Posts Tagged ‘LinkedIn’

Great Articles on Social Media and Job Hunting

Friday, November 13th, 2009

I found some great articles that cover some key issues when it comes to the world of social media and job hunting.

First up we have The 5 “Social Media Types” Who Ended Up Losing Their Job, found on the Applicant blog.

Although the use of social media has become a must for networking purposes, it seems like many still don’t see the pitfalls. When you are using these different platforms to share your work frustration, you need to realize that your network also has an extended network. You may not have your boss or employer as friend or follower, but there might be someone else who is ready to rat you out. Be careful, the job search and career space is not what it used to be.

Read the whole post.

This one is from Rachel Levy‘s blog that is completely focused on her job search using social media, Using Social Media for a Job Search:

Most people know that the best way to find a job is through networking. You can go to networking meetings, tap into your own personal network, or ask friends who they know. With the Internet buzzing with social media, there are similarly many ways to use social media in order to network, and eventually find a job. According to an article in DMNews, Jeremiah Owyang from Forrester Research agrees that social networks allow all parties involved to better search for and reach their target: “Instead of having a broad, over-arching resume, these tools let people connect over detailed experiences…”

Read whole post.

From Resume Bear we have Improving Your Job Search Through Social Networking:

With every generation, the methods of networking change. In light of the booming technological age, social networking websites like Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter have become as common a means of communication as cell phones and email. Social networking sites, particularly the current world-wide phenomenons Facebook and Twitter, have streamlined ways to find old friends, communicate through email and instant messaging, and share everything from music, pictures, and information with everyone you know through the click of a mouse. There are infinite possibilities to share information, including where you work, and who you know. Between current economic conditions and the technological evolution of the Internet, the traditional approach most job seekers have taken in the past is no longer viable. Modern job seekers are realizing that these sites offer ways to electronically network with people who could provide valuable insight and connections to potential employers.

Read whole post.

Finally let’s bookend this post with another one from the Applicant blog, Guide to Using Facebook as a Job Search Tool:

If you haven’t been using Facebook as a job search tool, you are missing out on some good opportunities. We have covered LinkedIn and Twitter in the past but haven’t had a chance to do a post on how beneficial Facebook can be for job hunters. So here it is, a Facebook guide for job seekers.

Read complete post.

Getting Started on LinkedIn

Friday, September 18th, 2009

90% of IBMC Graduates are working in their field of study because IBMC’s goal is to train students in preparation for today’s employers. However, our job is not finished once the training is complete. This post is one  part of IBMC’s continual series exploring  the modern tools of a career search in the realm of Web 2.0 and Social Media. Click here to catch up on all the articles.

Start Getting LinkedIn Today

The sooner you start building your LinkedIn profile and network the better. This is because it is going to take some time to get your profile fully built and building a network of trusted people also takes time.

Starting with LinkedIn is pretty simple and straight forward. The home page has a sign up form you can’t miss and after you fill in your information you’ll be taken to a series of screens that will ask you for your basic information. There is even an option for current students to include their academic information. You’ll also be given the chance to search your email’s contacts for people on LinkedIn you already know. And after 5 simple screens you are a member of the LinkedIn community! But now what?

Head to the LinkedIn Grad Guide

The folks at LinkedIn want you to be successful so they have created a guide to get you started. The easiest way to find it is to go to http://grads.linkedin.com.

Before you head over there check out this video that covers the LinkedIn Grad Guide:

Use this link to view the video on YouTube.

The LinkedIn Learning Center

As you build your profile and explore LinkedIn you may run into questions. If you do LinkedIn has got you covered with a very helpful Learning Center. But they did not make the Learning Center so easy to find. You’ll have to scroll all the way to the bottom of the screen and look for the small “Learning Center” link.

linkedin learning center Getting Started on LinkedIn

Hopefully we’ve given you enough information to get started with LinkedIn. As with most things the best way to learn is to jump right in and start exploring. These days more and more employers are using LinkedIn to find and recruit new hires.  You owe it to yourself to begin building your LinkedIn profile today.

LinkedIn.com

LinkedIn | The New Way to Resume

Friday, September 11th, 2009

90% of IBMC Graduates are working in their field of study because IBMC’s goal is to train students in preparation for today’s employers. However, our job is not finished once the training is complete. This post is one  part of IBMC’s continual series exploring  the modern tools of a career search in the realm of Web 2.0 and Social Media. Click here to catch up on all the articles.

80% of companies are using LinkedIn as a primary tool to find employees.
linkedin logo picture 243x300 LinkedIn | The New Way to Resume

That number comes from a study a company called Jobvite did early this year. To be honest I question if the number of companies using LinkedIn as their “primary” way to find employees is truly at 80%. But I am confident in the fact that LinkedIn is becoming the place to post your career training,  job skills, and job history. Job boards like Monster.com have been around for many years now and those sites offer resume posting as well, but LinkedIn takes it a few steps further.

What is LinkedIn?

what is linkedin LinkedIn | The New Way to Resume

That is LinkedIn’s answer to that question. And it does give you a pretty good idea of what LinkedIn is all about. But let us take a deeper look at each of those three points.

Re-connecting on LinkedIn

You’ll often hear people say that the best way to find a job is through networking. This is true because many employers would rather hire someone that they’ve heard about through someone they trust than through a faceless resume that lands in their inbox. And on the other side someone who is looking for a job can gain more insight into a position if they heard about it through a friend, which gives them an advantage when applying. LinkedIn helps you establish your network as well as grow it.

Like many social media sites you start building your network through your email’s contact list. Shortly after signing up you send out these invites and the people you know will add you to their network. And when that happens you are now part of that person’s network as well. This really grows your exposure to potential employers as well as people who will advocate on your behalf. And simply by staying connected to people you might not see face to face regularly keeps you on their mind. So if they hear about a job opening they will think of you. That is the true power of networking. (Don’t worry we’ll go deeper into networking in later posts.)

Power Your Career

This part of LinkedIn is very much like a traditional job board. It allows you to search for  jobs in the geographic area in which you want to work. But unlike the old tried and true job boards LinkedIn often gives you a key advantage with your search but allowing you to see the profile of the person or company that posted the job. This can be a great way to learn about the company and gain an advantage over other job seekers. (Again we will go deeper into this. In fact I am sensing a LinkedIn series of posts.)

Get Answers

Have any question about careers, job searches, LinkedIn, and pretty much anything else? Simply ask the LinkedIn Community and wait for the flood of answers. Or simply browse past questions that have been asked to see if the answer is already out there. This is a really good tool for receiving honest answers and first hand advice from real people. Here are just a few examples of questions being asked right now:

  • Is there a difference between “Professional Development” and “People Development”?
  • Why interviewers ask the question why do u want to leave your current job?
  • Do you see yourself spending 20 years…30 years…with one company? Why…or why not?

LinkedIn is going to continue to grow

LinkedIn is already too big and too well used to be dismissed as something other people use. Even if you do not use it to its full capability (which is a lot, we’ve barely scratched the surface) you should at least consider using it to post your basic resume information. But be warned that LinkedIn can be a bit confusing at first and it can take a little bit of time to figure out how to navigate the sight.

This article has been a brief overview of LinkedIn and what people are using it for. Next week I’ll be back with a post that will really help you get started with using LinkedIn.