You couldn’t tell by looking at me that I was a pretty good soccer player and now an equally good coach. As a coach, there’s one thing I believe a soccer player needs to do in order to play the game the right way; it’s to be able to use both feet to pass, receive, and shoot.

During a recent game my son was on a breakaway and had time to switch the ball to his strong foot (left). Bearing down on the goalie, he shot with his weak foot. I’d like to say that he scored. But the goal keeper nabbed his shot on a nice dive.

What made this moment so special was that he listen to what I’ve been preaching since he was three-years-old…shoot with your weak foot when the ball is on it. I don’t care if you miss, as long as you try. He doesn’t always try, though. But he did in that game.

What does this have to do with the job search?

Just as my son executed that shot, you must conduct the job search properly. You may not succeed every time, but eventually you’ll come up big. It won’t always be easy, but doing it right will garner better results. Let’s look at some areas where you can do the job search right.

The intangibles

Attitude

I know I write about this a lot, but I figure the more I write about it, the more people will listen. I also know this is a tough one to manage, especially when unemployed. But here’s the thing, you’re more likely to get help by showing a positive attitude than looking like you hate the world.

One more thing; most people don’t want to hear a 10-minute story about how you were wrongfully terminated. In fact, saying you were wrongfully terminated makes people think you were rightfully terminated. Read this post on dropping a poor attitude.

Patience

Employers today are taking their sweet time pulling the trigger. Why? They don’t want to hire the wrong person. According to Dice.com, hiring the wrong person earning, “earning $100,000 per year could cost, on average, $250,000, and that expense comes right off the bottom line.”

So when you go through a battery of four interviews, that’s pretty much normal. It may take months before you hear the final word (if you hear the final word). Be patient and understand the employer’s concern.

Be organized

Far be it for me to preach about organization; I can’t keep my kids’ events straight. When is my daughter’s prom? When is her college visit? I can’t keep it all straight unless I record it on my phone.

That’s what you’ll need to do; find a way to keep appointments straight, remember where you’ve sent your resume or when your phone interview is scheduled for….Maybe a calendar is in order.

Call upon a spouse or friend to keep track of your appointments. Keep all your materials in a central location. Write down today’s list of activities. Create an Excel spreadsheet. If your memory sucks like mine, you’ll have to develop a coping system.

Written communications

Résumé

Some things you’ve read ad nauseam about résumés:

• Include accomplishments (quantified), not merely duty statements. He who has the most duties does NOT win.
• Toss the cliches and fluff.
• Make your résumé’s paragraphs no longer than three lines and use bullets.
• Tailor each résumé to particular jobs. Ensure you have the keywords mentioned in the job post. One great tool to use is Jobscan.

LinkedIn Profile

Another topic that is too long to go over in this post, so keep in mind:

• It must—do I need to say it?—sport a photo.
• Your profile is not your résumé, it is a networking document.
• However, like your résumé, it must show value through accomplishments (quantified) and strong selling statements.
• And like your résumé, keywords are what get you found.
• A successful LinkedIn campaign consist of more than a stellar profile; you must also connect with others and engage with your connections.
• Most importantly, it must brand you online.

Cover letters

Yes, employers still read cover letters. How many employers read them has not been determined. The ones who read them do so because they want more than what candidates can provide on a résumé. The ones who don’t read them say they have no time. I think they’re lazy.

The cover letter is an ideal document in which employers can learn about the candidates’ soft skills, their interest in the position, and a summary of the relevant accomplishments. It doesn’t have to be all that long, but it has to be well written.

Verbal communications

Networking

Any business person will tell you that this is how business gets done. Shouldn’t the same apply to the job search? At powerful résumé is great, but the best way to know someone is by speaking with them. Seeing their body language. Hearing the intonation of their voice.

You’ve already read that networking is the most successful way to find a job. Whether you accept it or not, connecting with someone and being willing to be of mutual assistance is the only way to get business done. Read this post on proper networking.

Telephone interviews

Let me tell you about one of my customers who landed a job after five telephone interviews. Let me further tell you that he never was interviewed face-to-face. In other words, he was hired based on the telephone interviews.

How important are telephone interviews to today’s companies? They are huge. So prepare for the telephone interview as though you’re going to the face-to-face interview.

The interview

Allow me to finish the thought I began in the previous topic–the telephone interview. Research will be your key in both types of interviews. Research the position, company, and even the competition.

If you ask anyone who’s interviewed others, including me, hearing someone struggle to find the answers they don’t have is painful. If not for yourself then for the interviewer. So be able to answer the difficult questions, and also able to prove whatever you assert.

More networking

No this is not a typo. I can’t stress the importance of networking. Time after time my former customers will taut the importance of networking. It’s how they landed their new position.

It’s also important to reiterate that networking IS a two-way street. If you’re in it only for yourself, your chances of receiving assistance is very slim. You’ll understand this better when you give other job seekers leads for jobs. It will feel good and create great karma.

After the game my son told me that he should have taken the shot with his strongest foot. I retorted with a strong no on that one. “You did the right thing,” I told him. I also said that eventually hisweaker foot will be the result of a goal; and I believe it will.

Job seekers, continue to do the right thing. If securing a job is as difficult as scoring a goal in soccer, you’ll have to follow the tenets of the proper job search.

I know some of you are good writers who have expertise to share with your connections. Further, you’re wondering how you can enhance your brand. Blogging is a great way to do this. And LinkedIn gives you an easy way to share your knowledge by providing you with a clean, crisp platform.

Five years ago I started my blog, ThingsCareerRelated.com, at the encouragement of one of my connections. She told me to just do it. I didn’t follow her advice immediately, putting off creating my blog for a year. Now I can’t stop writing. That was in 2010.

My LinkedIn Publishing Experience

On March 6, 2014, I wrote my first post on LinkedIn’s publishing feature. I was one of the first to be given the opportunity to take advantage of this publishing feature.

Having written many posts for my blog by then, publishing on LinkedIn made a lot of sense. Publishing on LinkedIn might not get you immediate notoriety, but you have to start somewhere.

8 tips for starting with LinkedIn Publishing

These are some general suggestions if you’re going to take the plunge.

1. Just do it.

Perhaps one of the most popular phrases, as coined by Nike, and nothing says it better. As I mentioned above, I waited nearly a year before starting my own blog.

My first post was typical of most bloggers. It was titled, “This is my first blog.” I know, lame. I have since deleted it. The point is you have to take the plunge, and then you’ll be on your way to becoming a writing maniac like me.

2. Choose a topic, or two, and stick with it/them.

I decided to focus on three topics — The Job Search, LinkedIn, and Introverts. In retrospect it might have been wiser to write on just one in order to develop my brand.

Even though I love the variety, I suggest you select your strongest area of expertise and focus on that. If your topic is Marketing, write about that to become the thought leader in that discipline.

3. Develop your own voice.

I’ve been consistent with writing in my own voice, which I would call bordering on casual to professional.

Any good writer knows that they need to be comfortable in their own skin. This means knowing your topic/s and expressing them with the verbiage that flows easily, isn’t labored.

Remember, you aren’t writing a dissertation for your Ph.D. I like to make my writing light, while still delivering important messages.

4. Understand your audience.

This speaks to writing on topics of interest for your LinkedIn connections and followers. If you write on topics of no interest to your connections, it does them no good; and it doesn’t help your branding.

Personally, I am not interested in reading about topics that are of no interest to me. For example, I am connected to many engineers. I will pass over their long posts, mainly because I don’t understand much of what they write, but also because I’m not interested in designing sonar systems.

On the other hand, anything concerning LinkedIn, I’m all over it.

5. Publish on a consistent basis.

Once or twice a week is generally the rule. Start slowly at first, and then build up to a comfortable number of entries. I started with one post a week and then increased them to two. This consistency has helped my branding; people know when my posts will come out.

Your readers — you will gain “followers” in LinkedIn — need to know which days a week your posts will come out, as they will be watching for them. When I first started in career development, I followed certain blogs and gained a great deal of information from regularly reading them.

6. Length is not usually an issue on LinkedIn.

The longer the better, according to most veteran bloggers who use LinkedIn’s long post. It’s not uncommon to see posts longer than 1,500 words. I had heard that 500-700 words is the ideal range, but not for LinkedIn.

A great writer can say what they have to say in as few words as possible. In other words, verbosity doesn’t necessarily brand you as a thought leader.

7. Be a curator, too.

Sharing other people’s posts via a LinkedIn Status Update signifies your desire to educate your connections and followers not only with your writing, but the writing of others.

In addition, it builds strong relationships with other bloggers. When I come across someone who has shared my posts, I read theirs and am sure to comment.

Sharing valuable information also brands you as an expert in your industry, as it shows you recognize pertinent information.

8. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t at first succeed.

You may find it difficult to find your muse at first, but eventually she will appear with the ideas and motivation you need. I’ve seen too many very good writers stop writing on LinkedIn completely.

Don’t pay attention to views; rather read the comments you receive from your readers. They mean more than thousands of views — although those are nice, too.

Bottom Line

Writing for the public is a difficult thing for some people. They’re uneasy or even scared of putting their words out there. But without demonstrating your expertise through using LinkedIn’s publishing feature, your words will never be read. This is a great opportunity to be heard by millions of people. This is a great opportunity to brand yourself as one of the authorities in your industry.

Photo: Flickr, rbaeckelmans

This post appeared on recruiter.com.

After a sleepless night, followed by a very long day of work, I’m not too keen on going to a business networking event tonight. Normally I’d go, but I see the following scenario unfolding: the night will start off fine, until I become tired and want to leave, most likely at 7:00 pm.

So I’ll to do what is best for all; not go to the event.

I’m an introvert, so really this is the best decision. The chance of me “getting a second wind” is highly unlikely. My counterpart, the extravert, is that person who will suddenly come to life. But not me. In the case of this networking event, I stay home.

This is one of the introverts’ traits; knowing when to say no. One’s preference for introversion or extraversion is about energy, not one’s ability to interact with others. Following are six other traits…and challenges introverts must face.

Engaging in in-depth conversation 

The way introverts communicate begins with the way they think. They are drawn to topics of interest and enjoy exploring them at great length. While I’m not a fan of those who say introverts don’t make small talk as well as extraverts, I do admit that making chit chat is not the utmost of importance to me. This is because introverts like me prefer to think deeper, rather than wider. 

Challenges

Small talk is a skill that has its place, particularly during job interviews, with superiors and colleagues, at social events, etc. Introverts must rise to the occasion and draw upon resources like current affairs and conversation that is relevant to the situation. When it comes to interviews, it would be smart to think of talking points, as interviewers consider small talk an important part of an interview.

Thinking before speaking

To introverts their ability to speak with intelligence is about timing, so they choose to share their thoughts when they have their ideas well formulated, not a minute sooner. This is not always true of extraverts who tend to dominate meetings or social gatherings. My MBTI workshop attendees nod their heads in agreement when I assert this observation. I’m sure to add that introverts’ thoughts are just as valid as their counterparts’.

Challenge

Unfortunately introverts might wait a bit too long to contribute their ideas during a meeting. It’s important to keep track of the conversation, particularly when extraverts are conversing at a fast rate. It is believed that introverts are slower at processing information, which is not to say their ability to develop great ideas is diminished.

Listening when others speak 

Introverts have a knack for listening to others when they’re speaking, With their counterpart the same can’t be said, and this is because extraverts have the gift of gab (something introverts envy). Because introverts enjoy in-depth conversations (see strength #1), they’re cognizant of giving and taking. This is one of the introverts’ strength during networking events.

Challenge

If introverts aren’t up to the challenge, they may find themselves doing all the listening, or at least appearing to listen, as others dominate the conversations. Some believe that introverts enjoy listening to others doing all the talking. This couldn’t be further from the truth. This is why, in part, they prefer smaller groups where they don’t have to battle for talking rights.

Respect for others

Introverts hate to be interrupted and, as such, they don’t interrupt others. I recall being at a retirement party for one of my former colleagues when another colleague interrupted a conversation I was having. To say I was annoyed would be an understatement. Another thing introverts tend not to do is confront others. Whether this is a good trait is up for discussion. Their style is to address issues in private, rather than out in the open.

Challenge

There comes a time when all’s fair in love and war, as the saying goes. Introverts must understand the pattern of the conversation in which they’re engaged. If they don’t assert themselves, they’ll be left out of the conversation and look like a fool. And in terms of confrontation, introverts should not hold in any ill feelings or anger. This will lead to an outburst which does more harm than good.

Writing

Introverts prefer to write to communicate their messages. E-mail offers a great way to express their thoughts/feelings without having to spend time talking with individuals when work has to be completed. Writing gives introverts the time to formulate their thoughts and present them in the proper forum. After a workshop I will retire to my office space to research on the computer or write articles. Introverts tend to learn best by doing research and writing.

Challenges

Whereas writing grants introverts the time to formulate their thoughts, communications also includes speaking. Introverts can’t rely on the luxury of writing to express their thoughts, especially when the time calls for speaking at an interview or presentation, for instance. Note: Online networking using LinkedIn may give introverts the illusion that they are making bona fide connections. This is a misconception; real connections involve dialog via the phone or in person.

Creativity

Introverts are just as creative as their counterpart, despite what others might think. The workplace places a lot of emphasis on meetings and brainstorming, which are not the introvert’s favorite activities. The introvert prefers working alone or within smaller groups. He enjoys researching the issue and coming to a creative resolution. Brainstorming to the introvert is akin to throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks.

Challenge

Given that meetings and brainstorming are a part of business, the introvert must participate in these activities. He must focus on the tasks at hand and insert his creative thoughts at the right moments. The introvert should arrive at a meeting or brainstorming session with clever ideas prepared.

It turns out that my decision to forgo the networking event was a smart one. A fellow networker tells me that the event was long and tedious, even for an extravert like him. Introverts generally decide against large organized events, but they’ll attend them with the right amount of preparation.

Photo: Flickr, Paul Shanks

Job Interview Success for Introverts is available at Packt Publishing

This post is the second of a three-part series. 

So you have a great LinkedIn profile that supports your personal brand. You have a great photo, a keyword-packed descriptive headline, and summary and experience sections that really sell your talents. You’re golden.

Unfortunately, you only have 70 connections. This is not good because 1) a paltry number of connections limits your reach; 2) hiring authorities will not be impressed; and 3) your small network is telling people you are not embracing the purpose of LinkedIn.

In short, your low number of connections is harmful to your personal brand. You come across to others on LinkedIn as a nonparticipant.

In my workshops and during individual counseling sessions, many people ask me with whom they should connect, how they should connect with people they don’t know, and with how many people they should connect. Today, I’d like to answer these questions for you, too.

With Whom to Connect

When people ask this, I explain that they should look at their potential connections as a pyramid. The goal is to connect with as many second- and third-degree connections as you see fit – although third-degree connections should be the last ones with whom you connect.

On the lowest level of the pyramid are people with whom you worked, e.g., former colleagues and supervisors.

The second level contains people who share the same occupation and same industry. These people are like-minded and have similar aspirations to yours.

The third level is people who share the same occupation but in different industries. So, if you’re a marketing specialist, you want to look for other marketing specialists in industries outside of your own.

The fourth level is people in other occupations but the same industry. Connecting with these people will provide you with possible entries into your target companies.

The fifth level includes people in other occupations and other industries. This may seem counterintuitive to some, but consider that the V.P. of a manufacturing company that is on your target employers list may need an accountant. You’re not a V.P., and you don’t work in manufacturing, but you are an accountant.

The last level consists of your alumni, people who are likely to connect with you because you attended the same schools at some point.

How to Connect With LinkedIn Members

In my LinkedIn workshop, I tell my attendees that typing an occupation title in the search field is one step toward finding people. (For example, if you’re looking for software engineers, you type: “software engineers.”) From there, you select second- or third-degree connections and read through their profiles. See if they might be people you’d like to have in your network.

Another way to look for valuable connections is by using the “find alumni‘ feature, which is a great way to connect with LinkedIn members who are more likely to accept your requests than mere strangers. After all, you attended the same university or high school.

Probably the best way to connect with someone is by selecting a company that you’re targeting and finding an employee at said company. This is a great way to get your foot in the door for an open position – or, better yet, to start building your networks at target companies before jobs are even advertised.

Note: When asking someone to connect with you, make sure your note is personal – not the default message that LinkedIn provides. That said, I’m not a fan of connecting with people by using your smartphone or trolling your email contacts and sending mass invites. I see this as lazy.

How Many People to Connect With 

The answer to the age-old question – quality or quantity? – comes down to personal preference.

I personally aim for a combination of both – that is, 300 or so quality connects with people who share your interests and or goals. If you look back at the “pyramid” above, you’ll see that focusing on connections in the first three levels is a good way to achieve the quality + quantity goal.

When you build connections in this way, you solidify your brand as someone who is focused on a specific audience. You have the chance to build a tight-knit network of individuals.

On the other hand, focusing too much on quality does limit your number of connections – which means you’re limiting your access to other LinkedIn users who could be of assistance.

If you focus on quantity, you’re less selective. You may come across as having little direction and less focus on an audience. In my mind, this is not the best way to brand oneself.

Quantity does have its benefits, though – particularly if you are a business owner and want to advertise your products or services.

Finally there is the extreme strategy: the LinkedIn Open Networker (L.I.O.N.) strategy. L.I.O.N.s are LinkedIn members who are interested in collecting as many connections as possible. They believe that more people create opportunities. They are also more likely to be victims spam.

Recruiters and hiring managers will take notice of your number of connections on LinkedIn – and they’ll look to see what kinds of people you connect with.

They may even go to your connections’ profiles and by chance notice some not-so-savory things. In other words, you could be found guilty by association. Let’s say, for example, one of your connections is affiliated with someone in a controversial group. This could look bad for you.

Because you are responsible for choosing connections that support your image, you must also consider how each and every connection may affect your personal brand.

Now that you’ve branded yourself on LinkedIn, you’re ready for the next step: engaging with your connections.