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 Finally, quadruple check your profile for typos, grammar mistakes or “red flags” such as outdated certifications or unexplained gaps in your experience.
Along with ensuring the profile is 100% complete, ensuring the writing is tight and concise is a must. While much of the profile consists of the information on the resume, each section has its own character limits, so you should adjust your entries accordingly. Additionally, the “voice” of the LinkedIn profile should be a little more personable than the resume. The LinkedIn profile can afford to show a little more personality.
But a LinkedIn profile is a must for business professionals these days. I understand more than 85% of business professionals are now out there, so anyone who isn’t is making a professional mistake. Also, I really like the recommendation to participate in the discussions. You begin to establish a reputation as a “thought leader”, which doesn’t hurt in a VIP’s eyes.