Please see my new JOB SEARCH cartoon video. It was created by David McConnon from www.videon.ie. This video presents a very serious message through a funny cartoon. Enjoy!!

COMPETITION

To promote the video I am offering 4 hours FREE 1-1 coaching. This can be used for Career Direction, CV writing, Linkedin Training, Job Search Coaching, Interview Preparation, etc. NB: If you don’t need these services you can pass the prize as a gift to a friend!!

To WIN this prize – complete 2 simple steps

1. Share this video. Post it on your Facebook or Linkedin status. The link is www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMJx1GLRPzU

2. Post a short comment. All names below will be entered into the draw on Friday 13th

P.S – Feel free to share this competition with friends who may need job/career support.
P.P.S – If you need a video for you business contact www.videon.ie

My 2nd video in the series. Enjoy!!

Hope you enjoyed the video. Please post any other advice or comments below.

Below I have outlined 8 ways LinkedIn can help you land an advertised job

Contacting a recruiter – When you see a job advertised through a recruitment agency, LinkedIn can help. You can use LinkedIn to check out, and even get in touch with, the recruiter. You may have mutual connections on LinkedIn, and communication through these mutual connections can warm your initial approach. You may be a member of similar groups on LinkedIn and this can offer an alternative way to contact the recruiter about the job.

Find employees working for the company – When a job is advertised directly by a company, then LinkedIn could help too. Use the search function on LinkedIn to locate employees working with the company. Your quality connections on LinkedIn can enhance your reach. I believe it’s better to have your CV handed to the HR/Hiring Manager by a current employee rather than sending in a cold application.

More focused applications – LinkedIn can help give the edge to your CV or cover letter. Using your network, or accessing professional knowledge on LinkedIn can offer inside information about a company department, their challenges or plans. This information can help you tailor your CV and cover letter to catch the eye of the hiring manager.

Create a CV with a twist – If you are going to stick with a traditional CV, then paste your LinkedIn Profile URL to your CV. Remember to customise your URL – www.linkedin.com/in/paulmullan. This link can draw the hiring manager to your LinkedIn profile. For me, a sharp LinkedIn Profile can offer much more information than a CV.

Find a hiring manager – If you don’t meet the exact criteria for an advertised job, but feel you have something to offer, try to avoid the “send CV to HR” channel. Use LinkedIn to find the details (name/contact) of the Department Manager. Make a direct sales call or email your application to the manager directly.

Substitute for your CV – Try using your LinkedIn Profile as an alternative to your CV. I accept that this can be a risky strategy BUT not if your job search is void of positive results. I believe a strong LinkedIn Profile offers much more information than a CV and that hiring managers will probably spend longer reviewing a LinkedIn profile. This can help differentiate your application and land an interview.

A key selling point – Some organisations value LinkedIn knowledge for certain roles. Strong knowledge of LinkedIn can be viewed positively and lack of knowledge can be viewed negatively. Some examples include – Sales, Marketing, and Recruitment positions. Using LinkedIn as part of your application strategy for these roles could add weight to your application.

Researching a company – LinkedIn Groups and LinkedIn connections can provide valuable information (insight, facts, and opinions) to help you stand out at interview. LinkedIn can help you access information nuggets to give you an edge and to highlight that you went the extra mile with your interview preparation.

Researching an interviewer – Recruiters, and HR professionals, are checking you out online. So why not reverse this. Search for interviewers on LinkedIn. This can provide a valuable insight to the interviewer, and could enhance your interview performance. You can access useful information like – previous work history, previous study, group memberships, and even interests. This information can help you build rapport at interview.

Please post any additional advice in the comments below ….

LinkedIn Training Workshop for Job Seekers/Employees on 6th November @ Bewleys Hotel Dublin

“Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out?” When I saw the above quote, it sure caught my eye – amazing words!! I browsed to find it was from the movie – “What a Girl Wants”. I haven’t seen the movie, which is a surprise, as I thought I had to endure every romcom . This statement is very true when it comes to job search – very evident when I surf LinkedIn. Many LinkedIn users choose to “fit in”, it’s safer and less offensive.

There are key ingredients to setting up a basic profile (100% complete profile, customised LinkedIn URL, recommendations, using applications, posting updates etc), but users can go beyond this. Quite often the obvious is ignored. Below I look at the 3-2-1 of LinkedIn. 3 simple tips to stand out, 2 simple tips to keep standing out, and 1 not so simple BUT essential tip.

3 SIMPLE TIPS TO STAND OUT

Headline – I am very surprised that more people don’t use this. My headline reads “Career ~ Outplacement ~ Personal Branding Consultant. Inspiring Creativity, Increasing Visibility & Generating Career Smiles” A catchy headline can help draw people to view your profile. I’ve been using “headlines” to draw readers to read my blogs, since 2007. The same principle applies to attract people to read your LinkedIn profile. Be creative and have some fun

Summary – It is important to have a summary. It is more important to get “you” across in your summary. Inject some personality. Bland will lose the reader. I use the word “I” in my summary to help soften this section. Write from the heart, as this will help you connect to the reader.

Experience – I still read profiles with no (or little) content. These profiles are missing a perfect sales opportunity. I won some outplacement work, a few months back, when a potential client read Eng/Pharma recruitment experience on myLinkedIn profile. If you lack content in your Experience Section, you should add some. Remember – Don’t bore the reader. Focus on facts, figures and achievements. Excite the reader.

2 SIMPLE TIPS TO KEEP STANDING OUT

Ongoing Profile Maintenance – Ensure you continually review and update your LinkedIn profile. Add anything new that will enhance your profile – a new project, achievement or training. For example – I recently added that I spoke at the National College of Ireland Career Bootcamp in August. Your connections are notified when you amend your profile. Curiosity killed the cat, and curiosity draws them in to have a look.

Seek Feedback – You should always seek to improve your LinkedIn Profile. It is important to seek feedback. Ask people (friends, clients or customers) to review your profile. I continually do this. I ask clients to review my LinkedIn profile, summary and headline. I ask the questions – “Do I get me and my personality across?” and “Would my profile make you pick up the phone?”

1 NOT SO SIMPLE BUT ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT

Attract Viewers – A nice profile with no viewers is like dressing up in a new dress and sitting in, or like a website with no traffic. YOU NEED TO ATTRACT VIEWERS TO YOUR PROFILE!! What are you doing to attract viewers to your profile? Some viewers may stumble across your profile BUT don’t leave it to chance. Help them find you by becoming the “Pied Piper of LinkedIn”.

LinkedIn Training Workshop for Job Seekers/Employees on 6th November @ Bewleys Hotel Dublin

Most LinkedIn tips and advice are geared towards jobseekers between jobs. LinkedIn can be a valuable tool to support jobseekers in active employment too. This post examines how current employees can use LinkedIn to source a new job.

Get over your fear and start using LinkedIn – Using LinkedIn does not automatically mean you are job hunting. Many business and professions use LinkedIn for other reasons.

Create a strong LinkedIn Profile – A LinkedIn profile is your own personal sales brochure. Some compare it to an online CV but I think it offers more. Build a full and up-to-date profile ensuring impact content and achievements, keywords and recommendations.

Your Headline/Status updates – Many job hunters between jobs use this to tell the world they are actively seeking employment. Use your headline to indicate what you do and who you do it for. Avoid putting information about your job hunt on your status.

Manage your account settings – Adjust settings so that your connections are not informed when make changes to your profile or status. If they can see you are connecting with recruiters it might give the game away. Use the settings to indicate that they are interested in career opportunities and that you accept messages from other members. Help recruiters/opportunities get in touch.

Ensure your profile is keyword rich – In US 85% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find talent and Ireland is following fast. Identify the keywords that recruiters may use to search for your skills.

Join relevant groups – Join groups in your specific field or industry. Recruiters and potential hiring managers will be monitoring. Contribute to the groups by posting meaningfully comments. This will help increase visibility and draw potential opportunities to your profile. Remember that everyone can read your comments so don’t give the game away.

Expand your network – The more people you connect to the more you expand your reach. Remember it is about quality and not numbers. Actively hunt down and build relationships with relevant recruiters through your group membership.

Comment on Blogs/Forums – When you comment on an industry forum or blog it is important to post your Linkedin URL. This can draw people to view your profile.

Email signature – Place your Linkedin URL on your email signature. When you send emails you are opening yourself up to potential viewers. Use your personal email and depending on your role you may be able to add to your work email.

LinkedIn Training – Individual & Group

Linkedin Group – Measurability Careers & Jobs Club