LinkedIn – Page 3 – Work: Getting It & Keeping It

Much More than Baseball Cards

When I was growing up in Dobbs Ferry (NY), an important activity for almost every boy I knew was collecting, trading and competing for baseball cards. Topps was all we knew, and every new season offered a new quest for collecting the whole set. We would trade our doubles, search hard for the best players, and sometimes risk it all with flipping and scaling cards. The scaling option, in which players compete to scale cards to be closest to the wall, was usually a bad one. It was a game of skill and there were a few guys who couldn’t be beat. If you were going against Joe Giuliano, you could save everyone lots of time by just handing him your cards and moving along to your next class. He was that good. Watching him play was like watching a machine. Scale, grunt defeat, watch Joe take the cards, repeat.

I wonder how many people who stack up contacts using LinkedIn view the process much like the search for the missing players, with the difference being that the roster of players counts in the millions, rather than less than a thousand each year. I wonder if the quality of the connections is about as high. For those who have amassed 950 LinkedIn contacts, have they ever thought, “Would MaryJo in Seattle take my call?”

Networking activities need to be a lot more than a few clicks in the latest social media tool. Like anything else in life, your networking activities will only be as good as the effort that you put into them. Find common interests and make meaningful connections. Try making a phone call or sending a personal note, something much more than, “I would like to add you to my professional network.”

Think about your efforts. Have they been meaningful and have they led to important professional connections, creating a web of colleagues who might actually care about the relationship with you? Or have your activities been more focused on body count? If your networking is similar to that of a bunch of 12 year olds flipping Reggie Jacksons, you have some work to do.

Looks Awful. I’ll Take It!

I saw a preview for what looks like it could be the worst movie ever. I am going to run down to the ATM machine, grab some cash and take the family out for a rotten evening.

A friend told me that she went to a “taste of” event that a civic organization in her town held a few weeks ago. All of the town’s restaurants were there so she was able to sample food ranging from American to Thai, Chinese to Italian. She found the one she liked least and immediately made a reservation. Knowing that it is one of the highest priced restaurants in town makes it that much better.

Sounds insane, right? Of course, but it is exactly what job seekers are asking potential employers to do when they send off error laden resumes, cover letters and emails. If they are showing their best in this work – and that is the assumption that employers and recruiters have to make – it is just not good enough.

Why do the headhunters make this assumption? The job seeker has almost unlimited time to create a perfect document, so mistakes in this work must be a predictor for inattention to detail and poor work performance, right? Understand this: resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, personal websites, thank you notes, emails and every other form of communication must be perfect. The notion that you only get one chance to make a great first impression must be top of mind in any job hunter’s campaign. Get advice, get help and get it all right. All of it.

Lay Off? Move. Now!

If you or someone you know has gotten laid off, or expects it soon, get ready to work hard and fast to get back into the workforce right away. If that means working some 12 hours days and weekends during the first days and weeks of unemployment, so be it. A column in Bloomberg Business Week shares some sobering data, including the point that long-term unemployment does not help workers and likely hurts as job skills and professional networks get stale.

What should you do if that pink slip and cardboard box for your personal items comes your way? Here are a few ideas:

Get all of your career marketing materials refreshed. This includes your résumé, LinkedIn profile, executive biography and executive project summary/portfolios, as well as any online presence you may have.

Quickly move to contact people in your network. Let them know that you are available and open to discussing new opportunities. Don’t rely on an email. Pick up the phone and make a call. Buy coffee. Get out there!

Get creative in considering what you will do next. It may be that a less than perfect job now is better than hanging on hoping for just the right thing that may never come. Don’t forget the lessons of the long-term unemployed: it is a downward spiral that can be tough to overcome.

Build a routine to stay sharp. Get out of bed, get some exercise, get dressed and get ready for the opportunity to meet people. What if you pick up the phone – or someone calls you – and you have to get across town in 30 minutes for a cup at Starbucks? Will you be ready?

Plan your day and week like you would on the job. Check off your task list as you complete it. The accomplishments and record of achievement will give you a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day.

Rely on your support system. Friends and family are going to play an important role. Keep talking and sharing your wins and frustrations. Sometimes talking can make a huge difference as others can give you outsiders’ perspectives on your own blind spots.

Engage in professional groups. This can include on-ground physical groups or virtual groups on LinkedIn, Quora or other forums. This will keep you thinking about and staying current on your profession.

Work hard, work fast and get back to work.

Social Media: What Are You Waiting For?

Think back to a time not long ago when people used the term “computer literate” to describe themselves and their skills. Understanding how to power up a PC, attach a printer and use productivity software like Office or WordPerfect was a pretty big deal. Having this skill could give you an advantage over your competitors. Those skills are assumed now and you better have them. Remember that every kid coming out of college has been using a computer since birth.

We are at that same tipping point in the use of social media. If you know how to use Facebook, LinkedIn, Quora and other sites, especially in ways that help your organization and your professional reputation, you have a marketable skill. If you haven’t taken the plunge and signed up and figured it out, you are getting lapped by the field.

Think about how you are going to use these tools to stay connected. In the world of many employers and organizations, if you aren’t on line, you don’t exist.

Quora: What do know? Everyone is good at something and has special knowledge to share. Get into it by following topics that interest you and post quality answers. Ask questions and give feedback to the answerers.

LinkedIn: Use the site’s learning center to understand everything it can do. Start with a simple profile with a good photo of yourself (think corporate headshot, not party pics) and tell the world what you do. Start working it to find people you have known professionally and personally. Use the site’s news feature to track industry stories and social media updates.

Blogging: WordPress and others allow you to share longer ideas like this. It also gives others – including potential employers and clients – the chance to understand your thinking and evaluate your skills in a non-threatening way. Take the time to post quality work, and keep it fresh. You don’t have to post every day, but you don’t want to fall into the land of
abandoned blogs, either.

Twitter: Stay current on topics that interest you. Send out tweets that use industry jargon and you will soon have followers. Link your Quora and LinkedIn accounts to Twitter and your thoughts will get out into the world.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Social media activities have short shelf lives, and you can always delete from your own profile. Jump in, experiment and see where it takes you. With some effort, you may be able to say you are no longer “social media awkward.”

Maximize Yield

I met with a brilliant scientist last week who took time from her schedule to explain her work to me and some of her success measures. An important measure is the yield realized from the various steps in her processes. Each step needs to deliver the most usable product for the next, so there is something valuable at the end of the chain. Avoiding explosions is good, too.

This effort is very similar to the work the people do when they are looking for new jobs. The seeker’s mission is to increase the probability that she will make it through the long and painstaking hiring process by maximizing the yield of everything she does. This means taking nothing for granted and working harder than everyone else to secure a job offer. Here are a few reminders on how to do this.

Customize your Communication. Every job opportunity needs communication that is tailored to the message’s recipient. If you will not take the time to customize your cover letter, resume and all other correspondence, someone else who is willing to do the hard work will get the offer while you stare at your not-ringing telephone.

Network in Person. LinkedIn is great, but it doesn’t replace face-to-face relationships. If you can’t meet in person, make a quick phone call. Have a pre-written message to deliver to voice mail.

Thank You. Mom taught you to say it. Do it every time someone is generous enough to give you some time. Did a contact take your call? Follow up with a thank you email. Did you get an interview? Send a well written thank you note or letter by snail mail. Don’t overlook this step. It shows that you follow through and pay attention to the details. Many of your competitors will not do this.

Ask for Feedback. Should you be fortunate enough to get an interview but not the job, and you talk with a person about the decision, ask for feedback about your interview and what the hiring decision makers thought were your strengths and weaknesses. You may learn something that will help you next time.

Just as my scientist friend works to maximize yield at every step of the way, think about how you can maximize the yield of the work that you are doing. Are you doing everything possible to increase your chances of success? Or are you taking shortcuts and inviting a potential job search blow-up?

LinkedIn: Don’t Beg

If you are not using LinkedIn, you probably have heard about it and considered how it can help you. There are many great resources available on this growing site, and you should be on it even if you are not looking for a job. One thing you shouldn’t do, though, is beg for a job. I have seen many postings in different groups that are nothing more than people pleading for jobs. The postings sound desperate and the writers seem worthy of sympathy, but are those qualities that attract potential employers? No.

Here are ideas on how you can start using LinkedIn in meaningful ways that will bolster your reputation. If you optimize your profile with great, truthful content, recruiters will find you.

Groups: Start with natural groups that complement your experiences, careers and interests. Think about college alumni groups, trade associations and other broad interests and pursuits. Participate in the groups you join.

Skills: Use this section to detail the skills you have to sell that employers want to buy. Are you skilled in financial auditing? List it.

Answers: Actively participate in Answers, a tool for you to help others by sharing your expertise. You will develop a reputation and keep your skills sharp.

Reading List: Another fun tool! Tell the world what you are reading and write a review. This can illustrate your commitment to life-long learning and my spark a conversation.

Remember: Don’t beg. Maintain your professionalism and participate with confidence. Good luck!

Social Media: You Never Know

When new business comes my way, I always want to understand where it came from. How did someone I don’t know in another state come to find me, contact me and trust me enough to work on his or her career marketing materials? A new potential client who contacted me this week illustrates why knowing this and having an online strategy are so important.

My marketing efforts include Resu-mazing Services Company’s website, memberships in the PARW/CC and the Better Business Bureau, activity on LinkedIn, placement on search engines like Google Places, my blog (that you are reading now), and some other local efforts. I also rely on referrals, something that only happens when I do quality work for my clients. Of course, people can review my work and tell the world on Kudzu and Google Places. This new client found Resu-mazing by doing a Google search, checking me out on LinkedIn, and reading the blog article that included the Uncle Rico picture.

The lesson is clear: You never know how people will find you and your company. You never know what material they will find and read, and if that person doesn’t select you as a potential vendor, business partner or employee, you will not know. There will be an abundance of silence.

Know this: Everything you do online is connected, searchable and subject to the closest scrutiny. Others will make decisions about you and decide to contact you – or not – based on what they find. Consider this as you make your next entry on the various social media sites. Will it help or hinder your reputation? As we all become more aware of the value of these tools, they will continue to gain importance. Develop the skills to be effective in this environment or get help. It’s not going away!

A Few LinkedIn Pointers – An Interactive Blog Post

Consider this another weekend how-to session that can help you make better use of LinkedIn. Many people use it well, making, building and maintaining their professional relationships and online reputations with prudent and careful use of the site. There are others who seem to view it as just another social media tool, and they make mistakes I would like to help you avoid. Here they a few suggestions:

By the way, if you have suggestions to share, please comment to this blog post and share. Everyone would love to hear what’s working for you. Thanks!

Spelling & Grammar: If you are going to write more than a couple of sentences, use a word processor with spelling and grammar check. If you can’t be bothered, at least use a web browser that will highlight your spelling mistakes – Google Chrome and Firefox both use the red squiggle to point out your errors. Why? Recruiters and others judge you by the quality of the material you post, especially in your own profile.

Watch Your Links: One person recently sent me an invite to connect. I accepted and checked out the websites linked to through the profile. Eek! This person’s personal website is full of errors! It could easily torpedo any aspirations to be contacted by recruiters. It is really bad. Avoid sending professionals to an unprofessional site.

Watch What You Say: As LinkedIn is a professional social media site, consider posting things that you would only say in front of your boss or if you were in a meeting with everyone in your network. Is your message professional, concise and on topic? If not, avoid the urge to post. Silence is golden if your message isn’t.

Personalize Your Invitations: If you are going to take the time to send someone an invitation, why not personalize it. That simple step can increase the likelihood that the invitation will be accepted, and can accelerate the development of your professional relationships. Here is an example. “I appreciated the comment that you made in the ____ group about Lean Manufacturing concepts. I would like to invite you to join my professional network so we can share ideas.” This invitation pays a complement and tells the person why you want to connect. Wouldn’t you accept the invitation?

Reach Out After the Connection: If you have accepted or issued an invitation to someone you have never met, get the conversation going with a follow up message or a phone call. I can tell you from personal experience that it is appreciated and NOBODY else is doing it. You can really enhance the value of these relationships through proactive dialogue.

There it is. Review your network and your LinkedIn activities. Are you maximizing the benefit of the time spent on the service?

Here’s the interactive part: Comment to this blog post – or better yet, subscribe – and share your best tips.

Category: LinkedIn

Looks Awful. I’ll Take It!

Lay Off? Move. Now!

Maximize Yield

LinkedIn: Don’t Beg

More LinkedIn & One for Uncle Rico