Tag Archives: Job Opportunity

By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter

An executive job seeker recently inquired: “How important do you think it is for me to have a LinkedIn profile?”

I replied: VERY!

I explained that recruiters, hiring decision makers and other executives and board members with influence and hiring authority are sleuthing around LinkedIn daily. More than 135 million professional members subscribe to LinkedIn!

Some who are recruiting feel LinkedIn is THE best tool for locating candidates. I personally think it is a KEY site for visibility and in which to engage (via Groups, etc.) – one of only several that must not be overlooked in any professional job search.

Once you’ve embraced the idea that LinkedIn is vital to your career, the next step is creating a new, or enhancing your existing LinkedIn profile. Most profiles I view are incomplete, plain vanilla, lackluster and quite frankly, boring. The likelihood, I fear, is LOW that your current LinkedIn profile maximizes the opportunity to market your value and engage the reader.

The first question, and several follow-on questions you must know the answer to before delving into a revamp of your LinkedIn profile follow:

Question 1: Is there a difference between what’s on LinkedIn and what’s in your resume?

Answer: YES – in fact, the LinkedIn profile should not be considered a mini-me resume; you should not simply funnel your current resume into the LinkedIn walls.

Question 2: But why?

Answer: Several reasons exist why pushing your resume content into the LinkedIn profile is a no-no.

1. If your resume is content-rich, you will run into character-count barriers. LinkedIn limits the number of characters that can be included in each section. For example, if you try to push more characters into the Summary section than allowed, your career summary will cut off midstream, creating an incomplete message.
2. LinkedIn is a terrific resource for hiring decision makers, recruiters, executives, human resource professionals and other influencers to locate you and learn a bit more about you.

However, the likelihood is HIGH that they will request of you a Word-formatted resume once you are communicating outside of LinkedIn. To send them an exact duplicate of your LinkedIn profile is redundant.

Add value in each and every document you create for your job search whether on or offline. This particularly holds true with the Resume versus LinkedIn debate.  Though their message and content may cross over, they are distinctly different communication channels. Leverage them well, and effectively. Differentiate yourself with each message.

Question 3: HOW do I distinguish the content in my resume versus my LinkedIn profile?

Answer: Initially, the most powerful area in which to distinguish yourself is via your LinkedIn Summary. My tack is to create a first-person narrative that weaves your personality into your concrete value proposition, spurring an emotional appeal. In other words, knit warmth and passion into your factual, and bottom-line focused message.

Depending upon your target audience, ways you may speak to that passion and trigger reader emotion could be to write about your leadership attitude and style; your committed behavior and risk-taking nature as it relates to surmounting mountainous obstacles; or your creativity in sculpting strategies for team initiatives. These are just a few examples. Brainstorm to drill down what makes YOU unique.

An example of an Operations Executive client’s LinkedIn Summary that I recently wrote follows. Note that this content complements, versus, duplicates, his Resume Summary:

In a future post, I will expand upon the other critical sections of your LinkedIn profile and my thoughts on the best practices of HOW to populate those areas, compellingly extending your value proposition!

Guest Blogger Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, a member of the Glassdoor Clearview Collection, is chief career writer and partner with CareerTrend. Collaborating with professionals in career transition, or those individuals who desire to ignite their existing careers, Jacqui is one of only 28 Master Resume Writers (MRW) globally and holds a BA in Writing. An intuitive researcher, she unearths clients’ compelling story details and applies an inventive approach to career positioning documents and social media profiles.In addition to being interviewed for television and radio stories, Jacqui has written for the Career Management Alliance Connection monthly newsletter and blog, ExecuNet’s Career Smart Advisor, The Kansas City Star, The Business Journal and The Wall Street Journal. As well, she and her husband, “Sailor Rob,” host a lively careers-focused blog over at http://careertrend.net/blog. In addition, Jacqui is a power Twitter user listed on several “Best People to Follow” lists for job seekers.

The Glassdoor Team is a small yet seasoned group of individuals looking to provide greater transparency into one of the most important aspects of our lives – our jobs. Contributions to the blog are designed to present a unique perspective on current events, offer commentary on the inside workings on specific jobs at a multitude of companies, and provide details on the latest happenings from within Glassdoor.

By Nancy Mann Jackson

So you’ve landed a temporary seasonal job. But you’d like to stick around even after the holidays are over. While full-time positions may be few and far between when the holiday rush is over, you already have your foot in the door as a seasonal worker, so you’re one step ahead of the pack.

What else can you do to secure your place and turn your seasonal gig into a full-time position? Start with these tips:

• Communicate your desire to stay.Sometimes, supervisors don’t consider the possibility that a holiday worker may want to stay after the temporary gig is up, so make it clear that you’re interested. “Tell [your supervisor] verbally, without being a pest,” says Erin Peterson, recruitment outsourcing practice leader with Aon Hewitt, a global leader in human capital consulting and outsourcing solutions. “Or write him or her a concise but well worded note regarding how much you’ve enjoyed being on the holiday team and state your interest in remaining after the holidays.”
• Be proactive. Don’t just wait to see if your supervisor will ask you to stay; be on the lookout for job postingsand apply for any open positions that may be a good fit for you, Peterson says. When the recruiter or hiring manager sees a familiar name (yours) among the pile of applicants, you may have a leg up.
• Behave like a full-time employee. Rather than operating as though you, as a temporary hire, have no stake in the company or its success, behave as though you’re in it for the long haul. “Show up on time, ready to work,” Peterson says. “Limit distractions such as texting and phone calls and focus on the task at hand. And engage with customers; it will be noticed.”
• Go the extra mile. If you really want to make a good impression, do all the things a good employee does, and then do a little more. “Volunteer for extra hours or tasks that no one else wants, such as inventory,” Peterson says. “Make improvement suggestions and implement them, if possible. Surprise customers with service they don’t expect.”

When demand for new workers extends beyond the holiday season, the temporary employees who are likely to be asked to continue are those whose work stands out as excellent and those who have let it be known that they are committed to being there long term if the opportunity arises. If you want to turn your holiday job into your real job, be one of those employees!

Nancy Mann Jackson is an award-winning journalist and corporate communicator who writes regularly about small business, parenting and workplace issues. Since 2001, she has worked as a freelance writer and has written hundreds of articles for publications including Working Mother, CNNMoney.com, Entrepreneur.com, MyBusiness and dozens of others. She also writes and edits annual reports, blogs, and newsletters for companies in industries including finance, technology and construction. Nancy is also a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors.

The Glassdoor Team is a small yet seasoned group of individuals looking to provide greater transparency into one of the most important aspects of our lives – our jobs. Contributions to the blog are designed to present a unique perspective on current events, offer commentary on the inside workings on specific jobs at a multitude of companies, and provide details on the latest happenings from within Glassdoor.

By Debra Wheatman

While unemployment for white collar workers still hovers at approximately 6%, manyjob seekers have been able to conduct productive searches that have yielded new and exciting roles. Some are even landing pay increases; but what about you? If you have been searching for a new opportunity for some time and are still coming up empty, it makes sense to review those things that are within your control and improve your job seeking methodology.

Are you getting enough interviews? Job seeking is a lot like dating.  You have to kiss quite a few toads in order to find your prince (or princess).  It is a numbers game.  If you are relying solely on the Internet to identify new opportunities, you are missing the boat.  To conduct a proactive search you must first get your résumé and LinkedIn Profile in tip top shape, then identify target companies, and pursue them with vigor.  Reach out to your network and beyond to identify hiring managers. Introduce yourself.

Debra Wheatman, an experienced human capital management strategist will help you take the next step up your career ladder. Debra, who possesses both Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) designations, is globally recognized as an expert in advanced career search techniques. With more than 18 years’ corporate human resource experience guiding and directing global clients in determining career goals and identifying gratifying career choices Debra can package the amalgamation of your skills and accomplishments in a compelling and creative way to generate interest on behalf of decision makers at leading corporations. She posts regularly on her own site at careersdonewrite.com/blog, and she has been featured on Fox Business News, WNYW with Brian Lehrer, and quoted in leading online, print, and trade publications, including Forbes.com, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and CNBC. Debra is the featured career columnist for The Epoch Times.

The Glassdoor Team is a small yet seasoned group of individuals looking to provide greater transparency into one of the most important aspects of our lives – our jobs. Contributions to the blog are designed to present a unique perspective on current events, offer commentary on the inside workings on specific jobs at a multitude of companies, and provide details on the latest happenings from within Glassdoor.