Simply Hired Blog

How to Craft a Compelling LinkedIn Profile

By Joshua Waldman

If you still are not convinced that hiring managers are utilizing social media in their recruitment strategies – it is time you get your head out of the clouds and face reality.

Ninety-one percent of employers are using social media to screen prospective employees. As for social recruiting, another study shows that 93 percent of organizations are actively using social media in their hiring strategies.

Even if you are wary or reluctant to turn all of your social media profiles professional, there is one you should focus on perfecting. To get ahead in your career, it makes sense to commit to leveraging the largest professional online network. LinkedIn is the most used by recruiters and what is presented to them on your profile can qualify (and even disqualify) you for an open position.

Your ability to stand out is based upon the content and appearance of your LinkedIn profile. You can make your profile worthy of an interview by spending time mastering each of the following:

Answer an employer’s questions. Determining what to include and what to disregard on your LinkedIn profile can be simplified by providing answers to the questions employers are seeking. Be sure to address the questions below in your profile content:

• Who are you? Be sure to state loud and clear who you are and what your current role is. Are you a recent college graduate seeking employment in marketing? Or are you a seasoned consulting professional in the HR space? Include important keywords related to your area of expertise.
• What motivates you? As much as you want to match an employer’s needs, never lose sight of what it is that you want to do. Share with your network your interests and what excites you in your professional world. Let your enthusiasm be known.
• What are you capable of on the job? Take the time to jot down all the job accomplishments you’ve had and make special note of those that make you stand out. Think about how you help the organization you work for (or how you can help a future organization) and share with them your unique skills.

Once you have successfully brainstormed the answers to the important questions above, you can now begin to relay your message by crafting specific pieces of your LinkedIn profile. Consider the following tips you may not have heard before in order to construct a compelling page:

Have an eye-catching headline. Consider your headline as your first impression. After all, it is attached to all of your LinkedIn communications. Many people on LinkedIn mistake the headline as a place solely for their job title. Unbeknownst to most, the headline is open to holding 120 characters. If you currently do not have a job, include the actual name of the role you are looking for in order to boost keyword optimization. If you are currently employed, include your job title and the company you work for. Feel free to make your headline catchy since this is your opportunity to express to future employers how you are different than your competition. Check out the following example of an improved headline:

Before: Consultant

After: “Non-Profit Consultant solving urgent leadership problems.”

Craft a unique profile summary. Your LinkedIn profile summary is read within the very first 30 seconds of a recruiter or hiring manager reviewing your profile. Therefore, it is in your best interest to keep your summary to a 30-second limit while accomplishing your main goal: to keep viewers interested. Now is the time to include the answers to your brainstorming questions in a compelling manner. Describe yourself, what motivates you, and the important role you play in either your current position or a desired position. Also, I suggest writing your summary in first person. This differentiates your profile page from the traditional resume on paper.

Use social proof to build credibility. Including recommendations on your profile is a great way to verify all of your self-proclaimed accomplishments. Some recruiters are taking recommendations into higher consideration than the standard application materials including resumes, cover letters, and portfolios. Utilize the recommendation request system provided on LinkedIn to place proof behind your qualifications. Keep in mind, profiles with more recommendations rank higher on search results than those with less or none. The more the merrier when it comes to recommendations on LinkedIn.

Don’t just go through the motions of having an online presence. There are plenty of ways to stand out to employers online. You have the resources and ability to create a compelling LinkedIn page for a competitive advantage in your professional world.

Will you implement any of these tips to revamp your LinkedIn content? How do you leverage your LinkedIn professional profile?

Joshua Waldman is the author of the Jobjuice Social Media Job Search App, which is now available for download for iPad and iPhone in the App Store. Connect with Joshua and Jobjuice on Twitter @Jobjuice.

5 Ways to Effectively Use Twitter to Land Your Next Job

By Carrie Smith

When Twitter first came onto the scene, not many people could have guessed it would become the social powerhouse it is today. I know I didn’t. But now it’s become one of my favorite tools to find clients and land new jobs.

While other social media platforms like Facebook are about connecting with people you already know, Twitter is all about finding new connections and potential clients. About 80% of the social media and freelance jobs I've acquired have been through Twitter. Here are some of my favorite tips to help you use Twitter to land your next job.

Use the Hashtag Feature

If you’re looking for valuable information concerning your job search, this is a great place to start. The hashtag feature on Twitter offers both job openings and general job search advice. By using the number sign with corresponding searches like #jobs, #jobadvice, #jobhunt and #jobsearch you’ll be able to use this feature like a regular search engine.

This will help you really hone in on the specific job you’re hoping to land. This is also a great way to locate job openings within your industry and to get on the radar of the person who’s looking to hire. If you can connect with the hiring manager on a personal level, through Twitter, you’ll have a better chance of getting the position.

Plus, a lot of companies post their job openings on social media before they post them on job boards, so you'll have the upper hand with that as well.

Attend a Twitter Chat

Almost every day of the week there's a Twitter chat going on, referencing any given subject. A Tweet chat is a live Q&A session that typically discusses specific niche or industry issues, and can cover everything from career advice to project management. It’s a great way to conduct live conversations with people you might never be able to otherwise.

Some of the most popular job related chats include #jobhuntchat, #careerchat, #internchat and #hirefriday all of which provide invaluable tips and leads to help you land a job. Getting involved with industry chats is the perfect way to show your expertise in a particular field and present yourself as a knowledgeable person.

Build a Supportive Network

As I mentioned, Twitter is all about networking, so building a network is a vital part of finding the right kind of job. When you’re searching for a new job day in and day out, it can get overwhelming, stressful and discouraging. But thanks to Twitter you can start building a solid support system that will encourage you every step of the way. Your network can also share their advice, tips and tricks about what they’ve learned.

These days getting a good job is all about who you know, and getting them to recommend you for a job. Not only will your network sympathize with the stressful job hunting process, they can also keep an eye out for new job openings and offer invaluable career advice.

Locate Industry Conferences

Twitter makes keeping tabs on local conferences and seminars very simple and is one of the best ways for jobseekers to network with influential industry colleagues. Whether you’re attending the conference or not, you can still contribute to the conversation by getting active with attendees using the appropriate hashtag for that conference.

You can stay up-to-date with the goings on via the web and tweet along with other attendees and important professionals in your field. Many times the conversations that you start on Twitter will translate into future opportunities or even long-lasting business or personal relationships.

Find the Best Career Advice  

The learning and networking shouldn’t stop once we land a job. Managing your career is a constant process. With hashtags such as #career, #resume and #employment you can stay up-to-date on the issues you and others face in the workplace every day.

This is a great way to keep tabs on your favorite companies, learn more about where your industry is headed and to become the go-to person for valuable information! With the increasing popularity of Twitter, job seekers and recruiters alike are turning to this social network to find leads. Get a leg-up on the competition by using these tips to land your next job!

Carrie Smith is the personal finance expert behind CarefulCents.com, a blog dedicated to helping people get out of debt and find a career they love. She’s also a social media lover who enjoys traveling. Her work has been featured on The Huffington Post, Lifehacker and Yahoo! Finance. You can connect with her on Twitter @applecsmith.

Make Your Virtual You a Viable Candidate

By Lisa Quast 

Stuck at just over 8%, the unemployment rate just won’t budge. What does this mean for you job seekers? Competition for open positions is fierce and you need to be smarter and more creative than your peers to land a position. In this digital age, there’s a new opportunity for the unemployed to get noticed – social media.

To make sure that extra attention from potential employers is positive, I’m sharing my advice so you can all gain that competitive edge when searching for your next job opportunity:

Network both online and offline. Social media can be used for so much more than just taking pictures of your lunch. It can introduce you to your next co-worker, boss or client. Research friend and friend-of-friend profiles to find beneficial contacts in your industry – having an internal contact makes it much easier to get your foot in the door. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for an offline meeting. Face-to-face interactions are invaluable for building lasting connections that can help with your career in the long term.

Keep it professional. Swap out your profile picture taken in the mirror in exchange for a professional photograph. Also, scrub your social media accounts to get rid of inappropriate photos or status updates and google yourself to ensure nothing incriminating comes up. Your online profiles should represent the qualified professional that you are.

Keep an eye on your friends. Your social media presence isn’t made up of content solely from you. Friends can also share inappropriate photos. If you have college buddies who like to reminisce about your beer bonging fraternity days, send a quick message asking them to lock down or remove those photos while you’re in the midst of a job search.

Don’t forget your job search basics. A solid social media network isn’t a replacement for a great resume, cover letter and relevant work experience. These should still be a top priority. Once they’re up to par, use social media to make them easily accessible to potential employers. Upload your resume information to LinkedIn and update your work history on Facebook. Also consider supplementing your resume and work history with recommendations on LinkedIn from previous employers, co-workers or clients.

Make it personal. Social media makes it easier than ever to personalize your cover letter. Seek out an HR representative on LinkedIn at your desired company instead of using the boring and unfriendly “To Whom it May Concern” line.

Position yourself as an expert. Social media allows you to get your name out there by demonstrating your talent and setting you apart in your job search. Write a blog focused on your area of expertise or participate in online communities, such as Quora or Github for software developers.

The bottom line here is that depending on how you manage your online presence, your social media profiles can either really help or hurt your job search. How do yours measure up to the advice above?

Lisa Quast is a frequently sought after woman’s career expert and founder of Career Woman, Inc., a consulting agency that helps women reach their professional goals. She’s also the author of the award winning book Your Career, Your Way and a regular contributor to Forbes.com.

Five Things That Make a Successful Financial Representative

By Scott Rich

The recent recession and unemployment crisis have led to Americans struggling to find work in addition to an increased uncertainty about their financial futures.

For the life-insurance industry, however, the recession has created opportunity. With millions of people being unsure of how to plan for retirement and how they are going to be able to financially achieve their life goals, Financial Representatives are needed now more than ever before. To fill this gap, mutual insurers like Guardian Life are putting significant efforts into recruiting.

Sometimes an overlooked field, the role of a Financial Representative is especially suited for entrepreneurial business owners and those who feel unfulfilled with their current jobs looking for a career change. With intensive, on-the-job training and mentoring programs, the position requires little-to-no prior financial-planning experience.

Starting a new career can be extremely difficult, especially in the midst of continued high unemployment throughout the country. At the same time, Guardian has led its industry for over a decade in giving Financial Representatives the best chance to start a new career and survive for the long-term. 

Below are a few traits that we look for in potential Financial Representatives.

A Commitment to Lifelong Learning

Top Financial Representatives are constantly evolving to help meet their clients most challenging, and specific, financial-planning needs.  Therefore, being coachable and the commitment to career development are essential to thrive in this industry.

A Desire to Help People

Our industry revolves around assisting clients in realizing their most important life goals. The most successful Financial Representatives are ones who build their businesses around helping others. The ability to make a difference in the lives of the people they serve provides a tremendous sense of meaning to Financial Representatives – for they truly experience the value of their work. 

Well Developed Business and Social Networks

Having well-developed networks of contacts give Representatives an advantage, as meeting new prospects and getting referrals from existing contacts are the main drivers of success in a financial service career.

Entrepreneurial Spirit

Since Financial Representatives essentially work for themselves, having an entrepreneurial spirit is a vital aspect of successful Financial Representatives. Although mutual companies like Guardian Life give you the support and the training needed to start and build your business, you have the autonomy to make it as successful as your passion will take it. Candidates who are able to see the big picture, and are comfortable with building a practice over three to four years into a thriving business typically end up as the most successful Financial Representatives.

Disciplined Self-Management

The ability to be self-motivated when it comes to managing time and clients is directly related to one’s ability to reach personal and professional goals. Although this is generally the case for most jobs; the role of a Financial Representative is multifaceted and results-oriented. Applicants who have established track records of success and a well-developed ability to prioritize are the more likely to build top performing planning practices.

What’s perhaps the most interesting fact is that those entering Guardian’s sales-force come from hundreds of different backgrounds and occupations. It is these personality traits, coupled with hard work and one’s desire to succeed that really determine results. While experience and potential markets help, who you are is truly the most important factor of success in this industry. 

Scott Rich, Field Vice President of FR Recruiting of Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, works to implement strategies and processes to drive recruiting, selection and retention efforts across the organization.  Mr. Rich graduated Summa Cum Laude from Fairfield University, where he holds a B.A. degree.  In addition to his CLU and ChFC degrees from the American College, Mr. Rich holds Series 6, 7 and 24 licenses, has completed AMTC’s management program, and is Integrity Selling and Covey Seven Habits facilitator-trained. He received Guardian’s CEO Achievement Award in 2011, and has spoken at both LAMP and LIMRA's Distribution Conference.

The Art of the Interview

By Michael Reiss

And it is an art. But going on many interviews can make you a seasoned pro. Try to leave forty minutes before your scheduled interview and use the extra time to make sure you are still presentable from the commute and to go over any last minute interview prep. Do you know the company’s mission statement? Are you prepared to talk about the finer details of the job duties? With the added time, you can also get a cup of coffee or tea to get the synapses in your brain firing. Announce you have arrived 10 minutes before the scheduled time. Important: Do not ask to use the bathroom when you arrive! Don't bring your coffee in either--now is the time to look as professional as ever. 

The purpose of the interview is to give both parties the opportunity to find out if you could do the job and if you have the personality that matches the culture. Answer questions briefly and succinctly but do not give one-word answers. Most questions are designed for you to provide information about yourself and how you have handled certain situations or problems in your past experiences. If you don’t know the answer to a question,  just be honest and say you don’t know the answer because your recent experience didn’t touch on that area. This is far better than stumbling through and answering incorrectly, which may come off as ignorant and unattractive. However, make sure you let the interviewer know that you pick up on new concepts quickly. Provide a brief example of something in the past that you had to learn on the job without prior training.

Since most people like talking about themselves, make the interviewer feel good about their career and they will like you more. Ask them how they decided to take their job there and when they tell you, let them know you admire what they have done with their career and their ascent in the firm. To show added interest in the role, be ready with pertinent questions about the day-to-day responsibilities of the job. 

When the interview comes to a close, thank them and let them know of your continued interest and ask when you might hear from them. On your way home, go over the interview while it is still fresh in your mind. Think about where you could have given a better response and research any questions you might have not answered correctly. Most importantly, prepare your follow-up letter.

Michael Reiss is the president and founding partner of Landover Associates, a technical recruiting firm that runs on non-commissioned recruiters who offer over twenty years of their expertise free to candidates. While based in New York City, Landover works with companies and clients both internationally and across the U.S. Job seekers will never be subjected to voicemail--you will always talk to a service-oriented professional who is deeply familiar with your aspirations and a company's staffing needs. If you've ever thought about getting professional assistance to jump-start your career, visit www.landover.com