If you are new to LinkedIn, and you know that you should use this tool to search for a job, but you don’t know where to start, take advantage of these tips to make the most of this online professional networking site.
Fill out your profile completely and view it as your online resume. Recruiters will be searching for keywords to identify top candidates, so make sure that your profile, just like your resume, has keywords specific to your field on it. If you don’t use keywords, your profile may not show up when a recruiter does a search.
Get recommendations from bosses and colleagues. The fact that people are willing to publicly endorse you carries weight. Make sure that you have strong recommendations on your profile. One way to get recommendations is to give them. Offer to write recommendations for colleagues; they are likely to reciprocate.
Raise your profile on LinkedIn by asking and answering questions in your field of expertise on the Answers section of the website. Good, thoughtful questions as well as answers will get you noticed. You can also earn expertise on Answers by having your answer rated as the best answer out of everyone who responded to a question. When you earn expertise, that shows up on your profile and makes a good impression on a recruiter.
Join groups on LinkedIn and make sure that you participate. Again, this raises your profile.
Use LinkedIn to expand your network. You can search for alumni of the college or university you attended and send these people invitations to connect with you. Also, you can invite people to connect with you that you have met on LinkedIn through Answers or through a profession-specific group.
The people you know are connected to people that you don't know. Continue to build your network online beyond your immediate circle. You can connect to people who are second and third level contacts through introductions on LinkedIn, and you can join groups that are related to your area of expertise.
Ask for introductions to people who are in companies that you are targeting. You can easily do a search to find out who works at the companies you are interested in who might be a second or third level contact. Ask your first level contacts for introductions to others who can help you with your job search.
Search for jobs on LinkedIn's site. You will get job listings that are not only posted on LinkedIn, but also on simplyhired.com. This feature allows you to see who in your network works for that particular company. This is a really useful tool to network your way into a company that has an opening in your field.
Avoid misspellings on your profile and any answers/questions that you post. Misspellings make you look unprofessional.
Don't use a picture on your profile that sends an unflattering message. Your picture does not necessarily have to be a studio portrait, but it does need to portray you in a professional light since this is a professional social networking site.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
EXECUTIVE INTERVIEWING
What do candidates really need to know about interviewing for positions at the executive level? What are some tips that executives should keep in mind as far as the interview process is concerned? In today’s tight job market, how should an executive prepare for an interview given the fact that there is so much competition?
Here is professional advice for the executive candidate:
How executive interviews differ from those for lower-level candidates
Executive interviews are more intense because there is more at stake. It costs more money to replace an executive, so the stakes are higher. Hiring managers are very cautious when it comes to making a decision to hire an executive. Consequently, there are typically more interviews for an executive than for a lower level candidate. It is common for executive candidates to have a full day of interviewing where they meet with various interviewers, and the day-long process includes lunch (during which time the interviewee is still being interviewed).
Depending on the position, executive candidates may be expected to articulate their vision for the department where they will be working. And it almost goes without saying that executive candidates are expected to be able to demonstrate tangible results for their efforts in different positions.
How to prepare for executive interviews in the face of the current economic crisis
Candidates have to go the extra mile in terms of their due diligence. With a glut of candidates in many fields, executives have to go above and beyond to distinguish themselves from the competition. That means researching the company thoroughly and finding out what their pain points are and then coming up with solutions to meet their needs. Since companies hire people to solve problems, executives need to demonstrate that they are the solution to the companies’ problems.
Start with the employer’s website. I suggest that you pay attention to the vision statement of the organization so that you can be prepared to talk about how your personal values coincide with the vision statement. Also, look for press releases that might describe new initiatives that the company is working on. This type of information can help you come across as a truly motivated candidate as you integrate this information into your questions that you ask of the interviewer at the end of the interview.
Executives also need to perform due diligence with respect to the interviewers. Use Standard & Poors, Dun & Bradstreet, and Hoovers to find out more about the company’s financial health and then use Zoominfo.com and LinkedIn to find the principals of the company. LinkedIn can be particularly helpful in finding profiles of the people that you will be interviewing with as well as some personal information about them (i.e., schools they attended, other places where they worked).
Best advice for building rapport in the interview.
Find out who you will be interviewing with and research that person’s background on Zoominfo.com and LinkedIn.com. Identify points of interest that you have in common with the interviewer(s). Make sure that you weave in the information that you researched early in the interview to build rapport with the interviewer.
For example, if the interviewer says to you, “Tell me about yourself,” you could respond by saying, “Well, I have an MBA from Stanford, and I was interested to see that you graduated from Stanford also.” By showing that you have done your homework on the interviewer, you can establish that point of connection because the two of you have something in common.
Also, be attentive to what is in the interviewer’s office. There may be other points of interest that you can bring up (i.e., sports awards, fraternal organizations).
Advice for handling a poor interviewer.
Come prepared with your talking points, and make sure that you get those talking points in regardless of the skill of the interviewer. If you know what you want to say before you get to the interview, you can guide the discussion to the points that you want to make.
You should have already reviewed the vacancy announcement for the job and made a match in your own mind between the job’s requirements and your qualifications. Make sure that you make that connection for the interviewer to show that you are well qualified for the position.
Tips for explaining employment gaps.
Always fill in the gaps. Don’t leave any gaps between employment unexplained. That is a major red flag for employers. If you weren’t working for pay during a certain period of time, talk about what you did during that time frame. You may have been a member of a board for a corporation or you may have volunteered in your community. Whatever the case, make sure that employers know that you were doing something productive during the period of unemployment.
How to elaborate in the face of probing questions (Tell me more)
Always be prepared to give examples to back up your claim. For example, an interviewer may say, “What strengths do you bring to this position?” In response, you might say, “I’m results driven, highly organized, and efficient.” If the interviewer says, “Tell me more,” you need to be ready to give examples that demonstrate effectively that you have the strengths that you claim to have. In other words, your example needs to show clearly how you utilized the strengths of being results-driven, highly organized, and efficient on the job.
Making the case for an industry transition
The key to making the move successfully is to not only inventory your own skills, but to package them so they’re appropriate for the industry you’re targeting. Understanding an industry isn’t difficult but does require research, whether that means reading reports on the industry from the Bureau of Labor Statistics or taking a contact from that industry out to lunch to pick his or her brain about the job market.
Employers don’t want a long learning curve. They want someone who can speak the lingo and hit the ground running. The trick is to convince them that you can contribute right away. So read trade journals, talk to insiders, and get a really good handle on what’s going on in that industry and in that company in particular.
How to distinguish yourself from other candidates
Demonstrate your value throughout the whole process. If you do this, the salary negotiation process will be easier because you have been making your case all along.
Be sure to address the employer's needs consistently throughout the interview. Research the company and the position thoroughly so that you can show how well-suited you are for this company and this job.
Here is professional advice for the executive candidate:
How executive interviews differ from those for lower-level candidates
Executive interviews are more intense because there is more at stake. It costs more money to replace an executive, so the stakes are higher. Hiring managers are very cautious when it comes to making a decision to hire an executive. Consequently, there are typically more interviews for an executive than for a lower level candidate. It is common for executive candidates to have a full day of interviewing where they meet with various interviewers, and the day-long process includes lunch (during which time the interviewee is still being interviewed).
Depending on the position, executive candidates may be expected to articulate their vision for the department where they will be working. And it almost goes without saying that executive candidates are expected to be able to demonstrate tangible results for their efforts in different positions.
How to prepare for executive interviews in the face of the current economic crisis
Candidates have to go the extra mile in terms of their due diligence. With a glut of candidates in many fields, executives have to go above and beyond to distinguish themselves from the competition. That means researching the company thoroughly and finding out what their pain points are and then coming up with solutions to meet their needs. Since companies hire people to solve problems, executives need to demonstrate that they are the solution to the companies’ problems.
Start with the employer’s website. I suggest that you pay attention to the vision statement of the organization so that you can be prepared to talk about how your personal values coincide with the vision statement. Also, look for press releases that might describe new initiatives that the company is working on. This type of information can help you come across as a truly motivated candidate as you integrate this information into your questions that you ask of the interviewer at the end of the interview.
Executives also need to perform due diligence with respect to the interviewers. Use Standard & Poors, Dun & Bradstreet, and Hoovers to find out more about the company’s financial health and then use Zoominfo.com and LinkedIn to find the principals of the company. LinkedIn can be particularly helpful in finding profiles of the people that you will be interviewing with as well as some personal information about them (i.e., schools they attended, other places where they worked).
Best advice for building rapport in the interview.
Find out who you will be interviewing with and research that person’s background on Zoominfo.com and LinkedIn.com. Identify points of interest that you have in common with the interviewer(s). Make sure that you weave in the information that you researched early in the interview to build rapport with the interviewer.
For example, if the interviewer says to you, “Tell me about yourself,” you could respond by saying, “Well, I have an MBA from Stanford, and I was interested to see that you graduated from Stanford also.” By showing that you have done your homework on the interviewer, you can establish that point of connection because the two of you have something in common.
Also, be attentive to what is in the interviewer’s office. There may be other points of interest that you can bring up (i.e., sports awards, fraternal organizations).
Advice for handling a poor interviewer.
Come prepared with your talking points, and make sure that you get those talking points in regardless of the skill of the interviewer. If you know what you want to say before you get to the interview, you can guide the discussion to the points that you want to make.
You should have already reviewed the vacancy announcement for the job and made a match in your own mind between the job’s requirements and your qualifications. Make sure that you make that connection for the interviewer to show that you are well qualified for the position.
Tips for explaining employment gaps.
Always fill in the gaps. Don’t leave any gaps between employment unexplained. That is a major red flag for employers. If you weren’t working for pay during a certain period of time, talk about what you did during that time frame. You may have been a member of a board for a corporation or you may have volunteered in your community. Whatever the case, make sure that employers know that you were doing something productive during the period of unemployment.
How to elaborate in the face of probing questions (Tell me more)
Always be prepared to give examples to back up your claim. For example, an interviewer may say, “What strengths do you bring to this position?” In response, you might say, “I’m results driven, highly organized, and efficient.” If the interviewer says, “Tell me more,” you need to be ready to give examples that demonstrate effectively that you have the strengths that you claim to have. In other words, your example needs to show clearly how you utilized the strengths of being results-driven, highly organized, and efficient on the job.
Making the case for an industry transition
The key to making the move successfully is to not only inventory your own skills, but to package them so they’re appropriate for the industry you’re targeting. Understanding an industry isn’t difficult but does require research, whether that means reading reports on the industry from the Bureau of Labor Statistics or taking a contact from that industry out to lunch to pick his or her brain about the job market.
Employers don’t want a long learning curve. They want someone who can speak the lingo and hit the ground running. The trick is to convince them that you can contribute right away. So read trade journals, talk to insiders, and get a really good handle on what’s going on in that industry and in that company in particular.
How to distinguish yourself from other candidates
Demonstrate your value throughout the whole process. If you do this, the salary negotiation process will be easier because you have been making your case all along.
Be sure to address the employer's needs consistently throughout the interview. Research the company and the position thoroughly so that you can show how well-suited you are for this company and this job.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
RESUME WRITING—WHAT’S IN AND WHAT’S OUT
RESUME WRITING—WHAT’S IN AND WHAT’S OUT
What’s in
Professional summaries are in and have been for several years now. A professional summary highlights a job seeker's best assets and positions that person for the type of job that he or she is seeking. It has also become common to list core competencies (or keywords) underneath the summary so that the resume is more likely to be found by a recruiter or hiring manager after it has been scanned into a database.
Accomplishments are definitely in. A resume without crisply worded, powerful accomplishment statements is not likely to be noticed. Many job seekers make the mistake of simply listing their duties. But a laundry list of duties makes a job seeker sound like everyone else who has done similar work. Accomplishments distinguish you from your competition. And they show that you have actually made a contribution to the organization’s bottom line.
ASCII versions of your resume are in. Since job seekers often have to submit their information through an online form, it is best to have an ASCII version of your resume in addition to a Word version. The formatting in a Word document gets distorted when copied and pasted onto an online form, which is why the ASCII version is useful. The ASCII version is just plain text without the formatting. With ASCII you don’t have to worry about a bullet showing up on the other end as some other type of symbol.
What’s out
A job objective is out for people who have experience in the field that they are applying for jobs in. If your work history supports your job objective, it’s not necessary to state that job objective explicitly on the resume.
References available upon request is out. It used to be standard as the last line on the resume, but now it is obsolete. It is simply expected that you will supply your references at the time of the interview.
Hobbies are out if they are unrelated to your job objective. You may really be a skydiving enthusiast, but if you are applying for a job as an accountant, it’s probably not worth mentioning in this setting.
Personal information is out. I still see resumes where people put their marital status and number of children. This is information that employers cannot ask about, and it is not information that should be included in a resume.
Leaving large gaps of time unexplained on the resume is unacceptable. If the gap is longer than three months, you need to account for the time somehow. If you did volunteer work during this time or stayed home with children, you can write this up so that you show job related skills.
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