Accelerate Your Search™ Now

The folks at LinkedIn have been busy!  By now you have experienced the homepage make-over, the changes to company pages and the endorsement features.  You may also have noticed a drop in your completeness percentage — mine recently dropped 5%.  And, most recently, you’ve been given the opportunity to connect with “Influencers” — a select panel of 150 thought leaders to follow right from your homepage.

LinkedIn is a great tool.  It is important not only to use it, but also learn about the new features and leverage the ones that  improve your results.  Consistently managing your profile will enhance your personal brand and further your career goals.

So, how do you maximize your profile and all the new changes?

1.  Use your homepage to connect with and to be valuable and visible to your network.  The LinkedIn homepage recommends news of interest to you, shows new status updates and provides an easy way to directly engage with your network from those updates.  You can comment or send a message in seconds.  You can filter and customize the view of the page.

2.  Take advantage of the new streamlined design of Company Pages.  Company updates and connections are easier to locate and are now available on your phone.  Navigation and career opportunities are more engaging and the company can personalize the experience if they wish to do so.

3.  Make the most of the new Endorsements feature.  LinkedIn is touting this newest feature as “Kudos with Just One Click.”   Though the jury is still out on the value of this feature, the premise is that anyone can recognize someone’s skills or expertise with just one quick click.  When you visit a profile, a pop-up box will appear asking, “Pssst, Cindy – Does John have expertise in these areas?  Click the Skill button to endorse them!”  I think it is a bit cheesy — time will tell if this feature truly adds value or not.  This feature may help you if your profile is on-brand and focused.  If not, it may cause confusion and harm if you have 50 skill items listed (i.e., no clear focus).

4.  Finally, as I noted above, you may have noticed a drop in your profile completeness.  I would encourage you to manage your profile and not allow LinkedIn to pressure you to do what is good for their data collection efforts.  When you see their gentle nudges, ask yourself, “Is this good for my brand?” and “Does it help my target audience?”  If the answer is “no,” move on.

If you are interested in more information on all the recent changes, the LinkedIn blog topics tagged with ‘new LinkedIn Features’ have more details and tips.

Remember, a quality profile is critical to your personal brand, career management and your career opportunities. You can leverage LinkedIn and its power with focus and about 15 minutes a week. If you need some help with your LinkedIn Profile let’s talk about a Fast Track solution for your LinkedIn challenge.

Well if you are on the Gulf Coast or anywhere Isaac is having an impact you may be doing just that.  Be safe, prepare and do change directions as needed as the hurricane conditions merit.

My years on the Gulf Coast and August hurricane taught me to stay aware, use new information quickly and adjust to the changing and sometime dramatic conditions that even a tropical storm might bring.

Managing the changes in social media that can impact your personal brand and your job search does not always require the same speed as storm watching. However, it does require you to stay aware and current on emerging technology, to have a plan and to take action on a regular basis.

Is your LinkedIn profile helping you or harming you, your search and your career?

Do you have questions about setting up your LinkedIn profile and keeping it on brand?

If so, join me on Wednesday for a LinkedIn Q & A session.  The session may not be quiet as much fun as a hurricane party – it will be fun, informative and you can join the session and ask your any question you may have about your LinkedIn profile or your job search.

Look to the right and sign up for next Q & A session and I will “see” you on the phone line on Wednesday.

Recruiters and those searching LinkedIn for candidates, tell me they are screening out more candidates than they contact.  Is this happening to you?

Did you upload or paste your résumé into your profile, then move on to create connections?

Have you been so busy joining groups and adding connections that you have neglected your profile?

If so it is time to take a look at your profile and discover if it is working for you.  Your LinkedIn profile is a 24-hour a day marketing site for your job search and beyond.  Here are key questions to ask yourself as you review your LinkedIn profile:

Is your profile optimized so you will be found in a search? Simple items such as your headline, your job titles, linking your profile to your past employer’s Company LinkedIn page (if they have one) will help your profile be found in a search.

Does your profile focus on benefits, not specifications?  You can use the skills and a specialties area to add keywords to your profile.  In your summary focus on the benefits you will deliver for your next employer and the problems you solve.

Does your profile focus on value, or the cost of your salary?  It is critical to focus on the value you offer.  If someone assumes by your profile you will command a high salary and that is not in the budget, your profile may be screen out.

Does your profile demonstrate your experience and value?  When you read your profile does it paint a picture of what you offer to someone seeking what you have to offer? If not, go to work to ensure it does.  To get an opportunity call via LinkedIn your profile needs to pop and paint a picture.

Does your profile have a personality, emotion and facts?  Humans are not just rational and logical in making decisions.  Humans select, contact and recommend the people represented by LinkedIn profiles based on emotions as well as facts.  Be sure your profile does not omit the emotions that play a part in a hiring decision.

Does your profile focus on your potential employer’s needs, in lieu of the ‘me’ factor?  Your future employer does not care about your goals, your career objectives, or your need for a job right now. The recruiter or hiring manager cares about his/her problem, not yours.   Read your profile, get honest feedback. Be sure your profile does not sound pushy or desperate neither messages are helpful in getting others to contact you and exploring doing business with you.

Make your marketing and your online profiles about the needs of your next employer.   Focus on your next employer’s needs to accelerate your search and improve your LinkedIn profile.

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.

Using LinkedIn Continued …

In additional to just being active online LinkedIn can helpful to you offline as well. The odds are you will have an interview if someone hires you.  Most, yet not all interviews are face-to-face, LinkedIn and other social platforms can help you be more effective and better prepared for a first meetings or an interview.

On Thursday, Maria Elena Duron, CEO (chief engagement officer) of Buzz to Bucks posted “LinkedIn: More Effective Personal Meetings?”  and she shared several good reasons why LinkedIn may well be the best social networking site to help you connect, engage and have more effective personal meetings.  Enjoy reading Maria Elena Duron’s post and share your thoughts.

How are you using LinkedIn to help you have more effective meetings? Share your tips.

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

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. 

LinkedIn Continued …

A few weeks ago a friend called to ask if she could share my name with someone seeking information on using LinkedIn, my reply was sure.  Interesting and as usual, the best part of those types of connections is they are fun.

It is a chance to talk to and meet someone new, and learn something new which I love to do.  Maybe it leads to work, other new connections, or an interesting relationship.  One just never knows what or where being open to an opportunity that presents itself, will take you.

In this case, at least so far the opportunity has lead to an interesting conversation and a point to ponder – What and how do I use LinkedIn for …?  The caller was engaging, focused and did not waste time, great qualities in my book.  Yet, this one call has prompted me to really think about a question I get at least a few times a week – How do I use LinkedIn for my job search?

There is not a single answer.  There are many good books, blogs, videos, workshops, seminars, forums, and the list goes on covering the topic.  My best guess is the ways and the “how” to use LinkedIn for a job search are unlimited.  At least, if you are open to the possibilities and opportunities that could be presented to you.  Google offered 151,000,000 hits on the question in 0.22 seconds!

No, I am not being flip.  LinkedIn is a tool, not unlike a car. If you know how to drive and you have a license to drive, and access to a car – how do you use the car?  To go places, to get things, to have fun.  That list too goes on and on.  Maybe the question is – how do you want to use the car?  

My point is this – learn how to use LinkedIn and then change the question – How do you want to use LinkedIn in your job search? or to build your business? or to hire great employees? or … ?

If you can drive, have a license, access to a car that is in good shape, well maintained and some fuel, you can go just about wherever you want.  That is great.  If , but it you never get in a car and go places you will never know how far it can take you, or how to drive in different places or conditions.

In my view LinkedIn is much the same as a car, or any other tool needed to get the results you want.  Learn about LinkedIn, understand the rules of the road, decide what you want (make and model that is on brand for you), how much you are willing to invest, (don’t forget to look at the cost of not using LinkedIn too), clarify the why using this tool is the best for the job (if it is), decide where and when you will use it, and then go for a drive!

Travel, go places, experiment, and see where it takes you.  Be open, share, and discover how LinkedIn can work for you in your job search.

LinkedIn is an ever changing tool.  Assess where you are, decide the results you want, create a plan, execute the plan and adjust as needed.  That is one surefire “How” to use and to leverage the power of LinkedIn to accelerate your search.

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

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

Do you need a personalized plan for your search?  Contact me I will see if I can help you. 

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.

If you are new to LinkedIn you may have questions on where to start.  Here are tips for getting starting with LinkedIn.

LinkedIn and Personal Branding can be great tools to help you in your job search.  LinkedIn can help you be seen by those who need to know you, find you, and get to know you better.

Using Groups and LinkedIn Answers are both solid ways to reach a target audience.  Each feature provides interactive ways for you to be seen and heard by your target audience.  As you engage in a group dialogue or a business conversation with peers, group members you showcase your knowledge you can answer questions and become seen as an expert by answering the questions of others in your field, industry or area of interest.

Be sure you cover the basics and have a solid foundation before you move to advanced features and apps.  Think about your brand, communicate your unique value and be consistent.

Here are the pillars for your foundation:   Name, Headline, Photo, Your Personalized URL, Experience, Education, and Summary.  The first five (5) are critical to getting started.  You can set up your account and in a professional manner and begin connecting with others after you have these areas set up as your foundation.

Don’t forget about your account settings.  Many in the career field will also recommend you upload your text résumé to your account to save time.  That is not a recommendation I make, but do it if you are in a rush and speed to market is more important to you than quality.

Now get busy, offline and make a list of those key people and centers of influence that you wish to invite to join your LinkedIn network.  Once you have the list, take time to reach out to them, tell them you have joined LinkedIn and ask if they would accept an invitation from you to connect?  Then send a personalized LinkedIn invitation to you initial list of contacts and centers of influence.

Again, this method is not the easiest or fastest one for adding LinkedIn connections.  It is a method sure to enhance your relationships and strengthen your network as you build your list of connections on LinkedIn.  If speed or just amassing large numbers of connections is more important to you than the quality of the connection or the relationship, you can simply allow LinkedIn access to your email addresses, and send all of your email contacts who also have a LinkedIn account, a generic invitation to connect with you on LinkedIn.

You have your LinkedIn foundation set, this tool in place and initial invitations sent.  Next you can focus on other features to leverage LinkedIn to accelerate your search.

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

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.