Archive for category linkedin
What LinkedIn’s IPO Means for You
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in linkedin, linkedin profile writer on May 20, 2011
Now that the dust has settled a bit on LinkedIn’s successful IPO, you might have wondered what the implications are for your job search. Will the site change? What will happen to your membership?
Are more people expected to join? Will another networking hub overtake LinkedIn as the favorite of businesspeople and job seekers?
Here are some musings on what the new state of LinkedIn can mean for you:
Site changes.
Interestingly enough, LinkedIn HAS changed its functionality significantly over the past 18 months, potentially in prepartion for its IPO.
In case you didn’t notice, the new Skills sections and search functionality appeared late last year. In addition, site functions that once were available from the top menu bar started to drift around. More notably, the Settings page became more user-friendly, with the Privacy controls a bit easier to understand.
So, it IS possible that the navigation and menus will continue to shift… but keep in mind that much of the change may have already occurred.
More jobs.
No, I’m not referring to the site’s job search engine, but the company itself.
It’s expected that the company will start to boost its technology workforce, and may even open offices outside of California – meaning that a slot could open up for you.
A burgeoning membership.
Imitators and new social networking sites aside (Quora, anyone?), LinkedIn is on a tear with its growth, and most site watchers don’t expect it to slow anytime soon.
At last estimate, the site had around 100 million registered users, but this number is somewhat skewed from the volume of orphan and duplicate profiles.
As many recruiters (more than 90% of all active headhunters, according to careers industry surveys) mine the site for the ultimate candidates, LinkedIn is still a mecca for those wanting to find (companies, jobs, services, etc.) and be found.
The takeaway? Keep that LinkedIn Profile polished for searchability and branding, and your radar up when it comes to maximizing the site.
As business activity continues to grow, and the site continues to attract attention, more features and more active users can only mean that you’re in the right place as a job hunter.
Do You Really Want to Use THAT LinkedIn Photo?
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in executive job search, linkedin on March 18, 2011
Some time ago, I ran across a LinkedIn picture of a job seeker who was holding a very specific political sign over her head that used bright letters.
While wearing shorts (and no, they did NOT become her).
Curious about this phenomenon, I surveyed my fine resume-writing, coaching, and careers industry colleagues at Career Directors International on the subject of inappropriate LinkedIn photographs.
As a result, I came away with a very interesting list of purported job seeker LinkedIn photos that:
- Were taken from such a distance that no one would recognize them
- Included the candidate posing in a bikini on a beach
- Showed the candidate’s GARDEN – without her in it
- Displayed a major league sports cap (a turnoff to the recruiter that contacted him, who noted that it was the ”wrong city, wrong team”)
- Were snapped at a party where the subject obviously had too much to drink
- Resembled a mug shot – no smile, just a grimace that did not put the candidate in the best light
Job hunters, PLEASE! It’s time to think carefully about the image you’re projecting online.
It’s an employer’s market, and the best opportunities WILL pass you by if others believe you aren’t serious about your career.
Take that picture down (the one where someone else’s shoulder can still be seen next to you, with that big shadow!), and succumb to a professional headshot.
At the very least, let someone adept with a digital camera take your photo in a suit, with a smile, and use it to put your best foot forward.
5 Reasons Why Your LinkedIn Profile Isn’t Working
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in linkedin, linkedin profile writer, linkedin profile writing services on February 5, 2011
By now, you’ve certainly heard why a polished, professional LinkedIn Profile could actually be MORE important than your resume.
However, you could spend hours perfecting your Profile, and still not receive results from it.
But don’t give up! Here are 5 common reasons that your Linked presence isn’t drawing attention for your job search or business:
Problem #1: You forgot to apply the principles of SEO.
A fantastic LinkedIn Profile is still like the proverbial tree falling in the forest, because if you fail to make it easily searchable, no one will actually find it.
The best way to do this is to conduct some due diligence on the keywords used by others who are looking for new hires. Recruiters and employers often look for candidates with a particular job title, and specify a city as another parameter.
Think of a recruiter intent on finding a Senior Vice President of Sales in San Francisco, and you’ll have the right idea.
So, you’ll want to pop that desired job title or career level into as many parts of your Profile as possible, in addition to skills that describe your experience.
Problem #2: Your profile text looks like a dry bio.
Your digital presence should do more than merely exist, pulling in the reader with a narrative that lets you explain your unique selling proposition (USP) in detail. Therefore, if you dump the contents of your resume summary or biography into LinkedIn, it’s not going to work.
In fact, pasting sections of your traditional resume straight into any online social networking site is asking for trouble, because these documents are written for print, not the Web.
Online copy is fresh, concise, and a bit more energetic than your resume, and it should be written in first-person to engage your reader as an individual.
Problem #3: You gave away the store.
I’m commonly asked where and how to attach a resume to a LinkedIn Profile. Well, there IS a way, but don’t do it!
Generate a little intrigue by refraining from providing every last bit of information to employers and recruiters. Think of your Profile as the introduction (with almost the same purpose as a cover letter), where you can add just enough data to make employers want more.
Then, then back off and make it easy to connect with you (or contact you directly) so that you don’t commit Problem #5.
Problem #4: Your dates aren’t working to your advantage.
Searching for a job in your 40’s, 50’s, or 60,’s? Don’t give employers reason to filter you out by including all that work history dating back to the 1980’s or 1970’s – please!
In fact, assuming that your resume has a great strategy for combating age discrimination, be sure to employ the same techniques on your LinkedIn Profile.
You’ll quickly find that employers are most interested in your last decade of experience, and that adding too much information leads to Problem #3.
Problem #5: You didn’t pay attention to Contact Settings.
Yes, LinkedIn is a social networking site (with a business purpose, of course). Then what’s the idea behind preventing others from contacting you?
There’s nothing worse than finding a great professional contact on LinkedIn, only to see the message that “Bob is not open to receiving invitations or InMail.”
The Contact Settings section allows you to give a brief blurb about the best way to reach you, and this is a great place to list either an email address, a phone number, or both.
However, you’ll also want to ensure that the parameters within your Contact Settings are checked so that you can receive any combination of Introductions, InMail, and OpenLink Messages.
So, if your Profile isn’t generating enough interest, I recommend going back over your content and ensuring that you’re using a well-thought-out strategy to draw the world to your digital door.
Did You Short-Circuit Your LinkedIn Profile With Overused Words?
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in linkedin, linkedin profile writer on December 16, 2010
So your LinkedIn Profile’s all suited up and ready for a job search – with plenty of information for employers to view, all in an effort to get that ultimate seal of approval under the 100% Profile Completeness display.
But wait – it’s still possible that your LinkedIn Profile will deflate your job search efforts, especially if you populated it with some of these terms in LinkedIn’s 10 Most Overused Buzzwords List.
Ironically, this is the same suite of fluff words that should be used either sparingly or not at all in your resume!
In fact, the more cliches that readers encounter, the less they can see the ROI in your background and the faster they’ll move on.
As an example, you could replace proven track record with:
I deliver an average 34% revenue increase in Sales Executive roles by identifying and leveraging market trends.
Extensive experience could be stated as:
Global manufacturing leadership as VP Operations that created a 30% annual rise in productivity.
(Note the SEO built into each example.)
It’s the same principle that applies to your resume – don’t show, TELL.
And given LinkedIn’s character limitations, the faster you tell, the harder your Profile will work for your job search.
What does your LinkedIn headline say about you?
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in linkedin, linkedin profile writer, linkedin profile writing services on October 27, 2010
Did you realize that LinkedIn has a built-in marketing and search engine-friendly capability that is easy to use–and often overlooked? Well, neither do most job hunters.
The best 120 characters of keyword optimization you can find for a job search, your LinkedIn Headline (or title) is a major piece of the puzzle that can help recruiters locate your skills.
If you’re one of the many that loaded up this field with your current job title (such as ‘Vice President of Operations’ or ‘Sales Executive’), or worse yet, used it to declare your unemployed status, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to market yourself!
Instead, I recommend presenting your brand and goal in your LinkedIn Headline, using some self-promotion plus a label that gives you a fighting chance of being located by a keyword search. (What’s that? You didn’t realize that recruiters will look for you by keyword? That’s a subject for another post.)
Here are some LinkedIn Headline comparisons for your perusal, taken from actual profiles.
- William Jones, Unemployed and Looking
- John Taylor, Operations Director and Manager | Cost Control & Efficiency Improvment at AT&T
- Bill Ford, Project Manager at Sun Microsystems
- Anne Wilson, Providing Innovative Business Solutions by Leveraging Technology
- James Hardin, Pursuing Product Management & Quality Consulting Assignments in Dallas
- Carson Anderson, IT Systems and Management With Government and Nonprofit Experience
- Douglas Harding, Enterprise Technology Leader | Principal Network Engineer | Network Architect | Team Leader
Which do you believe increase findability? What makes you want to read further or fails to pique your interest? And of course, which of these are too general to tell you anything about the candidate’s brand?
I hope this makes you take a closer look at your own LinkedIn Headline. Maybe there is a better, more strategic way to convey your value and goals, while sticking to that 120-character limit.
Why your next job might come via LinkedIn
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in executive job search, linkedin, linkedin profile writer, linkedin profile writing services on October 13, 2010
As you might expect, I speak with many senior executives and other job hunters on a regular basis. As we 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.
In many cases, I find that executives are only 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.
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.
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.
So quit focusing on your resume as the ultimate centerpiece of your search! You can have the most beautiful, well-written resume on the planet–but if it isn’t accompanied by a strong LinkedIn Profile, your efforts will stall quickly.
Want more information on how to use LinkedIn for job search success? Need to get a LinkedIn Profile up and running quickly? 
How to Conduct a Covert Job Search Using LinkedIn
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in executive job search, linkedin, social media on July 28, 2010
If you’re planning ahead for an executive job search, you might be concerned that cultivating a LinkedIn presence will announce your candidacy–and blow your cover.
Well, nothing could be further from the truth – but only if you use LinkedIn correctly and adjust your Privacy Settings in anticipation of a search.
Here are the 3 key steps to preserving some secrecy for your job hunt, while still getting the most out of LinkedIn:
1) Hide your activity through Profile Views.
Take a look at the Settings for your account (Settings can be found in the top right-hand corner of the page. After clicking on it, you’ll need to scroll down until you see Privacy Settings.
Under Privacy Settings, choose Profile Views. This setting deals with what is shown to other LinkedIn users when you click on their profiles. Select the last option that states “Nothing. I will be completed invisible to users I have viewed.”
Doing so will ensure that you can “surf” LinkedIn freely, reviewing others’ profiles without them being aware of your activity. So, if you want to find a recruiter, hiring executive, or HR manager in a target company, you can look to your heart’s content at their profiles–and they’ll never know!
2) Change how others see your Profile Updates.
To do this, go back to Privacy Settings, and click on Profile and Status Updates. Here, you can change your settings to ensure that no other users receive a notification for your updates.
When you select each “No, do not notify anyone” button, this essentially prevents those in your network from receiving an email blast that would “out” you to the world for changing your profile (which is a common step in the job search).
In fact, you’ll want to leave this setting closed down unless you have a good reason for issuing reminders to others about your personal LinkedIn activity.
3) Adjust your Connections Browse settings.
Here is where you can block others in your network from seeing your relationships.
If you plan to connect with recruiters or insiders at competing companies, it can be a good idea to hide these ties from those at your current employer.
Been too preoccupied to tune LinkedIn for a job search? I’ve begun offering FULL setup on LinkedIn Profiles, allowing you to present a confident digital identity to employers.
Your part? Collaborating with me to create a strong brand message–while I do all the writing and setup. Get more details here.
Are You Committing The Top 3 LinkedIn Profile Sins?
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in executive job search, executive resume writing, linkedin on July 8, 2010
If you’re stopping to read this, chances are good that you’re not maximizing your LinkedIn Profile in a way that will actually get you hired.
Here are 3 common pitfalls to avoid when setting up and using LinkedIn for a job search:
1 – Failing to use all the space provided.
You’re guilty of this if your summary is comprised of just a few sentences, your work history only includes titles (and no description of your achievements), or you skipped sections like Interests or Specialties.
These are valuable pieces of data that not only educate readers on your career, but also serve to boost your searchability quotient. Here are the current character limits for LinkedIn categories:
• Headline – 120 Characters
• Status Field – 140 Characters
• Summary – 2,000 Characters
• Specialties – 500 Characters
• Company Name – 100 Characters
• Position (Job) Title – 100 Characters
• Position Description – 2,000 Characters
• Interests – 1,000 Characters
If your profile isn’t close to maxing out each of these spots, you’re missing out on valuable opportunities to sell yourself to employers!
In addition, many recruiters surf LinkedIn for candidates that possess specific skills or career experience. By adding more information that contains key search terms, your odds of being found based on a keyword search (and subsequently recruited!) can rise dramatically.
Want proof? Take a look at my LinkedIn Profile (or first search “executive resume writer” in LinkedIn.) You’ll quickly see why every word counts.
2 – Conveying a message that is inconsistent with your traditional resume.
There’s no way around it – employers will be trolling the Web for information about you, even if you’ve already sent your resume to them to review. The problem comes in when your job history, core competencies, or achievements seem different online than on paper.
After creating both your resume and your LinkedIn Profile, I recommend printing them out, and reviewing information such as job dates, education, job titles, and employer names side-by-side. You’ll be able to spot any discrepancies quickly.
In addition, reviewing the profile this way allows you to see if it delivers the same value proposition message as your resume. If you missed mentioning highlights of your career (such as metrics on revenue generated or cost savings), you can incorporate this data back into the profile so that it aligns with your brand.
3 – Mistaking a resume summary for a LinkedIn summary.
The LinkedIn summary area is designed primarily to present a snapshot of your brand and value proposition. However, many people mistake this for the resume summary of qualifications, and insert a long paragraph.
I can’t say this enough! Web copywriting is much different than writing for printed or emailed documents. You’ll need to create your profile so that it can easily be read online, using first-person writing style, with presentation techniques intended for the Web.
Rather than use your resume summary, instead write a more personalized account of your background and qualifications, breaking up the text visually so that employers can quickly scan through for key words. Font treatments such as bullets or all caps can help to deliver more punch.
Remember, your career isn’t identical to anyone else’s. Why settle for making your LinkedIn Profile blend in when it can promote you with a differentiating, powerful message?
3 LinkedIn Errors That Will Harm Your Job Search
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in linkedin on June 7, 2010
So, you’ve heard all the hype about LinkedIn and your job search, and so you’ve signed up for a profile, plopped your information into it, and then… poof! Nothing is happening.
Unfortunately, some professionals who use the site leave their profiles virtually locked down and therefore inhibit any form of connection—either because they are maintaining a confidential job search or because they fail to understand the reasons behind the site.
If you haven’t already done so, examine your Contact Settings to ensure that you’ve indicated willingness to accept Introductions, InMail, or some combination of these plus OpenLink messages.
In addition, you’ll want to check the Opportunity Preferences section to verify that you have at least checked off boxes for “expertise requests.” Doing so will ensure that others can feel comfortable approaching you.
Of course, for those openly searching for work, I recommend enabling settings for other values such as “consulting offers” and “career opportunities.” Add a phone number in the Personal Information Section, as some recruiters will skip you in favor of candidates they can reach more easily.
In summary, keep in mind that your LinkedIn profile can serve as an online resume. However, to be a truly effective tool for your job search, your profile should borrow SOME elements from a traditional resume, and leave others behind.
Is Your LinkedIn Profile Optimized to Draw an Audience of Recruiters?
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in linkedin on April 15, 2010
So you signed up for a LinkedIn account and let the system walk you through adding your information, dutifully populating each field with past jobs, descriptions, education, and so on.
Wait – did you pop your resume profile into the Summary, or add the first few paragraphs of a stiff, boring biography?
If so, you’ve just missed the chance to optimize every one of those 2,000 characters (the Summary limit) that you could be using to draw in recruiters and employers.
LinkedIn officials say that instead of creating a summary that describes you as a great communicator or forward-thinking executive, a keyword-driven suite of short paragraphs and sentences is key to being found by your desired audience.
Here’s why: in addition to the relationship-building factor, LinkedIn is all about searchability! Employers who aren’t award of your reputation as a sharp sales expert or operations turnaround leader will use keywords to find you—and learn more about why they should hire you.
In addition to keywords, you’ll need to make it easy on your readers by using bullet-style sentences and short phrases, which will allow your top competencies and skills to shine.
The Summary isn’t the only place in which to add keywords; your profile is also searchable by the Job Titles, Headline, and Interests that you specify. Here’s where you have the chance to make the high points of your career and achievements stand out.
But wait – there’s one more step! Track how many visitors your profile received (look on your Home page on the right-hand side to find “Who’s viewed my profile?”). Look at this metric on a regular basis to see if your visitor volume is increasing.
Don’t forget – your LinkedIn profile isn’t carved in stone. Tuning your profile over time is a good idea to gauge any changes in your visitor metrics, especially if your career goals evolve or you have fresh information to display.
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