
Tags: LinkedIn
Lurk First (and 4 More Tips on Getting the Most out of LinkedIn Groups)
Posted in Job Search Tips LinkedIn Networking Advice Social Media on April 30, 2012 at 10:53 am
Interested in finding a new job, switching careers, attracting more clients or building a stronger professional network? LinkedIn Groups is the place to be.
Groups provides opportunities to meet and engage in discussions with members of your industry, your alumni community or other professional interest areas. Becoming active in LinkedIn Groups is like attending a professional conference every time you log on.
To join a group, start exploring the Group Search page, which has recently been updated to make it easier for you to find the most valuable places to network. Then click “Join” for any groups that sound appealing. Once you’re accepted as a member, you’ll be able to post and comment on discussions, review job postings, connect with your fellow members and more.
With over over a million groups on LinkedIn, you’re bound to find several communities that are beneficial to you and your career. But with so many opportunities to participate, what’s the best plan of action? Here are five ways to get the most out of LinkedIn Groups…
