What Is LinkedIn?

Launched from Reid Hoffman’s living room in 2003, LinkedIn is a global professional networking site. Instead of “friends,” LinkedIn users have “connections” to network with, share industry knowledge, and find new jobs or opportunities. It’s free to join and can be a critical tool in your career success. 

LinkedIn has several messaging features that are powerful ways to network with other professionals, recruiters, and even companies. Below we’ll go over the benefits of LinkedIn messaging, different messaging features, and what you need to know about sending messages on the platform. 

The Benefits of LinkedIn Messaging

You can’t assume that just because you created a LinkedIn profile, you’ll somehow land a new job or opportunity. You need to connect with other users on the platform. And one of the best ways to do that is through LinkedIn messaging. LinkedIn messaging can be beneficial for numerous reasons, including:

• Finding a new job
• Connecting with professionals in the same industry
• Sharing industry knowledge
• Connecting with recruiters
• Finding freelance clients
• Changing careers or industries

Before You Send a Message

Before you even send a message, make sure you fill out your LinkedIn profile completely to achieve “All-Star” status. Include a professional photo of yourself, write a brief “About” section and a strong headline, and include some key skills. Give the person you’re messaging a sense of who you are professionally.

Think about it if the situation was reversed. If you got a message from someone with no photo or “About,” would you feel confident that the message was from a legitimate professional connection? Or, would you be wary of a scam or bot? Fill out your profile completely to let people know there’s a real person behind it. 

LinkedIn InMail

LinkedIn InMail is a feature unique to LinkedIn Premium (paid) accounts. LinkedIn InMail allows you to message people you’re not connected with on the platform. For example, you might receive an InMail from a recruiter about an open position at their company. Or, you may InMail a recruiter to follow up on a job application. A university may send you an InMail about their online MBA program. 

When sending an InMail, LinkedIn recommends following a few best practices:

• Keep your message concise.
• Share any mutual experiences or connections (Did you both go to NYU? Do you love the Yankees?).
• Keep it conversational.

LinkedIn Direct Messaging 

Direct messaging allows you to send a message to people you’re connected with on LinkedIn. You can send a direct message (or DM) to one person or multiple people. With direct messaging, be professional, keep your message concise, and include a call to action.

With that in mind, here are a few things to never do in LinkedIn direct messages:

• Don’t immediately ask for a job.
• Don’t immediately make a sales pitch.
• Never use LinkedIn messaging as a dating service or romantic connection!
• Avoid sending a lengthy message that spans multiple paragraphs.

Sending a Note With a Connection Invite

Rather than simply clicking “Connect,” you can personalize invitations to connect. To do this, search for the person’s profile, click “Connect,” and then choose “Add a note.” 

Who should you invite to connect? You might choose to connect with old classmates, former coworkers, your university professors, professionals in your industry, or recruiters. You can connect with up to 30,000 individuals on the platform. You can also send a note to strangers. However, LinkedIn will ask how you know the person if you choose to do so.

Harness the Power of LinkedIn Messaging

LinkedIn messaging can help you build relationships and network effectively to uncover new opportunities and jobs. By using different messaging features and following these best practices, you can use LinkedIn to drive career success. 

The post Your Guide to LinkedIn Messaging: Connections, InMail and Direct Messages appeared first on Job-Hunt.

1. Set the Stage for a Positive Experience From the Initial Point of Contact

The “thing” about first impressions applies here, so make sure your introductory call or email leaves people with a favorable one. People have a long memory when it comes to what they did for you and how you managed the initial introduction. When asking for help, offer to call them, do not ask them to call you. While this may seem intuitive, it’s not. In your initial email, indicate the amount of time you’ll need (20 minutes or so), then place the call on time, and stick to the agreed-upon allotment. People remember and appreciate your professionalism and will find it easier to advocate for you.

2. Find Real Ways to Offer Reciprocity

The statement people traditionally offer at the end of a networking call, while well-intentioned, may feel disingenuous: “If there is ever anything I can do for you, please let me know.” Take the burden off them to come up with payback ideas and try this approach instead.

Take a deep dive into the person’s LinkedIn profile to gain a better understanding of what may be important to them. Next, identify ways you might bring value to their careers. Here are some simple and effective ways to strengthen the connection right from the start.

• Endorse their skills. Skills are moving to the forefront of keywords used in recruiter’s search criteria. The skills profile section is among the top three highest-ranked areas by LinkedIn’s algorithms. Give your connections this value-add by boosting the credibility and visibility of their skills.
• Like, comment on, and share their posts, and tag them or follow them. This works well for connections focused on promoting their brand, those who are thought/industry leaders, and those who depend on the visibility supported by a strong LinkedIn presence. Take note of their activity and use of LinkedIn and confirm if these actions support their goals.
• Offer to make a recommendation. Strengthen the quality of your endorsement by first asking if they prefer a focus on a specific aspect of their work experience. The better the information that’s given in a recommendation, the more it informs LinkedIn members of a person’s capabilities and potential.

3. Inform Your Network When You Land a Job

This one seems a no-brainer but is often overlooked by job seekers as the right (and smart) thing to do. Have you self-imposed a probationary period to determine if the job is going to work out, refrained from updating your LinkedIn, and kept your new job under wraps? Fine, but once you’ve crossed over that threshold, contact those who helped get you there.

Call, email, or message them. Communicate your news by whatever channel works for your contacts, but find them and thank them. Go beyond a generic message and tell them exactly how they energized your search. Did they make an employee referral on your behalf, introduce you to the hiring manager, provide great job search resources, or share insider intel about the target company? They may have helped with one or more of these building blocks that led to how you got there from here. Personalize your message; it will be well received.

4. Pay It Forward

Reserve this tactic for business colleagues whose experience and work ethic are well-known to you. When a job or vendor opportunity becomes available at your new place of employment, refer them as a candidate for a position or as a preferred service provider. According to Jobvite, employee referrals have the highest applicant-to-hire conversion rate, so why not give the gift that keeps on giving?

5. Meet in Person When Appropriate

Virtual meetings have been a necessity over the past two years and opened our reach globally to an expanded network. That’s the good news. But was there something lost without having the benefit of the human touch?

If it’s a geographic and logistical possibility, suggest a face-to-face meeting for a coffee get-together, thank them for their help, pick up the tab, and deepen the bond.

6. Use Small Gestures to Stay Engaged

Staying engaged with your network is not only the right thing to do, but it’s also just not that hard to do. Job seekers vow they will never be vulnerable again if faced with a future job search. Unfortunately, life happens, job demands are real, and good intentions…well, you know where they go.

Don’t overthink what it takes to let your connections know that you remember and appreciate them. LinkedIn automatically generates work and birthday anniversaries and change-of-employment notices. Send a personalized congratulatory message. Spend a few minutes and craft words to express your genuine support of their careers. Few people take the time, but thoughtfulness speaks volumes about your commitment to the relationship.

The Bottom Line

Recognize connections as assets; protect and grow them. Build equity in your investment by maintaining the ties to your professional community. It doesn’t require a significant time commitment and is easily accomplished by following these simple and practical ways to keep your network alive.

About the author…

Barbara Schultz is the founder of The Career Stager and a mid-career job search specialist. She is a Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW) and a Nationally Certified Online Profile Expert (NCOPE) through the National Resume Writer’s Association. Barbara offers career counseling and conducts workshops and webinars on every aspect of the search. Connect with Barbara via her website at Career-Stager.com or on LinkedIn.

The post 6 Simple Ways to Keep Your Network Alive appeared first on Job-Hunt.

For those looking to expand their professional circle, establishing online relationships can contribute greatly to their overall efforts.

Try these three strategies for increasing your online network:

1. Start With LinkedIn

LinkedIn has become the go-to site for career-related networking. Be sure you’re taking full advantage of all it has to offer. Let LinkedIn automatically make the “easy” connections by sending invites to everyone in your address book. Then, take heed of its periodic suggestions of other members you might know based on your information.

You could be reminded of a former colleague or a college sorority sister who would make a great addition. And if you have a specific person you’d like to meet, LinkedIn can sort through your network for “shared connections” who might be able to assist with an introduction.

2. Try Chats and Groups

Want to meet new people in your field? Join social media groups and chats dedicated to your area of interest. For some ideas on LinkedIn, go to “interests,” and then select “groups” from the drop-down menu. Twitter hosts chats on various professional topics. Look for a hashtag with “chat” in it, or check out the master list.

But don’t just sign up and be a fly on the wall. Get your name out there by posting, commenting, and sharing. You never know who might be impressed with your knowledge or perspective. Likewise, take note of members you find fascinating and ask them to join your online network.

3. Combine Online and Traditional Networking

“Job seekers can expand their online network by starting offline!” says HR professional and resume writer Tiffani Murray of Personality on a Page.

“When you meet people at networking events, conferences, training courses, or other professional events, ask them if they are on LinkedIn. Many times you can connect right at that moment. Or, if you get a business card, make it a practice to add the people you’ve met to your online networks once you are back to your computer. Modify the standard invite to remind them where you met them.”

Another way to merge the two is using online technology to find offline connections in your geographical region.

Check out Meetup to discover groups in your area getting together over a shared interest, such as entrepreneurship for women or nonfiction writing. Take a look at VolunteerMatch.org to be a part of charitable activities in your community and meet others with the same passions. Then, come full circle in your networking efforts by bringing all of your new acquaintances into your online network.

Remember, networking isn’t about connecting with someone once and expecting miracles. Rather, successful relationships involve building trust over time so that both parties develop a genuine interest in helping out one another.

Written by: Beth Braccio Hering

The post Online Networking Tips to Make Great Connections appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Clearly, being found online today is NOT optional if you want to have a successful career (and job search).

To be found, implement personal SEO (“search engine optimization”).

Personal SEO requires that you create relevant web content, containing appropriate keywords, so that it ranks well when someone is searching for those keywords.

For most professionals, this means a complete LinkedIn Profile and consistent visibility inside LinkedIn. But, simply having a LinkedIn Profile is NOT enough unless you are paying attention to your keywords.

To be found, implementing effective personal SEO is a necessity.

Keywords Are the Key to Being Found in Search

The right keywords, most appropriate for you and your goals, are the foundation of successful personal SEO.

KEYWORDS: The terms used by searchers to find relevant content in a search engine, social network, applicant tracking system, or other database

Selection and placement of the right keywords is the core of effective SEO (search engine optimization). Use those terms in the right places in resumes, applications, and social media (especially LinkedIn) and you will be found.

Without the right keywords (for you), in the right places (LinkedIn Profile, resume, application), you are invisible online, and employers clearly do NOT like invisible job candidates.

Exact Keyword Match Is Usually Required

If a recruiter is searching for someone with experience in Microsoft Word, your name won’t appear in search results unless your social profile or resume contain the exact term Microsoft Word. Microsoft Office, the product which includes Microsoft Word, is not a match.

This means you will not be included in search results for the term Microsoft Word unless you also include that term in the documents.

Currently, most software is not programmed to make assumptions. If a job description requires experience with “Microsoft Word,” most systems won’t understand that a resume for someone who is “highly skilled with Microsoft Office products” meets that requirement because the exact term “Microsoft Word” is not included.

Even if you have that experience or skill, you are invisible unless your social profile, application, or resume includes the term being searched.

Building Your Personal SEO with Your Best Keywords

Think like a recruiter filling the job you want next. How is that job described in job postings? What skills, tools, etc. are required?

Research how your target employers define your target job to determine your best keywords, as listed below.

Look through the list below and choose what is appropriate for you. Develop your keywords based on the following categories of information:

Keywords About You, Personally:

1. Your professional name

Most people don’t think of their names as important keywords, but in these days of search engines and social media…

Your name is your most important set of keywords. Be consistent!

If your resume or business card is for “Edward J. Jones” but your LinkedIn Profile is for “Ed Jones” (or vice versa), you’ve made it difficult for a recruiter or employer to make the connection between the two, which most will need to do. Not having a LinkedIn Profile is a negative for most professionals, so using different names can damage opportunities for you.

You need to consistently use the same version of your name for your LinkedIn Profile, resumes, business/networking cards, professional email, meeting name tags and badges, and other visibility so recruiters doing research on you can “connect the dots” between you and your professional visibility.

[Practice Defensive Googling, and read Your Most Important Keywords for more information on avoiding mistaken online identity and Personal Online Reputation Management for the new necessity today.]

2. Your location (or your target location)

According to LinkedIn, “More than 30% of recruiters use advanced search based on location.”

Use the best location for you, but DO have a specific location because using a country is too generic. Not having a location will handicap you in most searches. If appropriate for your location, use both city and state plus regional names — like Oakland, CA, and East Bay Area, or Manhattan and New York City — so your profile is in the search results for either.

Do NOT provide your street address. At most, include the city and state. Read How to Safely Publish Your Contact Information on LinkedIn for important tips.

3. Your languages

If you speak more than one language, make it clear the languages that you can speak. Also indicate your level of proficiency — from “native” through “basic” or “elementary” and whether you can read, write, and/or speak the languages.

To demonstrate your skills in multiple languages, create a LinkedIn Profile in each of them. LinkedIn allows and encourages this, and it’s a great way to gain attention for jobs requiring people who can speak and write in more than one language.

4. College degrees and other post-secondary education

Include your college degree and the school. Also include your major if your degree is recent and your major is relevant to your target job.

5. GPA — new grads only!

If your GPA is above average, and you are looking for your first job after college, include your GPA.

[Read Improving Your GPA After Graduation for a secret, but honest, way to present a better GPA.]

Keywords for Your Professional Goals:

6. Your target job title

The title for the job that you want next, preferably the version(s) used by your target employers, is a very important set of keywords.

When in doubt about exactly which job title to use, become a slash person like this – “Senior Administrative Assistant / Executive Assistant.” Both versions of the job title are included, so your Profile will be found regardless of which term is used for searching.

If your current or target employer uses a unique job title for the job you want, include that term as well as the standard term used by most employers so your Profile will be found in a search for either term.

For example, a job seeker who is a senior administrative assistant has the official job title of “Admin Wizard” again becomes a slash person — “Senior Administrative Assistant/Admin Wizard” — using both terms in her Profile Headline and the job title for her current job

7. Your industry

Specify your industry (current or target): civil engineering, mechanical engineering, management consulting, market research, medical devices, nanotechnology, biotechnology, healthcare, and so on.

Be sure to choose the current term used to describe your industry. For example, use “information technology” or “IT” rather than the out-of-date terms “MIS” or “management information systems.”

Keywords for Your Work History:

8. Current job title

Your current job titles are also important keywords. Focus on the standard job titles that are used now by your target employers, particularly if current (or former) employer(s) used non-standard titles.

For example, if your employer calls your job “IT Support Wizard” (not a commonly-used term and not the one used by your target employers), become a slash person — change your job title to “IT Support Wizard / Senior IT Support Technician” or what ever is appropriate for you.

9. Current employer

If you are currently employed, include the name of your current employer (unless you are in a confidential search).

10. Former job titles

Your former job titles are often important keywords because they can indicate a depth of experience and knowledge. Again, standardize the job titles used now by your target employers so that the experience is found and valued appropriately.

As with your current job title, if a former employer called your job something unusual or simply out-of-date now, become a slash person — change that job title to use the current terminology that is accurate and appropriate for you.

For example, maybe your job title 10 years ago was “MIS Project Manager.” The current terminology for that job is “IT Project Manager,” so edit that job title to be “MIS / IT Project Manager.” The goal is to be accurate, using current technology.

11. Former employers

Particularly if you have worked for well-known and well-respected companies in your industry or field, be sure to include those company names, even if your experience there was more than ten years ago.

12. Volunteering

If you volunteer anywhere, include what you do and who you do it for, particularly if it helps fill in an employment gap and/or is related to your career track. The work done and the organization’s name are excellent keywords.

Keywords for Your Professional Qualifications and Major Accomplishments:

13. Your skills

Preferably focus on the skills most in demand for the job you want next (e.g., managing a P&L, using Microsoft Word and Excel, driving an 18-wheeler, leading a project team, etc.) need to be included – even if they are not the skills you use primarily for your most current job.

This is a key search criteria for recruiters using LinkedIn Recruiter. Read Secret to Powerful LinkedIn Profile SEO: Leverage Skills & Endorsements for details.

According to LinkedIn, “Members with 5 or more skills listed are contacted (messaged) up to 33x more by recruiters and other LinkedIn members, and receive up to 17x more profile views. ”

14. Licenses relevant to your profession

Add the licenses you hold that show you are qualified to do the job you want, including the organization who does the licensing and the number of years you have held the license.

15. Job-specific, profession-specific, and industry-specific tools and techniques

Add the relevant tools and techniques that you use or are qualified to use because of training, education, and/or experience (e.g. MRI, Mastercam, LEED, etc.).

16. Job-specific or industry-specific software and hardware

Include the software required for your target job that you use or have been trained to use, particularly if it’s unique to your job, industry, or profession (e.g. SAP, ASP, FileMaker, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Word).

Add any specific hardware that may be required for your target job if you have experience using it or have been trained to use it, particularly if it is unique to your job, industry, or profession (e.g. heart monitors, scanners, even different versions of smart phones if they are relevant to the job).

17. Internet tools and apps relevant to your job or profession

Include Internet tools and apps that you use or are qualified to use because of training, education, and/or experience (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Hootsuite, Google Analytics, AWS, AdWords, etc.).

18. Honors, awards, recognition, and patents

If you’ve received awards, scholarships, honors, or recognition from your employer, a customer or client, or your profession or industry, be sure to include them. If you have created anything(s) that was then patented, add those terms to your social media profiles (LinkedIn has a section specifically for patents) using the complete name(s), keyword-rich description(s), and the patent number(s).

19. Industry, professional, and/or technical names and acronyms

The more acronyms; the better, as long as they are appropriate to your experience and education. Include what they represent as well, just in case someone searches on the complete term, like Early Childhood Education (ECE) or ISO (International Standards Organization).

20. Certifications or other proof of professional or industry knowledge

Include all proof of professional knowledge or achievement, particularly focusing on those that are current, like applicable course work, post-graduate courses, professional training, on-the-job-training, and certifications, etc.

Note: If you hold, or held, a federal government security clearance, be extremely cautious about publishing the level of clearance on social media, particularly if it is classified. By making your clearance public, you may eliminate yourself from consideration because you have demonstrated a lack of understanding in the rules associated with classified information

If you are applying for a job that requires a specific clearance you hold, you can usually include that clearance in the application, assuming that the job is not a scam.

21. Clients and/or categories of clients

Mention those groups of clients who need your services, like national specialty retailers or SME (small and medium enterprises) for example. If one of your clients was a very well-known or well-respected company or person, like the Department of Defense or Warren Buffett, include those names — unless the relationship was classified or company confidential.

22. Major projects

If you were involved in any major projects, name and describe them, highlighting the relevancy to your target job.

If the project didn’t have an official name (not required!), create a descriptive one, like “Corporate-wide WiFi implementation.” Then, briefly describe the project, including the important and relevant keywords, and quantifying it if possible.

Read Grab Recruiter Attention with LinkedIn Projects for details.

23. Relevant industry and professional organizations

Include the industry and professional organizations or societies that you have joined (plus committee membership and current or former officer titles), and how long you have been a member.

24. Your publications

If you have written any books, white papers, or articles, particularly relevant to the job or profession you are targeting, be sure to include them. It is surprisingly easy to create a Kindle ebook on Amazon.com.

25. Relevant laws and regulations

If experience, understanding, or training in specific laws or regulations is required for your target job — and you are qualified — include the names of these laws and regulations, like ITAR/EAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations / Export Administration Regulations) or Sarbanes–Oxley (SOX) compliance.

Notice that both the whole term (e.g. “Sarbanes-Oxley”) and the acronym (“SOX”) are included. Again, this should mean that your Profile will be found regardless of which version of the name of the law is included.

Bottom Line on Keywords for Your Job Search

Do the research to identify your best and most important keywords. Then, include those terms, appropriately, in your 12 Steps to Outrank Your Competitors in LinkedIn Search in 2020 (Personal LinkedIn SEO), resumes, job applications, and other online professional visibility, as appropriate.

• Do NOT be inaccurate or deceptive! “Marketing mode” is fine; scam mode is not a good long-term strategy.  People are fired for lying on their resume or job application even when the lies are discovered after several years of employment.
• Do NOT senselessly list or repeat your keywords. This is known as “keyword stuffing,” and the technology recognizes it easily and ignores those Profiles. So, listing keywords, even in white text, is a deadly mistake.Instead, include the keywords logically in the content of your Profile. A robust Profile, with descriptions of each of your jobs and your employers, offers plenty of opportunities to naturally include your keywords.

Read How to Optimize the Right Keywords for Your Resumes for methods of researching and using the best keywords. Optimizing your resume for an employer’s or recruiter’s search should increase the effectiveness of your resume.

* The CareerBuilder Study

According to an August 2018 study released by CareerBuilder:

• Nearly half of employers (47 percent) say that if they can’t find a job candidate online, they are less likely to call that person in for an interview.
  • 28 percent say that is because they like to gather more information before calling in a candidate for an interview.
  • 20 percent say they expect candidates to have an online presence.

More about Keywords and Personal SEO:

• 12 Steps to Outrank Your Competitors in LinkedIn Search in 2020 (Personal LinkedIn SEO)
• Guide to Personal SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
• Guide to LinkedIn SEO: How to Be More Visible in LinkedIn
• Understanding Keywords
• Your Most Important Keywords
• 12 Steps to Outrank Your Competitors in LinkedIn Search in 2020 (Personal LinkedIn SEO)
• Choosing the Best Keywords for Your LinkedIn Profile
• Secret to Powerful LinkedIn Profile SEO: LinkedIn Skills & Endorsements

About the author…

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Facebook, LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post 25 Keywords To Improve Your Job Search Profile appeared first on Job-Hunt.

The secret for increasing visitor traffic to your LinkedIn Profile is to apply effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques.

Effective keyword optimization for your LinkedIn Profile is not as difficult to do as it sounds.

Basically, LinkedIn is a very large database of profiles that uses keyword fields to order (or “index”) the entire collection of data.

Since most of LinkedIn’s revenue is generated by recruiters using LinkedIn to find candidates, LinkedIn knows the best keywords for personal SEO.

The good news? Most of the terms you enter on LinkedIn are searchable by other users — meaning that you can’t go wrong by appropriately including keywords that represent, of course, the job titles and skills appropriate for you that are found in job postings.

However, if you also understand (and leverage) LinkedIn’s indexing method, you’ll be in a better position to grow your traffic. So you’ll want to add more keywords, taking steps to increase the keyword density in specific fields, as described below.

[Related: The 25 Best Keywords for Your Job Search and Career, and Developing Your Best Keywords.]

Best Keywords for LinkedIn Profile

Here are 5 tips for effective LinkedIn SEO (and more views) on your Profile:

  1. Pay Attention to Your Professional Headline.  

The most prominent branding message on your LinkedIn Profile is also the most critical when it comes to SEO.

Next to your name, your Professional Headline, the phrase that appears below your name, is the most highly rated field in the index.

What does this mean? Keywords listed in the Headline field will have a greater impact, increasing your ranking among other users for the same terms.

Now you know why using the default “current-job” Headline is not a good idea!

As an example, consider switching

“Vice President Sales at ABC Corporation” (your current position)

to

“VP Sales. Revenue Growth in Cloud-Enabled Technology Solutions. Product Development & Sales Operations Leadership”  (your current position with more keywords added to more fully explain it)

This strategy prevents ABC Corporation from becoming a highly relevant search term on this user’s Profile, while enabling other keywords (Product Development, Sales Operations, Cloud-Enabled Technology, Revenue Growth) to draw more traffic.

LinkedIn allows you to use 120 spaces for your Headline, and using as many of the 120 as possible is smart.

[Related: Choosing the Best Keywords for Your LinkedIn Profile.]

  2. Consider Adding Keywords to Your Job Title.  

The Job Title field on LinkedIn is also a highly indexed field (as is your Employer name). However, if your current job title is too vague, you can miss out on a chance for more traffic.

What works well in this case is to add content to your Job Title, taking care not to change your job title.

For example,

“Operations Associate” can become

“Operations Associate – Operations Manager for Thermo-printing Division”

The second version more fully explains the true job function to someone outside of the organization.

Other examples:

“Senior Consultant” becomes “Senior Consultant , IT Project Management”

”Financial Analyst” becomes “Financial Analyst – Audit & Compliance”

In each example, the second version provides both more keyword detail and a clearer explanation of the job. LinkedIn currently allows you 100 spaces for your job title, and, as usual, using as many as possible for appropriate keywords is smart.

  3. Use Your About Section for Additional Keyword Content.  

Although not considered a highly indexed part of LinkedIn, your About section (formerly called the “Summary”) must nevertheless contain compelling text, along with a high percentage of keywords relevant to your goal:

“As an IT Director, my goal is to satisfy stakeholders and speak the language of our trading industry users, while implementing technologies to boost processing speed and accelerate business transformation. I’ve led IT project teams of up to 110 in service delivery and brought hosting costs down 32%, even during rapid growth.”

“In Senior Manager and Director of Sales roles, I’ve built trust among customers and captured market trends in the oil and gas industry… with new sales channels and alliances that grew revenue 123%. I enjoy the challenge of creating a competitive edge through increased brand recognition and high-performance sales team mentoring.”

This type of About language employs more robust keyword content than a resume summary — which is a key reason you shouldn’t duplicate your resume on your LinkedIn Profile.

[Related: The Top 25 Keywords for Your Job Search.]

  4. Add Projects and Other “Extra” Sections on LinkedIn.  

Often neglected as a great strategy for adding more detail (and keywords)…

Sections like Projects, Certifications, or Honors & Awards can be used to inject more keywords.

Should you decide to use these sections, keep your wording short and keyword-dense. For example, a Certification for a particular software language could state “Java Developer” with the initials of the credential.

A COO in the real estate industry could also add several Projects entitled “Commercial Real Estate – NYC” to show proficiency in overseeing large-city construction efforts.

In the Honors & Awards section, you can add accolades that begin with your desired job title (“Senior Sales Executive winning President’s Club for 5 years”).

[Learn more: How to List Awards, Scholarships, and Honors on Your Resume]

  5. Choose Your “Skills” and Continue Collecting “Endorsements.”  

One of the most misunderstood sections of LinkedIn, the Skills & Endorsements area started out as a directly searchable group of keywords.

Now, it has evolved into an SEO tool that can draw serious traffic, but only if it’s used correctly.

The terms you add to Skills & Expertise factor more heavily in your LinkedIn searchability when you are endorsed for them. Therefore, it makes sense to add keywords and obtain (and accept) Endorsements on them.

A caveat: ensure the terms you add in this section are really keywords. Given a choice between a “hard skill” (such as “Project Management”) and a character trait (such as “Leadership”), employers may prefer to search for specific competencies.

[Related: 4 Steps to Leverage LinkedIn Skills & Endorsements for a More Powerful Profile.]

The Bottom Line on Keywords for Your Linked Profile and Headline

These are just a few tips for boosting your LinkedIn’s SEO factor (as there are more critical fields and strategies that can be used to generate traffic!). Even if you don’t understand SEO concepts, remember that adding more content to your Profile nearly always results in more visitors – especially when you capitalize on keywords to attract employer interest.

Keywords in LinkedIn Profiles:

• 12 Steps to Outrank Your Competitors in LinkedIn Search in 2020 (Personal LinkedIn SEO)
• Your Name: The Most Important Keywords for Your Job Search and Career
• 7 Best Ways for IT Professionals to Optimize Keywords for a More Powerful LinkedIn Profile
• Social Profile Keyword Success Secrets
• Personal Branding: SEO for Your LinkedIn Headline

About the author…

Job-Hunt’s LinkedIn for Job Search Expert Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Director of An Expert Resume, is an award-winning executive resume writer, national columnist, author, LinkedIn and SEO enthusiast, and past recruiter. Laura is author of How to Get Hired Faster: 60+ Proven Tips and Strategies to Access the Hidden Job Market. Follow Laura on Twitter at @ResumeExpert and on LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post Double (or Triple) Your LinkedIn Profile Views with Keywords appeared first on Job-Hunt.

At LinkedIn’s urging, most users try to update their Profiles as completely as possible. They have also recently rolled out new job titles for parents, caretakers, and others.

Yet entering a “current job” can seem over-the-top when you’re unemployed.

Of course, employers may see through your attempts to cover up a period of unemployment, and resent the implication that you’re working (if the opposite is true).

Create a Current Job

If you choose to omit a current position at the top of the Experience section, your ranking will drop slightly in LinkedIn search results.

In other words, your findability among competing candidates (based on the keywords you have added) will slow somewhat, with your Profile appearing several pages lower than what it would have been.

You can run a test (adding a current job, and then removing it), using Advanced People Search in each case to see what really happens. Sorting your results by Keyword will show how most others find your Profile.

If you do opt to add a current position, keep the description short and in alignment with the job you’re seeking, using these tips:

  1. Note Your Goals, Not Your Unemployment.  

Refrain from using words such as “Unemployed,” “Laid Off,” etc. in describing your current status, as these words have negative connotations and are not used often by employers or recruiters searching through LinkedIn for qualified candidates.

You’re better off pointing out your value to employers by adding skills and job title keywords to help define the type of role you’re pursuing rather than labeling yourself as “Unemployed.”

As an example, adding “I offer a broad operations background, including Lean Six Sigma, team management, production supervision, and plant engineering skills” in the job description can help boost keyword density for an Operations Manager.

For more details about leveraging keywords, read The Top 25 Keywords for Your Job Search.

  2. Use a Job Title That Matches Your Goal.  

Be focused on your goal, not your temporary unemployed status. For example, adding a Job Title similar to what you’d use for a Headline (“Sales Rep Pursuing Dealer Sales & Distribution Opportunities”) will help employers realize why you’re adding the job.

In addition, the keywords in the Job Title field (an area highly indexed within LinkedIn’s search algorithm) can draw additional traffic to your Profile. Read Job-Hunt’s Guide to Personal SEO and The 25 Best Keywords for You in Your Job Search for more details.

  3.  Resist Using Non-Work Activity as a Placeholder.  

Don’t resort to adding volunteer, nonprofit, etc. experience as a current job.

Not only will this skew your results from a keyword standpoint (as Job Titles are very highly ranked in LinkedIn SEO), but employers may believe you’re actually working for this organization — and then question why you’re applying to an unrelated job.

  4. Remember to Update Your Headline.  

Ensure your Headline does not revert to the new Current Job Title (which is the default value on LinkedIn). Instead, change your Headline to reflect your ROI as a candidate, with keywords that increase your traffic.

As an example, an unemployed candidate for IT Manager roles could use “IT Manager Seeking Application Development, Infrastructure, or Networking Manager Roles in Production or Manufacturing” as a Headline – pulling in both the desired career level and skills.

For more details, read Fast Formula for a Powerful LinkedIn Headline and Maximize Your LinkedIn Professional Headline.

  5. Keep “From” and “To” Dates Simple.  

Most people don’t realize they can specify only a year in these date fields, and simply skip adding the month.

This will help prevent others from reading too much into your length of unemployment, especially if it stretches out longer than anticipated.

The Bottom Line on LinkedIn Headlines When You are Unemployed

Should you decide to use your job-seeking status in a “current” job on LinkedIn, consider these best practices, which will help boost your findability and value message to employers.

More About Handling Unemployment in Your Job Search

• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Beating Unemployment
• Job Loss Recovery
• 5 Options to Fill that Unemployment Gap by recruiter Jeff Lipschultz
• Overcoming the Unemployed Bias by recruiter Jeff Lipschultz
• Managing Employment Gaps on Your Resume

About the author…

Job-Hunt’s LinkedIn for Job Search Expert Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Director of An Expert Resume, is an award-winning executive resume writer, national columnist, author, LinkedIn and SEO enthusiast, and past recruiter. Laura is author of How to Get Hired Faster: 60+ Proven Tips and Strategies to Access the Hidden Job Market. Follow Laura on Twitter at @ResumeExpert and on LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post The Best LinkedIn Job Headline When You Are Unemployed appeared first on Job-Hunt.

The few who even have Twitter accounts put up a few tweets initially, and then let it go. Their Twitter stream stopped dead months or years ago.

This doesn’t look very good, and could be detrimental to them. A Twitter account that’s collecting cobwebs says “I don’t really know much or care to know about social media and the new world of work.”

Understandably, they’re busy people strapped for time, trying to juggle demanding full-time jobs with a full-time job search. They’ve heard too many people say what a time drain Twitter can be.

They’re right. Without a solid Twitter strategy, each visit can easily eat up an hour or more. They just don’t have that kind of extra time.

3 Strategies to Leverage the Value of Twitter . . . Without Devoting Too Much Time

If these clients would tap into the research they’ve done on the companies they’re targeting, they could reap plenty of benefits from Twitter in just 10 to 15 minutes, a few days a week, especially because the majority of job seekers aren’t doing anything with Twitter.

1. Stay Focused on Your Job Search and Your Personal Brand

Don’t start or engage in conversations not related to your job search. No one really needs to know what you had for breakfast or what movie you saw last night.

Keep the majority of your tweets relevant to your personal brand, industry, areas of expertise, and value to your target companies. That doesn’t mean you can’t tweet off-topics and humorous tidbits, when you have extra time.

2. Do a Lot of Retweeting

Simply the act of tweeting again a tweet that someone else has tweeted, retweeting (abbreviated as “RT”) is one of my favorite ways to use Twitter and one of the best ways to save time there.

Even if you do nothing else on Twitter, posting relevant retweets can be a powerful way to build brand evangelism, a quality Twitter following, and get on the radar and stay top-of-mind with people you want to notice you.

First, gather up a long list of the right people to retweet. Who are these people? Colleagues, industry thought leaders and subject matter experts, top-level executives (or hiring decision makers) at your target companies, and executive recruiters in your niche, to name a few.

Search for them on Twitter, follow them, and start retweeting them. It’s as easy as that!

It’s critical to include in your retweet the @username of the person who originated the tweet, because they’ll see the retweet on their “Notifications” page. Chances are you’ll get noticed, if enough of your retweets show up there for each person you’re retweeting. If a good retweet doesn’t mention the original author, take the time to track them down and include their @username.

Retweeting Strategies to Help You Get Noticed

While retweeting is very effective for sharing good information and gaining attention, it needs to be done carefully or it won’t be as effective as it could be:

• Don’t automatically retweet something containing a link without first checking it, to make sure it’s not a bad link and doesn’t lead somewhere you don’t really want to send people.
• Structure your original tweets so that they’re short enough to allow for more than one retweet by others, without alteration.
• Take the time to tweet a thank you to people who RT you, even if you’re not the tweet originator.
• It’s always nice to include your own brief supportive comment with a re-tweet that’s especially good – something like “Great advice!” or “Excellent!”
• Don’t change the wording of the original tweet, except to abbreviate for space. But use abbreviations sparingly. A jumble of single letters and numbers can be confounding and doesn’t give a professional impression.
• If you’re not already following someone you want to retweet, coincide retweeting with following them. They may notice your @username showing up twice on the “Notifications” page in that short span.

Retweet using the retweet button that sits under each tweet and on many websites at the top or bottom of an article or blog post make retweeting easy. But sometimes these retweets don’t include the @username. Take a few moments to add it in if it’s not already there.

Use hashtags in your RTs when you can. The hashtag symbol (“#“) is used before a word or phrase (with no spaces) to mark relevant keywords and topics in tweets. It was created organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages. Clicking on a hashtagged word in a tweet shows you all other tweets marked with that keyword.

3. Organize Your Twitter Strategy

Use Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, or another Twitter app to help you organize your time, the people you follow, the people you want to retweet frequently, and to set up retweets in advance.

Do your thank you’s for retweets, #FollowFridays (#FF), and other mentions all in communal tweets, every few days. No need to thank each person in a separate tweet.

Consult the Twitter Help pages for specifics on using re-tweets, hashtags, and other things.

Bottom Line

Chances are, most recruiters and many employees at your target companies are active on Twitter, posting job openings and information related to the jobs you want. Isn’t it worth carving out a little time each week to spread the word on Twitter about your personal brand and value to your target employers?

The post Build Your Personal Brand on Twitter in Minutes a Day appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Now, we’re being urged to provide a photo in order to be considered for a new job, all due to the new “normal” that is LinkedIn. What gives?

Essentially, the “social” part of social networking has become more critical to your success. As an example, LinkedIn Profiles have emerged as a part-professional, part-personal way to convey your brand – meaning that, as a job hunter, you’ll benefit by responding to the traditional need to pair a face with a name.

After running a quick survey of recruiters who actively source candidates on LinkedIn, I found that the subject of Profiles that are “missing” a photo stirs some intense feelings.

“Personally, I don’t give much credence to those Profiles that do not have a photo,” stated Will Armstrong of Serco, Inc. “I have to wonder what they are trying to hide, and I feel less connected to them.”

Before you decide to use a more “casual” photo, rather than a professional-looking headshot, consider that several recruiters have spoken out against this practice. “I’m not fond of LinkedIn photos that are personal or silly,” declared recruiter Christine Alling.

Andy Foote, Executive Director at LinkedIn N Chicago, was more direct: in his list of LinkedIn blunders, he noted that “No photo, or worse, some kind of random arty or meaningless attempt” was a significant mistake on the part of job seekers.

I’ll eagerly back this up, as two of my clients recently encountered scenarios that seemed to match their LinkedIn-photo philosophy: the job hunter who dressed in a suit secured several offers, while the manager that posed with his wife and kids struggled to gain traction in his search.

Bottom Line

Even if you don’t want to spend the time (or money) on a professional photographer, there are ways to obtain an acceptable photo. As one recruiter noted, you always have the option of dressing in a suit, and finding someone proficient with a digital camera to take several pictures.

You just might find that putting your best face forward will result in more interest on the part of employers.

About the author…

Job-Hunt’s LinkedIn for Job Search Expert Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Director of An Expert Resume, is an award-winning executive resume writer, national columnist, author, LinkedIn and SEO enthusiast, and past recruiter. Laura is author of How to Get Hired Faster: 60+ Proven Tips and Strategies to Access the Hidden Job Market. Follow Laura on Twitter at @ResumeExpert and on LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post How Recruiters View Your LinkedIn Profile Photo appeared first on Job-Hunt.

If you are an “old-timer,” you will probably be resistant to the idea of integrating social networking into your job search campaign.

If you are a “youngling,” you are probably using social media but are not too sure how to leverage it in your job search.

Whoever you are, whatever your age, and whatever you do, know that strategically sculpting your digital image is an advantageous job search effort.

Fortune 500 employers and recruiters will search your name online (even if merely out of curiosity).

By developing a positive online presence, you will influence employers’ perception of who you are! Therefore, adopting a proactive approach and governing your online image will net you the desired vantage point during an interview.

Some Tips and Cautions:

1. Before you jump online, prepare off-line:

What is it you desire to convey or reinforce online? Gain clarity on this matter because if your job target is unfocused, your online branding will be confusing to employers.

Focus your online content because fortune 500 employers don’t just search for qualified job seekers who can fulfill any job. Fortune 500 employers are discerning and selective and desire to hire the best person for that particular role they need to fill.

Perform the following analysis before you “relocate” to the digital world:

• Determine the job titles that most interest you.
• Check for the keywords you consistently see throughout the job ads for the jobs you want.
• Research the companies you desire to work for; the company culture and the kind of employees they desire. Then use this information to focus your online writing (content development).

2. Use effective online venues:

Begin with LinkedIn:

According to most current research, LinkedIn is leading the way in social networking mediums that recruiters and employers use to source candidates.

In my own experience as a job search expert, I have witnessed success in landing coveted job interviews through networking opportunities via LinkedIn. I have also interviewed recruiters who have reinforced LinkedIn as their “go-to” source of good job candidates.

3. Ensure effective online profiles:

Keep your resume “in synch” with your Profiles:

Keep your profiles fresh and “in synch” with your offline job search documents, like your resume. Employers often “verify” the information on a resume submitted for a job opportunity with what they see in public profiles, like LinkedIn and Google. They assume that few people will inlude falsehoods in their profiles since the people who know the truth about their experience will see the misrepresentation in the profile.

Fortune 500 employers are very aware that people often “exaggerate” what is included on a resume, so they check profiles to verify what is on the resume. Make sure your profiles and your resume agree on the facts, timing, accomplishments, etc.

Don’t simply repurpose your resume:

Select portions of your offline/printed resume to include in your profiles, and reword them in a more social manner for your online profiles, keeping your list of keywords in mind (see Step 1). This strategic step of not placing your resume entirely as is online will ensure the recruiter need to contact you to gain more information, creating a need for further contact and perhaps a real conversation.

Be sure to make contacting you easy by including your phone number and email address in your online profiles.

Bottom Line

After you have taken the above steps, you have begun to shape your online image so that Fortune 500 employers understand you are the right fit for their company. Read the Fortune 500 Gatekeeper Interview article to understand more about what Fortune 500 recruiters are seeking from you.

About the author…

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas, Job-Hunt’s Fortune 500 Job Search Expert, is owner of and principle writer for CareerSteering.com. Rosa is also quadruple-certified writer, holding the Master Resume Writer certification (a certification held by only 26 other resume writers, world-wide), Certified Expert Resume Writer, Academy Certified Resume Writer, and Nationally Certified Resume Writer. You can follow Rosa on Twitter at @ResumeService and connect with her on LinkedIn and Facebook/CareerMarketing.

The post Shaping Your Online Presence for a Fortune 500 Employer appeared first on Job-Hunt.

To Fortune 500 employers, talent sourcing and retention is “the name of the job search game.” So, if you’re considering mining for a new job or career in this tough territory, think special talent marketing and not just job qualifications.

You can expect hundreds of job seekers will be vying for the same executive positions that you are after. You can imagine that your most intimidating competitor is someone who has developed an enticing personal brand and a no-nonsense job search arsenal.

Consequently, you must raise your job search tactics and beat your competition in the trenches. Get it? Ready? Great!

Here are 5 weapons/tools and tips you will need to get started…

1. A list of Fortune 500 companies:

Compile your top choices based on your value offer and career trajectory. Then, plot how to make a connection with a hiring authority (research, network, recommendations, and more research).

2.  Network, network, network:

Social networking is one important channel. If you haven’t already, set up your LinkedIn and Twitter accounts, right away.

LinkedIn:
Many Fortune 500 recruiters use LinkedIn to find talent. Of all the ways my clients tap into the hidden job market, LinkedIn seems to be the most effective way online. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is set up so that your headline includes your target job title, years of experience, and a tag line that offers value (makes a promise.)

Twitter:
Follow Fortune 500 companies. Use the Twitter “find friends” search, or check Job-Hunt’s list of employers recruiting directly on Twitter A good place to start up, Job-Hunt’s list of employers who recruit using JobHuntOrg/employers-recruiting.

Offline:
Tapping into the hidden job market is not as impossible as it may seem. Yes, it is work but it is work that will pay off! Click on over to Job-hunt.org’s article on how to tap into the hidden job market.

3.  Leadership/Networking Resume:

You will need two resumes for your Fortune 500 Job search. One resume version will be a one page snapshot of the most vital information such as employment and select achievements, which will serve you best for networking purposes.

You will also need a branded, full-blown resume which can be 2 or 3 pages and sometimes may even include an addendum which could chronicle your credentials, public speaking appearances, authored articles, etc. This second more elaborate resume will be best received by someone who has shown interest in learning more about you as a job candidacy.

Be sure to customize both versions of your resume for each of these employer whenever you submit it to anyone at that employer.

4.  Networking card:

These are simple to make. Your name, contact information, target job title and industry, and links to your online profile or resume. Better yet—why not add a QR code (Technology!) which takes someone to your online profile, a webpage with your contact information on it, or…

5.  Network pitch:

Clearly and concisely articulating your experience and value offer in any situation is critical. With some defining and refining, I am sure your message will be transparent and magnetic. Read more in Job-Hunt’s Guide to Job Search Networking.

Bottom Line

Great! You have your weapons ready. Now you are ready to begin mapping out your Fortune 500 Job search. Good luck!

About the author…

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas, Job-Hunt’s Fortune 500 Job Search Expert, is owner of and principle writer for CareerSteering.com. Rosa is also quadruple-certified writer, holding the Master Resume Writer certification (a certification held by only 26 other resume writers, world-wide), Certified Expert Resume Writer, Academy Certified Resume Writer, and Nationally Certified Resume Writer. You can follow Rosa on Twitter at @ResumeService and connect with her on LinkedIn and Facebook/CareerMarketing.

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