LinkedIn, Twitter and The Social Network for your job search
Like many people, I have found LinkedIN to be a valuable way to help people establish a network as a means to facilitating job search efforts. I have used it to help my clients connect to new people in my network, share ideas, and in some cases open positions through the Network Activity area. Needless to say, I am very active on LinkedIN and connect to anyone who asks me. Here are some recommendations to help you remain LinkedIN on LinkedIN:
Recommendations: A really awesome way to generate interest in your profile is to get some strong recommendations. The recommendations ( which you have to accept before they can be seen) on your profile can help fuel interest in your background. When others endorse you, it sends the message that you have what it takes to get the job done. It only takes a few minutes to jot a quick note to someone with whom you worked or a supervisor to ask for their praise. You might be asked to return the favor, which you should do promptly.
Contacts: It is important to interact with people on LinkedIn and grow your contact list. Naturally, every contact you have will not be someone that you know directly. If you are like me, you will have people directly connected to you through groups or other people. This is great, and you should not be afraid to reach out to someone directly if you have a question, idea, or know something that may be of interest to someone else. We’re all in this together right? In the spirit of sharing information, if you are on LinkedIN, you should be prepared to get questions, feel free to ask questions, and maximize the use of the site in the spirit of career camaraderie.
Picture This: I absolutely recommend including a picture of yourself (business appropriate of course) on your LinkedIN profile. With so many people connecting and interacting, it is not unreasonable to want to ‘see’ the people that you are dealing with. The picture makes things ‘real’ for us – as opposed to that nameless, faceless shadow that appears if you don’t include a picture. In my experience, people are more inclined to interact if they see your picture.
Don’t worry if you reach out to someone and don’t hear back. Not everyone is that plugged in; frankly some people have a presence on LinkedIN and never use it. Focus on your needs and how you can add value for others. You will find that your contacts will likely grow and you will be able to add value while also gaining very useful information and contacts of your own.
You are encouraged to comment on blog posts and/or submit questions to Debra. You can reach her on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is President of Careers Done Write, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries. Visit careersdonewrite.com to learn more.