Using LinkedIn for Your Job Search

LinkedIn is a lot like chocolate -
more useful than it seems, and healthy too!
(image source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Linkedin_Chocolates.jpg)

by Megan Elliott, Social Media Developer

Chances are if you’re reading this, you have at least one social networking profile. You’re connected to tons of people on Facebook and Google+, get yourself into a whirlpool of crafty things to do on Pintrest, or hang out and chat with people on Twitter all day long. Have you made yourself a LinkedIn profile yet?

LinkedIn is probably the most useful tool in your online job search toolbox. This is where your professional life is on display for anyone to see, from recruiters to human resources at that company you would give your eyeteeth to go to work for – if you have a profile.

You don’t have to be an especially tech savvy person to create a LinkedIn profile. If you figured out Facebook, you’ve figured out how to fill in all the boxes on LinkedIn. Plus, they walk you through the weak spots in your profile and can give you suggestions on how to improve it. It is a good idea to get someone to read behind you and make sure that you didn’t make any spelling or grammatical errors. Following the link above should give you some really good pointers to make your profile stand out from the crowd.

The search box in the top right is the most useful part of LinkedIn, after making that profile so that you can be found and seen and possibly contacted about a job. Your connections are awesome, that’s true, because their networks are a good way to get you in contact with jobs, but you can also follow the specific companies who might have jobs available.

Those companies, from big ones to little ones, list their openings all the time on LinkedIn, and sometimes even before they update their jobs portal on their home website! Follow those companies, and you have an inside peek at those job openings, and you don’t have to use another job board to find them.

The latest news from LinkedIn is that they have updated their search engine, so you can actually search by job title (like “administrative assistant”). If you use the advanced search option, you can filter by company and people you know who work at those companies. You can also set LinkedIn to e-mail you results that match your specific search criteria – so you don’t have to do the same search each week.

One final thing to note about the power of a LinkedIn profile – and why you should always keep it updated – lots of hiring managers use it as a reference tool to see if your resume matches up with your work experience. The link above is a how-to guide on using LinkedIn to check up on job applicants.

How have you used social media sites to find jobs? Would you recommend that your friends create a LinkedIn profile after reading this? Let us know in the comments!

Your Job Search Checklist

by Megan Elliott, Social Media Developer

So you’re finally ready to start working!  Great!  Let’s get started by creating a checklist, to make sure you don’t forget anything while you’re looking for a job.

□       What are you interested in doing?  One of the first steps of becoming a client of EmployReward Solutions is taking an interest profiler.  This helps your career coach determine what jobs to look for, and the results also help you figure out what you’re interested in too!  If you don’t like talking to people, waiting tables is probably not a job you’re going to enjoy.

□       Write that resume!  Take your time with it, customizing it for the job openings you’re finding that you’re interested in applying for.  Read the job description and use the keywords in the description.  

o     For example, the local Rooms to Go is looking for an office assistant.  The description says “This position will assist sales associates, customers, and managers in the processing of payments, finance applications, delivery questions as well as various other office duties as assigned.”  What are the words in that sentence that could make your objective statement stand out?

o     Try “I possess excellent time management and basic math skills, which would make me a great candidate for the position of office assistant with Rooms To Go.”  Using similar keywords will let a hiring manager or recruiter know that you read the description of the position.

 

□       A lot of jobs that are posted online require a cover letter, so it is best to write one of these as well. This will be a chance for you to explain any gaps in your work history as they show up on your resume, so you’ll want to reference your resume for those gaps.  Were you working for a construction company in 2008, and then you went on disability?  If you volunteered somewhere, this is a perfect place to explain your volunteer experience.

□       One of the most overlooked steps in applying for a job is preparing your references!  Who could be a good job reference for you?  Have you asked them to be a reference for you and prepared them?  You don’t have to include the names and contact information about your references on your resume (as a matter of fact, it is recommended that you not do this), but it is just good manners to let someone know they will be used as a reference on an application.

□       Practice your interviewing skills.  You can call your ERS career coach and set up a time to practice with one of us, or get a friend or a family member to practice with you.  By practicing with some common interview questions, you’ll get more comfortable with your responses.

Remember, you’re not going to get a response from every company you send your resume or application to, and that’s OK.  Focus on the next opening, and if you need any help, remember, we’re here for you every step of the way!