| August 3, 2010 | Posted By: Jessica Hernandez | Category: LinkedIn |
If you’re currently searching for a job, LinkedIn offers a free and easy way to create a presence for yourself online. While some people think of the site as simply another place to post their resumes, it offers many other career promotion tools as well. For example:
Start a reading list
LinkedIn is not a great place to advertise the trashy romance novel you read by the pool, but it does allow you to show professional colleagues where some of your intellectual interests lie. Personal hobbies like rebuilding motorcycles or visiting Civil War reenactments make for awkward resume material, but mentioning that you’ve read books on the subject will cause you to appear interesting to an employer.
Join groups
Groups are a great way to network in a somewhat casual way. Your university alumni groups are an easy place to start. It might feel awkward to e-mail a stranger who happened to go to the same school you did, however, there’s nothing unusual about saying, “I saw through the ABC University group on LinkedIn that you work in insurance. Do you have any tips that would help me break into the industry?” Displaying your membership in various groups is also a subtle way to let employers know how you’re connected and where your interests lie.
Post status updates
Much like Facebook, LinkedIn allows you to post status updates. These updates can let other people know about a big project you’re currently working on or a conference you’re attending, or they can include a link to an article you found particularly interesting or salient to your field. Just be careful to not bore your connections with irrelevant personal information or touchy political editorials.
Keep your profile current
If you don’t do anything else to your LinkedIn profile, be sure you keep it updated with your current job title and duties at all times. It’s confusing for an employer to look you up and see information that’s different from what you’ve presented on your resume. As an HR manager once told me, “It’s important to care for your LinkedIn profile the same way you would a plant in your office—make sure you check on it at least once a week!”
Global resume authority Jessica Hernandez of Great Resumes Fast is a former HR Manager who partners with professional- and executive-level candidates to create authentic, branded resumes and cover letters.
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
Finding a job in today’s challenging job market and struggling economy can be quite a chore. Now imagine the issues that a disability can potentially bring to one’s job search. In the event you have a disability and are wondering how your job hunt will unfold, rest assured that there are federal, state and local [...]
This is a true story as told to LatPro.com. Read on to see the ups and downs you can expect in the position as a contracted employee, what it takes to land the job, what you can expect to earn and more. I’m a contract administrator for a major nuclear power plant that’s under [...]
After completing your bachelor’s degree you may be ready to head out into the job market and get started on your career, but these days that might not be the best option. With so many qualified people out of work, a standard college education may not be enough to convince employers to choose you over [...]
Aaron McDaniel (aka “Mr. Business”) is the author of the Young Professional’s Edge blog (YP Edge). He is a corporate director, entrepreneur, public speaker, community volunteer and avid world traveler. Aaron has experience in sales, customer care, marketing, operations, strategy and business development and has managed over 110 different direct reports and organizations as large [...]
If you’re thinking about going back to school, enrolling in a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is a great way to prepare yourself with the knowledge and skills you’ll need to be successful in the exciting and competitive industry of business. To truly determine whether this program is suited for you, it’s important to [...]
Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Sitemap
Copyright © 2012 - All Rights Reserved
