Accelerate Your Search™ Now

How to use LinkedIn for your job search … yes follow companies … 

LinkedIn Continued …

Creating clarity, focus, and thinking about your intention is critical in a job search and in life for that matter.  LinkedIn now makes it easy to engage and attract favorable attention during your job search with employers and businesses. 

The data and information shared by LinkedIn with the company about who is engaged very valuable.  It is one easy way to be visible, to connect and to engage.  I have always recommended creating a short list of targeted companies very early in your search.

Having a short list helps you with research, as well as helping you find tune your short list of targeted companies and your search focus.  Using LinkedIn you can easily follow your top 10 target companies, and engage as you wish with each company. 

LinkedIn receives over 50% of its revenue from its hiring solutions and 30% from its marketing solutions.  They invest in ways to share information and create a positive engagement experience.  You can leverage this investment.

Who are you following?  What companies are on your short list?   What can you learn from following a company?

Are you active, engaged and seeking out new opportunities or sitting on the sidelines waiting for the phone to ring?  

How are you using LinkedIn?  Have a comment, tip or thought?  Post it below.

Do you have a question about your search?  Look to the right and sign up for next Q & A session, join the next session and ask your question. 

Leveraging LinkedIn Continued …

Some common questions on expanding your network are “How do I build my connections?”, “Who should I invite or connect with on LinkedIn?”, or “How many connections do I need?”   There is not a magic number of connections, or a wrong or a right way to add connections, nor is there just one way to do so.  

I always recommend starting with your friends, and current business connections.  These people are your first-degree network now; add them to your online with an invitation. Then you can move forward to expand your network to all those people who you don’t yet know but would like to know and count among your connections in your network.

By starting with people who know you well and those with whom you currently do business your online network will grow steadily over time.   Years ago, Ken DuBose, a successful Financial Services Representative shared how he grew a book of business, the advice was, to start with the people you know, then ask those you know to introduce you to people they know.  His advice has been helpful to me for many years, and I use it and share it. 

Think about it this way, if you have a question, a problem, or you need information you usually ask someone you know first.  If you want to grow your business connections and expand your network “start with the people you know”.   It works.  I suggest you build your LinkedIn connections and your online network just as you build your offline network. 

Always personalize the standard LinkedIn invitation template to give those you invite some context.  It also shows you are interested in investing in the relationship.  Share how they know you, when you met, that you live down the street or whatever the connection might be.   I know few people who feel they get too little email, in fact most people feel that their inbox “runs over” and that 60% to 70% of the email received is unneeded, unwanted or unwelcome.  Yet we all like to hear from friends and people who care about us.  A personalized message says you care about them rather than you are just gathering contacts to build your list.

A word of caution, don’t assume people will be in a place or space to be overjoyed by your LinkedIn invitation and don’t assume other people have the same sense of urgency that you do.  Most will be glad to connect, if they know you and/or can quickly make the connection as to where you met, and will select the accept button. 

Be thoughtful and aware, if you look different, have moved, changed jobs, have a new name or have not been in touch for some time, don’t assume everyone will instantly know who you are or want connect with you right away just because you sent them the standard “I’d like to add you to my professional network…” without context. 

Also remember not everyone logs in to his/her LinkedIn account daily or forwards LinkedIn ‘InMail’ messages to a personal or business email address or phone to stay connected. I always cringe when I meet someone at a two-day conference on the first day, we exchanged business cards, then the second morning when I see them, they remark “I sent you a LinkedIn invitation, but you didn’t connect” usually I smile and admit LinkedIn was not on my priority list for the morning.  I will I connect, almost always, but rarely within hours.  Remember, we all have different styles, pace and priorities, and will use LinkedIn and its power as a tool in our own way.  Find your way to leverage LinkedIn to accelerate your search.

Have a comment, tip or thought?  Post it below.

Start with the basics to leverage your brand and LinkedIn.  Once you have your LinkedIn foundation in place and have begun to add connections, it is time to leverage your brand within your profile and market yourself. 

Market yourself and your LinkedIn profile to your target audience and all who need to know you.  You do have your critical five pillars in place, right?

If you missed the last post, the pillars are:   Name, Headline, Photo, Your Personalized URL, and Experience. Now add your personal contact information to your profile and make it visible.  If you are in a job search you need to be found.  How do you want others in your network, to reach out to you?  Phone?  Email?  Mail? 

You decide what contact information to share and add the information or don’t to your profile.  You will also want to share with your network and the users of LinkedIn the types of connections, and communication which you are open to engaging via LinkedIn.  Do you want job leads?  Are you open to introductions? Or business ventures? Be sure to update this section of your profile. 

Marketing your LinkedIn profile begins with using your Personalize URL.  Your Personalized URL works to give you a web presence and you will want to add your URL to your email signature block, then adding it to your business card, your résumé, and then you will want to mention how to find you on LinkedIn when you introduce yourself during networking and at other appropriate times.

Now enhance your brand with a strong summary.  Use your summary to tell your story.  Who are you, and what do you do, your accomplishments and specific results.  Don’t make it long and tedious or fill it with jargon.  Do beef it up, allow your personality to shine in your summary, and share your unique value. Be authentic.

Next augment your profile and your brand by adding your specialties, unique brand attributes, leadership or a bit about your interests beyond work.  Do you collect and renew classic cars? Build houses with Habitat for Humanity, or volunteer for a special organization?  Did you receive a special award or honor in your last job?  This is area that used well will boost your brand.

Have a comment, tip or thought?  Post it below.

Last week I spoke at two unique events about how to leverage your personal brand, your online presence and online networking.  From the questions during both Q & A sessions it was very clear most people have only touched the surface of standing out in a crowd.  Most don’t know the quick and easy ways to stand out.   Some people shared nothing, yet many shared they don’t leverage their LinkedIn profile, résumé and business card.  Some were surprized at how little things make a BIG difference. 

So when I read, the post “Presidents’ Day 2012: Who is the most underrated president?” by Jon DeNunzio and the comments on the nominees (you can find on Twitter using the hashtag #underratedpresident or below the post) I thought, WOW – we have 44 people who have served as a U.S. President and the conversation is on the MOST underrated in 75 words or less.  Interesting!

Can you state why you are underrated in less than 75 words?  

Do you have 75 words or less that help you STAND OUT if you are on a list of 44 people?  

Do you know how others view and rate your work over a four or eight year span of time?   

Many seeking a new job are underrated, and sadly they underrate themselves.  The impact of that is a lower value in the market place and not being noticed.

Are you lowering your value in the market place with your current LinkedIn profile, résumé and business card?  Most professionals even if, on the most-praised list of others don’t leverage that praise or marketing power.  Many people don’t know how to uncover what others think of them or the value information can provide. 

Which list are you on “underrated” or “much-praised” or not on the list for the job past or present?   Have you reviewed your brand, LinkedIn profile, résumé or business card?

Who will win the underrated vote and be the subject of the Tuesday guest post on The Fix for Tuesday?

What would happen if you changed your personal marketing? 

Could feedback from you network help bring you some clarity around your personal brand and accelerate your search?

Would a few key words or phrases help you to leverage your brand and your value to make a hiring managers list?

Need help with your personal brand contact me. 

Need LinkedIn Profile or tips to enhance your current profile?                                        

Check back next week for LinkedIn tips.

The data shows wages are trending up.  Bridget Quigg shares details in her post “Wages Trend Up to Finish 2011 Ahead”.  Read it and assess the data for yourself. 

The national and state data for unemployment in many areas is also positive.  Yet if you are looking for a job this may or may not be important. Also it may or may not be good news or bad news.

To improve your situation and your results, being focused on you may be more helpful than being focused on trends, data, comments, news, etc.   Are you focused on you and your results?  Are you ready to accelerate your results?

I hope so.  That is what you can most impact. 

Just a month ago, I was celebrating a client’s new job.  When we talked the other day, he shared how he is enjoying the new job, the work, the people then he paused and asked me “Why didn’t I take action and get focused sooner?”

Boy, that is a powerful question and one that I can’t answer.  So a turned the question back to him.  His answer was the he was sad about losing his job, the news, and everyone around him was telling him things were bad. He shared he was unsure what to do.  The day after we talked about what to do, he had 2 simple action steps and my I challenge to him to take action. 

He took the action. Now he is working!  I just offered the two specific action steps.  Two simple steps changed his entire search and resulted in the job he landed.   Look accelerating your search does not have to be slow, lonely or hard, but it can if you want it to be.

If you lack focus or are focused on less productive things. Stop worrying about the unemployment numbers or the wage trends.  Focus on the things you can impact. Here are action steps you can take today.

Action Steps:

 1. Look at your network, your contacts and your current leads.  Group them into three categories:  Ideal, Referral, Influencers

 2. Create an action plan; include who you will contact and when you will connect.

 3. Make the connection. 

The client above, made the call.  That is how he landed the job. My challenge to him was simple “make the call” and he did.   What action will you take today? 

Have a success story to share?  Post it below.

Do you have a question about your search?  Look to the right and sign up for next Q & A session, join the session and ask your question.

Are you asking yourself ‘What do I want to be when I grow up?’ or ‘What do I want to do next?’ or ‘What do I want to be or do when I retire?’   If you are in a job search the odds are that you are asking these or similar questions.   All are great questions.

Recently, a former client contacted me to say “I plan to retire in the next 3 years, and I am as stuck as to how to make the shift as I was several years ago with my job search, will you help?”  My reply after understanding where he was stuck was yes. 

Why,  he was stuck with what managing his retirement career, not all the other retirement stuff like 401 Ks, health insurance, etc., those things are not my forte.  

If you are searching and asking these questions, here is a quick tip to help you accelerate your search.  Write the question at the top of a blank page of paper, then over several days set aside 10 minutes to brainstorm all the possible ideas you have and write them down, add pages if you need to.  Don’t evaluate the ideas, just jot them down.  At the end of the week review all the ideas.   Move the top 3 to 5 ideas to blank pages and continue to explore your ideas.    

Ask yourself these questions for starters:

   What would it take to do this?

   What would be the impact of this?

   Why do I want to do this?

When you are ready to seriously explore your ideas discuss them with someone you trust.  Then formulate a plan, and take action to create the transition or transformation you want.

Have a comment or thought?  Post it below.

Do you have a question about your search?  Sign up for next Q & A call to the right, join the session and ask your question.

Who decides if you are overqualifed and why?  The employer does.  That’s who. 

Why is there so much focus on overqualifed?  I don’t know.  I, of course, do have an opinion on the matter, but I doubt that will help you accelerate your search.  However, maybe I can help you by looking at the issue a bit differently.

Have you ever said to a door to door salesperson, “Not today, thank you” or the Boy Scout “No thank you, I bought caramel corn from another scout before you” or “we don’t eat caramel popcorn, thank you for stopping by”?   In many cases the dreaded statement “You are overqualified for this position” is just simply a no thank you.

Yes, I know the dreaded statement stings.  It does not feel like ‘no thank you’ or does it?

What happens if you reframe “You are overqualified” to “No, thank you”?

My bet is you think the later stings less, but does it really?  Think about it.  It is still rejection.  Rejection is, in my view the underlying issue with most of the conversations around the issue and statement “You are overqualified”. 

No one (at least no one I know) likes to be rejected.  And almost no one I know likes to reject others.

Especially, if you are in business and interviewing someone or talking to someone with good skills, and loads of experience.  Most people don’t like to be mean or reject another person, even when they don’t personally connect.  Sure there are some that do, you know them, and I do too.

What would happen if you heard “No, thank you” in lieu of “You are overqualified for this position”?  Think about  it!

I once knew a hiring manager who, said “thank you” and allowed someone else to say “No, thank you”.  Here is how he did it – during the each interview he was very good at finding something good about all the candidates he rejected.  He picked out something good about the candidate and made a mental note.  At the end of the interview, he confirmed the candidate’s home phone number, and he called each one after an interview.  Usually he placed the call before the person arrived home and left a message, he would share the one good point he noted and thank them for interviewing.  He would end the message with ‘good luck, your <whatever the good point was> will be of value to your next boss.   I learned that good quality he shared with the candidate was always a quality he appreciated, but he did not value at that point in the role that he was attempting to fill.  

Why, did he do this?  Well, I never ask him, yet here is why I think he did it.

He cared about people and the feelings of people. He saw value and appreciated what each person offered.  He appreciated the time the person set aside to interview.  He did not like rejection, and he might want to hire the person for another position some day.  He was building a team and running a business.  The call was “rejection protection” – so that in the future if he had a role for the person, the person would recalled him in a positive light in lieu of the hiring manager who had once rejected them.  It helped him build relationships and create goodwill.

The end result – still the rejection, but the rejection did not address a lack.  It appeared to sting less.

In my view it can be hard to build talented teams when you focus on lack.  Yet most hiring systems and hiring situations will reject several people.  The process in most organizations is look at many, interview some, hire one.

The truth is you were not selected and someone else was for whatever the reason.  That feeling is rejection.

Yet if you reframe your feelings, and focus on your value and not  the ‘over’ or ‘under’ or what you lack, you may be surprised at what you attract.  Why continue to focus on the lack? 

My suggestion – understand you will be rejected from time to time, learn to cope with it.  You don’t need to like it, crave it, nor attract rejection with continued focus, thought and conversation. 

I would also suggest you not dwell on the rejection, or try hard to figure out why you were rejected, nor rail against the company, your experience or your age.  The rejection may be a blessing you can not yet count.  Reframe it as “No thank you”.   

One day on the radio I heard, rejection in dating referred to as protection from a bad situation.  What a point of view!

What would happen in your job search is you reframed the rejection or the statement “You are overqualified” as “No, thank you – I value you as a person and want to protect you from this situation”?

Just a different point of view on “You are overqualified”.

Feel free to share your comments below.

What will you do different in 2012?

If you have been job searching for a several months or more the question – “What will you do different in 2012?”  As well as the answer is critical to your job search and your career success.  If your results are not where you want them to be, ask yourself “What will I do different in 2012?” 

If your job search results are – interviews and no offers, coming in second time and time again, or no interviews, or no conversations with potential employers and this continues – where will you be at the end of 2012.  Well the odds are the same place you are today!

If you continue to do the same things the odds are great that you will get the same results, and be in the same place at the end of 2012 as you were at the end of 2011.  Also believe it or not, or like it or not, the longer you are not working – yes, unemployed – the higher the odds are you will impact your long term earnings potential.  Let’s face it; the odds are also higher that you are building some habits that may impact your performance for years to come. 

Over the years, I have worked with and learned from many talented coaches, mentors, bosses and colleagues.  I am not 100% sure Doug Brown was the first to ask me a couple of powerful  questions that made a huge difference in my habits, my life, my business, and my career, but I believe it was Doug – Thanks Doug!  

Here are the powerful questions:

What is important to you?

What is REALLY important to you?

If < fill in the blank with what is REALLY important to you > is that important to you, what are you willing to different today to have it or achieve it?

I hope the questions and your answers help your search and your life as much as they have helped me.  Here’s to your very successful 2012!

If you want to share what you are doing different, please do so below.  I’d love to hear about your success.  If I can help you do something different in 2012, contact me.

It is the time of year for resolutions. What are yours? 

If you have followed me, you know I speak about controlling what you can control in your job search.  As you set your resolutions don’t forget to focus on the results YOU want.

Here is a Henry Blodget’s post Mark Cuban: There’s Only One Thing in Life You Can Control Your Own Effort from Business Insider with links to excerpts from Mark Cuban’s new book.  Excerpts are interesting and I will let you know what I think of the book once I read it.

Cuban’s questions are solid.  The questions noted could help you too.  The best point is that for Cuban it “would have been easy to judge effort by how many hours …”, now dead on.  Too many engaged in a job search confuse effort with hours, time spent and not results.  Be careful that you don’t spent time without a focus on results, or pat yourself on the back at the end of a long day when you just put in time without forward movement toward your desered results.  The results you may well achieve from just putting in time may well be an extended job search!

What are the results you want?  What are the goals you have set to get the results you want?

My wish for you in 2012 is solid results in all you do.   Happy New Year!

This can be a tough time of year. It is also is one of the best times of the year to be job searching. Businesses are looking forward to the new year and planning for the year ahead.

If you do have the holiday blues because you need or want a new job, yet you are not sure what to do to chase the blues away, ask yourself a few questions:

–          What am I willing to do to get the job what I want?

–          Can I clearly describe the job I want?

–          When will I start to take action to get the job I want?

–          Am I willing to help someone else get want they want?

The answers may surprise you or seem painfully obvious … but if you want to land the job you want now, you must stop doing what others are doing, what you have been doing and take a hard look at what you want to do and what your ideal employer wants and needs.

If an employer wants or needs something you don’t want to provide, that employer is not your ideal employer.  

If you are not willing to help an employer get want they want – more revenue, reduced costs, a better product, more customers, and/or more sales, then you are not their ideal employee and why would they hire you!

What is causing your holiday job search blues?  

Could it be because you are trying to cram your wants and needs on an employer with different wants and needs?  OR are you trying to cram yourself into a job where the wants and needs are different than what you really want to do to achieve your goals?

Take a look at what you are doing.  Are you willing to change what you are doing?

Stop and focus on your ideal employer.  What do their issues tend to be and what do they need most right now – how would you change your personal marketing message and your job search so that your ideal employer would see you as the solution to their needs right now and say WOW, let’s talk – you are just the person we need to join our team and get the results we want in the coming year.

Here is your assignment to chase away the holiday blues.  Discover what your ideal employer wants and needs.  If you can meet those needs formulate a clear message to communicate to your ideal employer how you can deliver what they want and need and how you will help them achieve their goals.

One of the fastest ways to chase away your blues is to help someone else get what they want.  Helping an employer get what they want and need is one of the fastest ways to get what you want, to help you achieve your goals and to get hired.

Do you need more action assignment to do to speed up your search? 

Look to the right and request my gift to you – “162 Ways to Accelerate Your Job Search and Land the Job You Want”.