Category: Workplace

Employee experience can seriously impact your bottom line. The Employer Brand Index gives you insight into what talent really thinks about your company.

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Workplace

7 Ways College Students Can Benefit from LinkedIn

Considering the excellent benefits that connecting with professionals on LinkedIn brings, college students can never ignore this social networking platform. In fact, your networking on LinkedIn should begin as early as possible. LinkedIn can help you find jobs as soon as you graduate from college.

 

However, it’s a regret that college students spend very little time on this professional social networking platform, as compared to the time spent on other popular social networking websites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

 

Given below are some key tips on how college students should use LinkedIn and how they can reap maximum benefits by connecting with professionals on this social networking website.

 

1. Getting Job Email Alerts
 

Once you have created your professional profile on LinkedIn, you can set email alerts to receive notifications of recommended jobs. Students and jobseekers will be able to see the notifications on their homepage as soon as they log into their LinkedIn accounts.

 

2. Connecting with Professionals

  

If you have a look at LinkedIn, you’ll be surprised to find out the large number of professionals who choose to connect here. In fact, you can find your friends, co-workers, colleagues, classmates and family members on this platform. And it’s never a tough job connecting with them all. What’s more, you can even import your email list to find out who among your friends is present on LinkedIn.

Related: How To Build a Brilliant Professional Network in College.

 

3. Conducting Company Research

   

One of the biggest benefits LinkedIn offers college students and jobseekers is that they can check out the pages of their targeted employers. By visiting company, pages, you can conduct a research on the whereabouts of the company, the hiring process and what people have to say about that organization. This kind of company research on LinkedIn can always keep a stay ahead of your competition and increases your employability.

 

4. Getting Recommendations

 

LinkedIn also offers a feature through which you can get other people to recommend you. People with a maximum number of recommendations have a great chance of attracting the employers’ attention. College students too can try to get as many recommendations as possible to increase their employability.

Be sure to check out How to Get More LinkedIn Recommendations as well.

 

5. Letting Companies Find You

 

Today, a large number of organizations look for talented candidates on social networking platforms like LinkedIn. If you have created a good and detailed professional profile, chances are you will attract employer’s attention. And it would really be nice to be invited by companies for your job position you always wanted to occupy.

 

6. Connecting with Other Students

 

College students can also use LinkedIn to network with other students. This type of networking gives you a wonderful opportunity to find out how other college graduates found a job or got hired by an employer.

 

7. Landing International Jobs

 

Well, LinkedIn is a global networking platform. If you are interested in landing jobs overseas, you can get a lot of benefits by networking on this social media website. You can connect with all the major international employers and find jobs in foreign countries. 

  

Conclusion

 

It’s about time that college students too created their profiles on LinkedIn and started to use this social media platform for connecting with professionals. If you prepare yourself as early as possible, you can easily stay ahead of your competition when it comes to landing a job of your interest.

To learn how some people are using LinkedIn to attract employers, get called to interview, and get hired, see the Guerilla LinkedIn Makeover!
 

James Tomerson writes regularly on career, education and latest job trends. To read more from him, you can visit Jobdiagnosis.com, which also offers jobseekers a free career test to choose a career which is in tune with their career, aptitude and skills.

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Workplace

5 Skills Taught in the Armed Forces to Help You Secure a Job

Since I was really young, I have always shown a passion for the military. Whether it was watching action-packed war movies or running around with toy guns pretending to be a soldier, this was my lifestyle after school. My dad, along with much of my family heritage, also served in the armed forces. He was…

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Talent Acquisition Workplace

4 LinkedIn Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make


LinkedIn has quickly become one of the largest and most accessible professional social networks out there, and because of this, it’s imperative that everyone who wishes to maximize their career potential join LinkedIn, set up a profile, and begin networking.
 
Of course, as with many other social networks, there are unwritten rules of etiquette that you must first figure out and then abide as you embark on your LinkedIn journey. Unfortunately, figuring out these rules and not making mistakes or breaking these rules is rather hard for those new to LinkedIn or even social networks in general.
 
Below I’ve tried to list a handful of mistakes that many LinkedIn users make, and I’ve tried to incorporate solutions into each section. Please, if you know LinkedIn well, feel free to add to the information here in the comments section. And, as always, happy job hunting!
 
The following are mistakes many LinkedIn users make and how you can avoid them:
 

1. Failing to Understand Social Networking Contexts

 
The biggest thing many LinkedIn users fail to understand is that LinkedIn is simply one of many social networks out there. No matter how professional you try to make your LinkedIn profile, the fact that a crazy Facebook profile or irreverent Twitter account under your name exists could significantly hurt your career chances. Do not ignore the other social networks you’ve joined, because recruiters, hiring managers, and others within the industry are looking at these other sites too!
 
Solution: Google yourself constantly. Manage your entire online presence. Edit your Tweets, check your photos on Facebook, untag yourself from unpleasant photos and conversations, and watch what you post on whatever forums you’ve joined. Always assume that your LinkedIn account is merely a portal that a potential employer can enter in order to access your entire online persona.
 
See more at 10 Ways to Sweep Your Digital Dirt Under the Carpet.
 

2. Lacking A Good Profile Photo

 
This is relatively simple. I’ve seen so many people fail to upload a good profile photo. I can understand why people would wish to not upload a photo; however, lacking a photo can seriously hurt your chances of getting clicked. Think about a recruiter. He or she is browsing entries; is he or she more likely to click on a photo or a tiny bit of text in the search results page? An updated photo of yourself will assure the recruiter that you are, indeed, human after all, with all your quirks and faults.
 
Solution: It’s much easier for someone browsing search results to connect with a human face than a bit of text, so upload a photo as soon as possible!
 
Further reading at How to Choose a Picture for Your Personal Brand.
 

3. Filling Out a Vague Headline

 
How many LinkedIn accounts have you seen with a bland headline beneath the profile? How many ‘Project Managers’ and ‘Sales Executives’ do you see in that headline? Boring, right? This is a big mistake because users see that the majority of LinkedIn accounts simply list a position title in this field, so they put in their own position because they think that’s what it’s for. Well, the more successful profile headlines are those that say something like “I offer my clients a quick and efficient means of incorporating various security systems into their databases.” It doesn’t have to be complicated. Instead, this statement actively states what you do while also giving your voice a chance to shine. Compare that to “Database Security Specialist” and you can see what I mean.
 
Solution: Market yourself in one sentence. This one sentence should be active, include the word ‘I,’ and concisely state what you can do for a client or employer.
 
Check out 10 LinkedIn Headline Examples from Recruiters.
   

4. Not Creating a Personal Narrative

 
Finally, you’ll see many LinkedIn users stick with the traditional format as suggested by LinkedIn. They basically enter their resume into the form and publish it. Well, how many resumes have you read that you think are incredibly interesting? I’m going to guess you’ve read no interesting resumes, ever. We’re human; we love to hear a story. So why not give others what they want to here: your professional story. Yes, of course, you can still enter your resume; however, you want to be careful in how much you pull from your resume, especially the language of the resume.
 
Solution: You don’t need to use resume-speak; instead, use longer sentences and active verbs that describe your story. Use the section in your profile that allows you to write a summary to tell your story, the story that isn’t on your resume. That way users can see both aspects of your career resume and aspects of your slightly more personalized professional story.

Related: 7 Pictures You Should Never Use on Your LinkedIn Profile.
   
 
This guest contribution was submitted by Pamelia Brown, who specializes in writing about associates degree. She enjoys films by Sergei Eisenstein and drinking Carling lager.

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Workplace

How to Find Jobs for College Graduates

 

As college seniors approach the end of the semester, they have a lot more to think about besides final exams and graduation parties. What they’re planning to do after college life is still a question left unanswered for many.
 
For those soon-to-be graduates seeking employment, Beyond.com conducted a poll through February and March, asking college seniors how many jobs they have applied to so far. Faced with continued reports on the tough job market, the class of 2011 is clearly taking some initiative. Here’s what the results showed:
 
• More than 33 percent reported they have already applied for over 40 jobs
• Just about 21 percent of respondents have applied for somewhere between 10 and 20 jobs
• Almost 20 percent have applied for 21 to 40 jobs
• 17 percent have applied for less than 10 jobs
• The smallest percentage, 8.5 percent, have applied for no jobs at all
 
While the economy is looking much brighter for recent college graduates than it has the past couple years, it still takes that extra something to help young job seekers stand out among the other applicants. Here are some tips to help college graduates be at the top of their games and score entry-level jobs in their fields.
 

1. Clean up your online image

 
Yes, employers do Google applicants. Make sure there’s nothing out there you wouldn’t want an employer to see. This includes ensuring your Facebook and Twitter privacy settings are intact and/or change your accounts to be employer-friendly to ensure you’re only viewed as a professional.
 

2. Start applying now…if you haven’t already

 
The earlier the better. Many employers start looking for candidates months before graduation, so they are ready to fill the positions in May or June. Try to get ahead of the flood of Spring resumes by applying early and often.
 

3. Don’t be afraid to network – in person and online

 
Every opportunity is an opportunity to network! Whether it’s chatting with a professor, staying in touch with an internship coordinator or creating a LinkedIn profile – don’t be afraid to put yourself out there professionally. The worst thing that can happen is nothing. Many people say landing a job is “all about who you know.” Well, the more people you are connected with virtually and in-person, the more chances you have of hearing about an employment opportunity.
 

4. Target your job search

 
While not every opportunity is going to be your dream job, you can target what you want if you find job postings in a niche job board or LinkedIn group. For example, if you’re looking for finance jobs, find a place where these types of jobs are posted specifically. Niche job boards offer more targeted job search results and a greater variety of relevant job opportunities.
 

5. Download mobile job search apps

 
Everyone is attached to their Smartphone these days, so why not receive job alerts and do some job-searching on the go?
   
Check out the 20 Best Career-Enhancing iPhone Apps for more ideas.
 

6. Utilize your school’s career services

 
It’s likely that your college or university has a career services office. While you’re still a student, make use of these services by making an appointment to have your resume critiqued or do a mock interview. Also, join a professional student organization or participate in groups/activities on campus that are good resume builders. For example, if you’re an advertising major, you could join American Advertising Federation (AAF).  

7. Prepare for interviews – homework & “thank you’s”

 
If you’ve received a call back after applying for a job, you need to be prepared and on top of your game. To stand out from the other interviewees, research the company beforehand. Have questions to ask – this will show you are interested. Also, send a hand-written thank you note or an email thank you at the very least.
  
Check out How To Prepare for Your Job Interview for more tips.
 

8. Gain experience while job-searching

 
If you have some spare time while applying for jobs, take on an internship in your desired field. This will give you extra experience to put on your resume and show that you took the initiative to advance your skill-set instead of waiting around or taking an irrelevant job.
 

9. Attend career fairs

 
Career fairs are a great way to get in front of multiple employers looking to hire and network face-to-face. It provides the opportunity to showcase your communication skills and personality while participating in mini-interviews. It can help move your resume to the top of the pile.
 

10. Create an online career portfolio

 
Distinguish yourself from other candidates and create a powerful web page that will display your skills and experiences to show employers that you’re willing to go the extra mile and are committed to your job search.
   

Rich Milgram is the Founder and CEO of Beyond.com, Inc. Since January 1998, Rich has developed and grown the company as a highly niche-specific web community, consisting of more than 15,000 sites providing services to business professionals and corporations to promote growth in career, business and life.

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Workplace

12 Ways to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Job Search

Your Linkedin profile is your shop window to recruiters and potential employers and the first place in which potential recruiters will look when they are considering contacting you. Here are our top twelve tips to make sure your Linkedin profile is found by the RIGHT people: 1. Consider your job-seeking objectives Like any social networking…