Category Archives: LinkedIn

If you’re on LinkedIn, put effort into it

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In my LinkedIn workshops I ask how many attendees are on LinkedIn. Some reluctantly raise their hand, clarifying they’re on LinkedIn but haven’t touched it in years. I tell them we’ll do something about that, because otherwise it’s a waste of time.

Alison Doyle of About.com wrote an honest article entitled “Don’t Waste Your Time On LinkedIn.” Let me rephrase: If you’re going to be on LinkedIn, do it right so you’re not wasting your time and the time of others who visit your profile, including employers who are searching for talent.

What I like about her article was that Alison tells it how it should be. I also like the article because she confirms what I’ve been telling my LinkedIn workshop attendees about not engaging in LinkedIn in a half-baked way. It’s better they hear the truth then spend the time starting a profile only to forget about it and take up space on the many servers LinkedIn use s to host over 120 million users.

“If you’re not going to do it right, there is no point wasting your time (and everyone else’s) on LinkedIn,” Alison writes. “LinkedIn is ‘the” site for professional networking.’”

Amen. Furthermore, she explains that when she is invited to connect with people on LinkedIn and goes to their profile to glean information on them, only to find their title or, worse yet, a “Private Profile,” she’s not likely to connect with them.

I sense her frustration and understand the reason for writing her article. She’s absolutely correct. What motivation would I have for connecting with someone who is unidentified? And for you employers, why would you pursue someone who has a profile that gives you very little information in terms of their skills, accomplishments, and related experience? The answer to both is a resounding none.

The bigger dilemma. This leaves the LinkedIn newbies with a dilemma. Should they join LinkedIn and put themselves out there if they’re not going the make the investment needed to succeed in networking on LinkedIn—let alone identify themselves? The truth is a poor LinkedIn profile will do more harm than good. Here’s why:

No photo will send a message to employers and potential networkers that you have something to hide—namely age. Whether we like it or not, LinkedIn wants us to be visible. While business people have no reason to fear age discrimination, jobseekers might. Jobseekers simply have to bite the bullet and have faith that their age will not hurt their job search.

An undeveloped Snap Shot is the quickest way to turn someone away from your profile. I’m referring to more than the photo; there’s the name and title, as well as potential blog or website URLs, that visitors see when they visit your profile. A developed Snapshot includes a full name with a descriptive title. Don’t be vague and announce yourself as a “Public Relations Professional,” when you’re a “Strategic, bilingual HR leader/business partner who achieves strong results through innovative solutions.”

The Summary section is often neglected by people who simply copy and paste their four-line résumé Summary statement. Folks, we have 2,000 characters with which to work. Let’s use them to craft a creative, descriptive Summary that states our value proposition and showcases our attention-grabbing skills and experience. Have fun and use the first person narrative, or even third person narrative if you’re accomplished.

The Experience section is also an area where visitors like to learn more about your identity. Simply listing your job title, company name, and dates of employment says, “I’m too lazy to give this any effort.” This laziness will get you nowhere. List three, four, or five major accomplishments for each job.

The last section I’ll address are recommendations, which do a tremendous job of telling visitors who you are through the eyes of your former supervisors, colleagues, vendors, partners, etc. Ask for and write at least five or six recommendations. This is especially important for jobseekers who need to deliver a quick punch.

Alison Doyle’s article had a little bite to it—I imagine because so many people with poor profiles asked to connect with her. I took a gamble and asked Alison to be in my network. Within half an hour I was accepted and also invited to join her group. Thank You, Alison. I’m glad I passed the test.

Don’t neglect this components of your LinkedIn profile; the Summary

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To make your LinkedIn profile appealing to employers, every section of it has to stand out. I wrote an article on the LinkedIn photo and branding headline and how they can contribute to your personal branding. Now I’ll address one of the most important LinkedIn sections, the summary. In my mind this section is neglected by far too many people, greatly reducing their personal branding potential.

Let’s look at three points to consider when branding yourself with your LinkedIn summary.

Don’t recite your résumé summary. Some jobseekers, against the advice of Professional Résumé Writer Tracy Parish, use their summary as a dumping ground for their résumé’s summary. In other words, they copy and paste the summary from their résumé to their LinkedIn summary. Is this utter laziness or poor branding? Both.

Tracy writes, “The summary section on LinkedIn is probably one of the main places people miss out on a great opportunity to showcase what they have to offer. This is NOT the place to copy and paste your résumé, and it’s not the place to skimp on critical information. As a jobseeker, it is critically important to create a ‘Wow Factor’….”

One major difference between the two summaries is the number of characters allowed on LinkedIn and the number of characters your résumé’s summary should contain. You are allowed 2,000 characters for your LinkedIn summary. So use them! On a résumé this number of characters would take up three-quarters of a page, much too long for a two-page document. A proper number of characters for a résumé should not exceed 1,000 if written well.

You have a voice with LinkedIn. You’re given more freedom of expression on LinkedIn; use it! Be creative and make the employer want to read on. This is what effective branding does, which includes your voice. It should be some of your best writing and can be written in first person or even third person.

Most pundits lean toward first person, as it expresses a more personal side to you. A summary written in first person seems to invite others into the writer’s life. To me, the first person voice is more natural. Look at Jason Alba’s summary written in first person. It is personal and makes you feel like you know him. Jason is the author I’m on LinkedIn, Now What??? and founder of JibberJabber.com.

Not many people pull off the third person voice well. In my opinion, the third-person voice can sound stilted; but if done right, it can make a powerful branding impact. Dan Schawbel is one person who makes it work, primarily because he is a reputable branding expert. His summary brands him extremely well.

Decide how you want to deliver your personal branding. How you brand yourself through your summary depends on the type of work you’re pursuing, your skill set, the story you want to tell, what you want to reveal about your personality, and other factors.

Darrell Dizolglio, a Professional Résumé Writer who also writes LinkedIn profiles, says it depends on his clients’ talents and career goals. “I have found by helping hundreds of clients over the years that the greatest results come when you use the LinkedIn summary to open yourself up to multiple opportunities/positions, while your résumés can zero in on just one position very effectively. Naturally, you can/should have multiple targeted résumés out there at work for you. However, you are allowed only one LinkedIn summary per person.”

If you want to state your accomplishments in the summary, this can be an effective way of grabbing potential employers’ attention. This is the “Wow” factor of which Tracy speaks. Some prefer to use the work history section for presenting their accomplishments, and, in fact, the history section should be all about accomplishments. Save the mundane duties for your Job Scope on your résumé.

Wendy Enelow , author of numerous job search books and a world renowned Careers Industry Leader, gives us her take on using the LinkedIn summary for telling a story. “If I’m working with a client who has a really great career story to tell, then I’ll definitely use the LinkedIn summary to tell the story. Perhaps they were promoted 8 times in 10 years with IBM, or moved rapidly from one company to another based on their strong financial contributions to each organization.”

Martin Yate says it all with his summary. He combines an out-of-the-gate introduction of himself, with a little bit of philosophy on the direction of your job search. Martin is the author of the Knock ‘em Dead series. Here’s a snippet from his summary:

“I make it my business to teach you how to navigate [the career search]. Over the years, it’s become my mission to show you how to survive and prosper through the twists and turns of a 50-year career. Whether it is in a book, on the radio, during a webinar or a video – my goal is to provide advice, actionable takeaways, and integrated strategies, because you have no time to waste and just one chance to get it right!”

As for my summary, I decided to use more of a philosophical/functional approach, describing my strongest skill areas. I put most of my effort into the summary section of my profile but don’t skimp on my work history. While every section is important, it is a heinous crime to neglect the summary section of your profile. Next I’ll talk about the work history of your LinkedIn profile.

Some reasons why people blog

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What is it that makes people blog? Do they blog for money, fame, the love of writing, to promote their business, or to brand themselves? It can be a combination of all these reasons; or people may blog because they feel the need to be “heard.” The above are some reasons why people blog, but there are more reasons, I’m sure. If you blog, can you pinpoint why?

For money. People who set out to blog for money may be in for a rude awakening. One of my mentors told me once, “Bob, you don’t make money blogging unless you’re published.” I agree with him somewhat on this point, but will amend by adding that you most likely won’t make money blogging unless you’re paid by a company or organization to blog; in which case no one will know you’re the writer.

For fame. You may become famous for blogging; but in order to do so, you must have a pretty large following. If Oprah, Obama, or Steve Jobs were to declare they’re going to blog as their full-time gig, they’d get hits galore. But we’d probably never know if they did the actual writing.

For the love of writing. I’m no Hemmingway or David Sadaris, but that won’t keep me from blogging. I enjoy writing, especially when it’s about the job search. I’ve stated in other entries that blogging and answering questions on LinkedIn are preferable over watching the Bachelorette, So You Think You Can Dance, and other mundane television shows.

To promote your business. I’m surprised that more business people don’t blog. With free blogsites like WordPress and Blogspot, it’s an easy way to market your service/s in a subtle way—e.g., don’t broadcast your résumé writing service throughout or at the end of your blog entry. Simply explain the need for a powerful résumé, executive to entry-level. Your readers will get it, especially if you show you know what you’re talking about. One blog I particularly like is Executive Résumé Expert.

To be heard. Introverts tend to feel left out of conversations and meetings because of their think-before-they-speak nature, leaving the extraverts to often dominate the discussion. Thus writing tends to be the introverts favorite mode of communicating. What better way for the introvert to express his/her thoughts than blogging?

To brand yourself. This is probably the best reason to blog, as well as most talked about. I mention in my workshops that starting and maintaining a blog is a great way to brand yourself. Some of the attendees look at me like I’m asking them to give up their first born. I tell them they’re experts in their field. If you enjoy writing and want to get yourself out there, blogging is a great way to do it.

My urge to blog was further fueled after having read Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself by Erick Deckers and Kyle Lacy. The message I came away with was in order to be known, or branded, you have to be visible on the Internet. While writing a blog will not automatically brand you, it is a way to reinforce the brand you’ve already established. So blogging a consistent positive message is key in fostering your brand.

Bloggers read others’ blogs. It would only make sense that to learn how to blog and enhance your blogging skills, you read what others in your industry have to say. To increase your branding capabilities, share the wealth of information that circulates the Internet. A great source of news is LinkedIn Today, an accumulation of blog entries from various e-zines. I often breeze through them until I find a blog entry I think is of value to my network. Then I share it with them.

I have a blog roll to the right of this entry that includes reputable professionals in the job search industry. I’ve included some of them in this entry, so feel free to check them out. A Storied Career, About.com Job Searching, Branding Yourself Blog, Career Rocketeer, Career Solvers, Executive Resume Expert, Job Hunt, Martin Yate Blog, PongoResume, The New England Job Show.

Having trouble writing your LinkedIn profile; look at the experts’ profiles

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My contacts must think I’m stalking them. Every Wednesday they see my name appear in their “Who’s Viewed My Profile” on LinkedIn, and I feel guilty in a voyeuristic way.

My guilt derives from the fact that they may assume potential customers are reviewing their credentials; when, in fact, someone (I) is leading a workshop and showing their profiles as examples of how they should be written. I suppose my contacts should feel honored; I’m very selective. Nonetheless, I want my contacts to know that they’re helping the jobseekers who attend my LinkedIn workshop. And for this, I’m grateful.

To clear my conscience about using my contacts’ profiles I’m writing this entry to come clean. I want the following experts to know that I’m revealing their profiles to groups of jobseekers who appreciate seeing how constructing a LinkedIn profile is done right. I haven’t heard back from any of my contacts regarding my activity, but I’m sure more than one of them wonders why Bob McIntosh, CPRW shows up without fail every Wednesday.

I’m also writing this entry so you can emulate a good profile–not copy one verbatim; I have a contact whose profile she felt was plagiarized. That’s not the intent of visiting other’s profile. One types in their occupation in Advanced People Search and is presented with a list of people who fit the first-time profile writer. Some of the profiles may be great, some may be poor. You have to be the judge of what you consider to be a strong profile. This is how you get ideas for how to construct your profile.

On with my “confession.” One of my contacts, Louise Kursmark, told me that her profile is public, so it’s no big deal. She’s an author of many search-books and Founder and Director of Résumé Writing Academy, so I’m sure tons of people are looking at her profile anyways.

Wendy Enelow, another author, a colleague of Louise, and Director at Career Thought Leaders Consortium  graciously gave me her blessing. She was the first of my contacts who gave me the permission I sought. So I wouldn’t receive a nasty note, I decided to be safer than sorry and timidly asked her permission. She wrote a note essentially saying, “why the hell not.”

Another contact of mine, Darrell Dizoglio, a professional résumé writer, told me to “go for it.” After all, he’s getting publicity from people seeing his profile up on the wall. (In fact, one of my customers asked for his business card after my workshop, which I had handy.) I thought that was awfully noble of Darrell, and smart.

I’m sure some of them have forgotten I display their profile, even though I asked them…years ago. Howie Lyhte, PMP receives kind words from me for his extensive Experience section, as well as his handsome photograph. He’s a program/project manager who’s also known around these parts for his volunteer work for the unemployed.

Lastly, Ken Masson, my hero because of his volunteer activity and founding The New England Job Show is another profile I show to my workshop attendees. His is a great example of diversity through strong community service.

I find it necessary to share all these great profiles with my customers as a way to back up what I say. Great photos, strong Summaries, excellent Experience sections, examples of volunteerism. It’s all good. If you are struggling with your profile, check out the ones in this entry. Also, visit profiles as I suggested earlier on in this entry.

What documents do you need to conduct a successful job hunt?

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I recently read an article from Laura Smith-Proulx, CCMC, CPRW, CIC, TCCS, CPBA, COPNS, on the types of documents executive-level jobseekers should have in their arsenal. She is correct in asserting that a résumé is not enough to conduct a successful job search.

I am sharing her article with you (below) with this addendum; the documents she suggests for high-level jobseekers (executive biography, LinkedIn profile, cover letter, and full Résumé) are not exclusive to them. Mid-level people in the job hunt can benefit from these documents, as well. Read on to learn what Laura has to say:

If you’re an executive planning your next career move, it might surprise you to learn that you’ll be judged by more than just your resume during your job search.

In other words, a full resume is NOT necessarily the best fit for every job search contact.

Surprised? You’ll find that recruiters, company owners, Boards of Directors, and other hiring decision-makers often look at your experience through a series of interviews and investigations—which means that your executive resume is just one part of the process.

Here are 4 must-have documents for an executive portfolio designed to capture attention at all the right levels—along with recommendations for the timing of each component:

1 – Executive Biography.
A short, narrative-form document, the Biography often appeals to readers that are not engaged in the technical detail of a full resume.

The best readers for an Executive Biography are usually networking contacts (who are easily overwhelmed by a full resume) or Boards of Directors (who typically interview you in the later stages of the hiring process).

2 – LinkedIn Profile.
While not technically a “document” created just for job hunting, your LinkedIn Profile is a critical—and often underutilized—piece of an executive portfolio.

Most executives set up a Profile very quickly and then abandon it, becoming preoccupied with their work, which is a costly job-hunting mistake.

Your LinkedIn Profile may actually be the first piece of information encountered by a recruiter. Therefore, it must be polished, professional, and keyword-heavy (to aid others in finding you through LinkedIn’s search engine).

3 – Cover Letter.
Despite the myth that hiring authorities rarely read cover letters, some audiences (company owners, CEOs, and Presidents) might not even glance at your resume until they’ve fully digested the contents of your letter.

These groups are usually probing for leadership abilities that they feel are more evident within the letter. Investors, in particular, like to read a very short, bottom-line value proposition letter, in lieu of a resume.

In short, don’t write off a cover letter as an important document in the hiring process, as you might find that it was this part of your portfolio that influenced an interviewing decision.

4 – Full Resume.
Not a month goes by when a social media or recruiting expert poses the question, “Is the resume dead?” No, the need for a resume won’t go away soon. You’ll absolutely be asked to send your resume to many contacts at different stages of your search.

No matter who reads it, an executive resume serves as the centerpiece of your presentation, and therefore must convince employers of your brand, value proposition, and leadership standing—no small feat.

Often, the best readers of a full resume will those that thrive on analytical detail (such as operations or technology executives hiring EVP and Director-level candidates).

In summary, an executive portfolio is a must for serious job hunters ready to assume a leadership role. The days of distributing an executive resume without backup in the form of an Executive Biography, LinkedIn Profile, or Cover letter are gone.

Your job search will be smoother, faster, and more effective with a well-rounded and branded portfolio that appeals to the diverse audiences you’ll encounter.

What to do about the Current field on your LinkedIn profile, if you’re not working? Show your volunteer experience.

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Your Current field on LinkedIn is one of the first thing employers and visitors see. It’s in your Snap Shot below your Update field. So there are two general rules; 1) don’t list the company for which you used to work and 2) don’t hide your Current field if you can help it.

By keeping your past employment in this field, you are being dishonest and hurting your chances of getting a job (employers will think you’re working, or they will see you as a fraud when they find out the truth.) I’ve seen LinkedIn users practices this art of deception and, to me,  it’s a turn-off, so imagine how an employer would feel if he/she were to be duped into thinking you were currently employed.

But hiding it will eliminate some very valuable real estate that could be used to help your job search significantly. You’re not currently working, so you’re wondering what to do with this valuable real estate. The answer is simple. If you’re volunteering, display your volunteer work.

The bottom line is that employers want to see that you’re keeping busy. They want to see that you’re developing new skills or knowledge. You don’t want to come across as spending hours upon hours on the Internet sending your résumé into (shall we use a cliché?) the black hole. This is why your volunteer experience is important to show on your LinkedIn profile.

Here is an example of how a jobseeker uses his volunteer experience to fill his Current field:

Community Volunteer, Networker and Administrative Assistant (position) Program Development industry (industry) August 2008 – Present (2 years 7 months)

  • Engineer at Hampstead Community Access Television: bringing 28-year-old cable TV station up to date. Member of Hampstead Cable Television Advisory Board.
  • Founder of PMI New Hampshire Chapter’s networking group – netPM.
  • Facilitator/advisor to Acton Networkers, NHnetWORKS, Nutfield Networking, Nashua After Hours Networking and Dynamic Networking groups.
  • Participant in project/program/product management webinars on a weekly basis.

Doesn’t this look more impressive than hiding the Current field, or worse yet, falsifying your current situation?

But I don’t volunteer, you may say. To which I would say, “Get out there and volunteer. Volunteer for a good cause; to obtain more skills; network; feel useful; and to pad your résumé. The Current field is also a great place to show that you’re in training and what courses you’re taking.

There are plenty of organizations and businesses that will take your services free of charge, just as long as you don’t require hand-holding. But this entry is not about volunteering; it’s about making your LinkedIn profile as complete as possible. If volunteering rubs you the wrong way because you won’t get paid, then consider making the sacrifice for your Current Field.

Is Your LinkedIn Photo Acceptable?

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I know there’s some debate around having a photo on your LinkedIn profile. The naysayers think it will contribute to age discrimination, and those in favor say it makes you more noticeable. I happen to agree with the latter; and those who heard my opinion on this when I first started leading LinkedIn workshops are probably thinking I’m a hypocrite—one person actually called me on it. Everyone, other than politicians, can change their opinions, right?

Basically there are five types of photos: the beautiful people, the ambiguous photo, the downright nasty, the silly photo, and the ugly grey box (no photo).

The Beautiful People. Are they really beautiful, or was their photo taken 15 years ago for the company tri-fold? That’s one question I have. I’m sure that there are some great looking people out there who are accurately representing themselves. But there was one time when I met a gentleman who looked nothing like his photo. I think he was trying to avoid age discrimination. To me, that’s devious and hurts you more than it helps.

At a recent networking event, I spoke to one woman about her photo, which was taken from too far a distance. I commented that she simply show her face and shoulders in her photo. I noticed the last time I looked at her LinkedIn photo she had followed my advice, and, boy, does her photo look great!

The Ambiguous Photo. I’ve decided my photo is ambiguous. Why, because I can’t tell what my photo says about me. It’s sort of blurry, the backgrounds not right, and my garb makes me look like I’m dressed at the moment—no tie. My goal was to appear professional. I should have worn a tie. Prior to this photo, I had a black and white one—an idea I stole from one of my colleagues—because my cheeks are too red and make me look like a tomato. Hers was black and white because she had pink hair at the time.

The Downright Nasty Photo. One photo comes to mind of a woman who looks like she would kill you as soon as look at you. You can see the anger in her face…and her anger comes out in her answers to questions on LinkedIn. Her photo is a true reflection of her personality. I would bet anything that she hates life. This is a difficult photo to discuss because the description is negative and I don’t like to criticize people who don’t know better.

I’m also not too fond of the serious, why-isn’t-he-smiling photo? Isn’t the idea to show your amiable self in your photo? Your photo is part of your branding statement, so it should demonstrate to employers and potential customers the inner beauty in you…or that you’re at least a likeable fella.

The Silly Photo. I’ve seen LinkedIn photos of caricatures, people sitting by their motorcycle, soccer balls, people standing on the beach, burning masks, and other silly representations of people. To this I say they’re not taking LinkedIn seriously or don’t want to spend the effort to have a quality photo taken of them, either professionally or by someone who has a decent camera.

The Ugly Grey Box. I think this is LinkedIn’s way of encouraging people to include a photo on their LinkedIn profile, and I think it’s a positive thing. When I see that ugly grey box, I have two reactions. One, I don’t immediately recognize the person, so I feel no real connection with them. Two, I think they’re hiding something which, incidentally, is how recruiters and employers feel. It’s immediate cause for suspicion. The fact is that the workforce is aging and most people working are mature workers. Although age discrimination exists, employers can’t afford to pass up talented older workers for younger, less experienced ones. Take a chance, all you grey heads, and post your photo on your profile.

What’s the Big Deal? People who are looking for a job need to take everything about their LinkedIn profile seriously, including their photo. In fact, even those who are gainfully employed have to present themselves in a favorable light. We are constantly networking. People who are out of work, employed, and own a business are on display. Networking is about connecting with others, right? Your photo is one way to do this.

An Account of how One Man Found a Job: What Worked and what Didn’t.

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The last time I saw Jim at our career center was in January of this year. We adjourned to my office where we looked over his résumé and LinkedIn profile. He had concerns about switching industries but knew he wanted to do the same work, Continuous Improvement Management.  

I’m ecstatic to say that Jim recently got a job in the industry he was pursuing. He announced his landing to me four months after we last met. When he thanked me for his help and encouragement, I asked him for a small favor—I wanted to know how he got his job. What follows is more than I expected as a response. Jim secured his job the Good Ole’ Fashion way, through hard work and diligent networking. Here’s his story:

Using LinkedIn worked.

Although LinkedIn is a great online networking tool, Jim used it primarily for research. He researched people of interest during his job search, including those he interviewed with and cold called. LinkedIn allowed him to research companies, using the Companies feature, and keep easy track of his targeted companies. He wisely joined a number of LinkedIn groups to identify companies that were hiring, learning about the latest technology, and some issues the companies had.

As well, Jim kept track of people who were viewing his profile, hoping to identify hiring managers at some companies for which he hoped to work. Lastly, he began to understand the importance of branding oneself using LinkedIn and will continue his branding endeavors.

Blasting out résumés didn’t work!

His initial goal was to send out 10 résumés per week, and he came close averaging 6.3. He felt this was a waste of time and did it only to meet unemployment requirements. Using this method to look for work yielded him one phone interview. There were some benefits, though; he learned what requirements employers had and targeted his résumés to each job for which he applied. He also learned to identify the companies that are involved in Lean Six Sigma and are growing rapidly.

Informational meetings worked.

Jim became a big fan of informational meetings, as they were great for learning about needs of the industry and/or specific companies, obtaining leads to companies that may have “hidden opportunities,” and developing a group of folks that he would often go back to for gathering vital information—particularly learning of solutions or strategies used to solve particular types of industry problems (e.g. increase the perception that he could help because he was familiar with industry techniques).

In addition, he used informational meetings to:  

  • Volunteer information that he uncovered about the industry in general.
  • Connect folks to someone who might be able to help them with an issue brought up in conversations. Pay it forward.
  • Provide expertise to solve a problem, mentor someone, or crunch numbers and put them in a user-friendly format.
  • Develop a sharing network for the future.

Researching companies websites worked.

Jim focused on investigating 10 companies per week. He would research two large companies (over 100 employees) per week and eight small ones. In reality, he investigated big ones only if he received a lead or submitted a résumé for a job board opening. He usually knocked off six small companies per week and feels that this will be his primary approach next time.

Making calls, albeit frustrating, worked.

Jim cold-called companies or went to their doors, acting like a reporter and/or sales person sometimes. This was very hard being rejected 80-90% of the time but paid the best dividends when successful. Here’s why:

  • He often got very good leads with other small companies (60+% success vs. 10% with large companies). The owners of these companies had large networks and often could provide contacts and information about numerous companies.
  • He was offered a number of short-term contract jobs which he politely refused.  In three instances, he volunteered his time to help with specific opportunities.  All those for whom he volunteered were willing to give him a reference and one actually knew his new boss. He believes this played a big part in being hired.
  • Four folks asked him to stay in touch, and he’s pretty confident that a fulltime or consulting opportunity will arise in the future.

Volunteering really worked! 

Jim used a not-for-profit Lean Six Sigma training and facilitation organization a lot while at his previous job and did a lot of things to support them, such as hosting tours and training sessions, running a booth at their shows, providing case studies, writing referrals, etc.  He writes that, “MY BIGGEST LESSON: YOU ARE INTERVIEWING EVERY MOMENT OF THE DAY.”

The not-for-profit organization got him twice as many real interviews via their network and their team pushing his name than everything else combined. They also allowed him to take $2,100 worth of six sigma classes while he was out of work and defer payment until he could afford it.

Networking ultimately worked!

Jim volunteered to coach and work one day a week for two different companies that had employees attending the six sigma classes. He worked days, nights, and weekends as necessary to support them while job hunting.

The Lean Six Sigma class instructor knew he was looking for a job and saw how hard he worked to support classmates and the two specific companies. The instructor was working one day per week at [the company for which Jim now works]. During one of his weekly trips, he proposed that the CEO hire a Continuous Improvement Manager full time and that the CEO plan long-term to promote this position to VP of Operations as the business grows.

After selling the CEO on the idea, he gave him Jim’s résumé and stated that Jim was the person that should be hired. Breakfast with CEO, Interviews with core team, and unsolicited calls from small business owners mentioned earlier all led to him obtaining a job.

 Jim is one of the brightest individuals to walk through the career center’s doors. He diligently attended workshops and worked with career advisors. But the thing that stands out for me about Jim is his positive attitude and never-say-die attitude. This type of thinking is perhaps the secret to success in the labyrinth of the job search.

Think Before You Write!

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How would you, as a recruiter or employer, react to a Professional Profile on a résumé that states: I’m a young man who has been out of work for 10 months, has little skills to offer, but really needs a job? After getting over the initial shock and wondering if this is a joke or a cry for help, I imagine you’d quickly dismiss the résumé.

I recently read part of a LinkedIn profile that displayed a blog entry which was not as obviously inappropriate; but it prompted me to immediately leave the user’s profile. The author of the blog entry spoke of being unable to get out of bed because of her despondency over being out of work. While this may have been true—and I am sensitive to the plight of the unemployed—LinkedIn is not the platform to express feelings such as these.

I’ve similarly read answers on LinkedIn’s Answers feature that left me wondering why the authors were so free with their opinions. Like the blog entry I’ve described, I’ve been dismayed by the audacity of some of the answers, and questions, I’ve read. It’s a known fact that employers who are seeking additional information on jobseekers will venture into a person’s answers. Some of the answers I’ve read would certainly turn me away as an employer.

Jobseekers aren’t the only ones who express negative sentiments on LinkedIn. Business owners and the gainfully employed are also guilty of spewing trashy statements that immediately cast them in a negative light. This group of LinkedIn users shares its negativity with impunity. Although their ill thought-out comments may not affect them now, the comments may come back to bite the employed in the arse.

Why do people expose their “inner soul” on LinkedIn? Perhaps it’s out of anger or depression or hopelessness. Maybe they don’t understand we’re all judged on everything we write—as I am being judged now. They may be self-absorbed and want for an audience that will listen to their complaints or unhappiness.

I believe that everyone deserves to be listened to, regardless of the nature of their message, but only in the proper forum. Most LinkedIn users feel that this highly regarded networking application is professional and self-policed by people who want to keep it this way.

I asked a question on the Answers feature regarding LinkedIn maintaining its professionalism, to which Traci Thompson, NRWA answered: “I rarely stumble across unprofessional content or users on LinkedIn. Overall, I’m extremely pleased with the system functionality and its ability to bring job seekers and employers together.”

Would you submit a résumé or cover letter that is full of self-pitying verbiage or dripping with anger? You wouldn’t think of it. Your online written statements are worthy of consideration, as well. 

Think before you write is my advice. Every part of your LinkedIn profile will be scrutinized from your Snapshot, Summary, History, Blog entries, and even the recommendations written for you. Jobseekers and the gainfully employed, be aware of what you write. You’re being judged.