I’ve already talked to you about LinkedIn being the number one resource where employers go to identify a great job candidate. In the spirit of “fish where the fish are”, if you find yourself searching for a job, the first
thing you need to do is to update your LinkedIn profile. Bait for the big fish.
Your LinkedIn Profile should be as fresh and up to date as fresh squeezed organge juice
And packed with Vitamin C. Give it that oomph, that sparkle. Take a cue from Guy Kawasaki’s LinkedIn profile and make it personal, engaging, conversational. In fact, Guy has admitted he had some help from an exec at LinkedIn writing one of his best known blogs on how to use Linked in (Guy explains he didn’t know how to use it that well at the time.) If Guy needs a little help sometimes, perhaps you do too. If you are not the world’s best writer, hire one to help you. By that I mean hire a college student or put out an ad on Craig’s list or eLance to find a good writer. There are a lot of writers out there and a lot more of them than usual are probably looking for some extra cash about this time, with the recession and Christmas double whammy. It wont’ require a lot of cash either.
Point them in the direction of Guy Kawasaki’s LinkedIn profile and tell them, ok, you haven’t been a venture capitalist-entrepreneur-mover and shaker with Apple -founder of tech companies like Guy but you do have a solid profile of professional accomplishments and you’d like to put the best face on it. You want to exude power, confidence, experience and expertise. And you want to be engaging, not dry as a pile of dust, while doing it. A good writer can achieve that for you.
Important Point
If you’re currently unemployed, The LinkedIn Blog » Getting Back-to-Business Checklist for Job Hunters suggests listing your current position as “open to opportunities.” Good idea.
Now: Edit your LinkedIn Profile.
The LinkedIn Blog also suggests, “if you just recently lost your job, make sure you update your status field in your profile so your network know that you’re looking for a job. It’s a quick and easy way to let folks you’re connected to know that you could use their help. David Stevens, one of LinkedIn’s users, updated his status upon being laid off. Within seven business days someone in his network knew of an open position, which Dave landed shortly thereafter.
Network, Network, Network
You should also put out the word on Facebook and any other social networks you belong to. Then get on the phone and tell all your friends:”Open to opportunities.” Then go to all the professional networking events you can squeeze in.
Networking is crucial. I just heard from one of the leading business consultants in the country that one of his biggest mistakes, when starting out, was sending out all these printed brochures to strangers when he had just come from a major company with hundreds of close associates who knew and respected his work already. When he started working the phones with them, he starting pulling in consulting engagements.
Like this old pro, most of the work you get will come, one way or another, from people you already know. Start calling or emailing them. Then point them to your LinkedIn profile.
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Linkedin was added to the About.com Top 10 job site list but linkedin is still the only social network on the list. The 3 added to the list were -
http://www.linkedin.com (professional networking)
http://www.indeed.com (aggregated listings)
http://www.realmatch.com (matches you to the perfect job)
Complete top 10 job site list here:
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/joblistings/tp/jobbanks.htm
I’m with you on the need for a great profile but have to disagree with the idea of hiring a college student to write it.
Being a good writer is only one part of what’s needed. Unless you’ve hired people, you have no idea what will resonate, or how LinkedIn works from a recruiter’s perspective. (For example, what they see when they run a search and what tempts them to click through to a profile).
No one should pay anyone money for a LinkedIn profile unless the person they are hiring has a deep understanding of LinkedIn, including how recruiters use it, and also has experience hiring for positions like the one they are trying for. With all due respect to college kids, eve the brightest among them has yet to gain the experience necessary to help someone else get a job.
Louise, you make a very good point and I can see you’ve thought this through with a lot of insight and depth. Thanks for your comments. Would you consider writing a guest blog to expand on this a bit. I’m sure it would offer some valuable insights to our readers.
Gretchen
AW Career – Biz Blog
I have a LinkedIn profile but I stopped using it when I ran across http://www.personavita.com. It give me more power and allows my career experiences to be validated by my boss and co-workers. I don’t really trust that all the recommendations that I read at LinkedIn – are they true or just a friend helping out a friend. I find that validated career experiences (in which the validation is anonymous, so therefore honest) much more compelling.
I’ll be sharing this info with my friends. Thanks!
Aw, this was a really professional post. In theory I’d like to write like this too – taking time and real effort to make a good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate alot and never seem to get something done.
You’ve done a nice work with this interesting article. Thanks a lot for this work
I like your website and found your post very enlighening and informative which gave me food for though and sent me back to the drawing board to create a site that is also helpful, informative and creative as yours.
After everything else have failed, you came to the right place.
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