The Getting Back-to-Business Checklist for Job Hunters
Most job seekers on LinkedIn, probably have their favorite tips and tricks that help them land their dream job – whether it be re-entering the workforce, making a career 180 heading into the new year or even if someone has just been laid off and looking for a new position. Here’s a comprehensive list of 10 steps one should take on LinkedIn while job hunting:
1. Begin your hunt early.
Give yourself at least six months before your desired start date. Take time to review your goals and decide on a feasible plan of action. If your new career requires additional education, then begin even earlier.
2. Revamp your professional toolbox.
Take a look at job descriptions you’re interested in and make a checklist of the skills and talents they require. If you have weak spots you may want to consider taking a class at your local community college. If you don’t have time to attend a seminar or class (or if money is an issue) another option is to browse and/or ask questions on LinkedIn Answers so you can get the info you need. Use Advanced Answers Search to find questions associated with specific keywords like, “marketing” or “venture capital.”
3. Be a news hound.
Read trade publications online and review the changes that are occurring in your industry. Staying on top of current trends and newsworthy events can often make or break an interview. Join LinkedIn Groups that are associated with both your old/previous profession as well as the new industry that you’re looking to join. See what news articles people in those groups are reading by clicking on the news tab in the group and submit links to articles that you’ve read to start conversations/network with others in the group.
4. Give your resume and your LinkedIn Profile a face lift.
Make sure that both your resume and profile reflect the changing times. Eliminate any terms that may have become obsolete. Use power keywords, words of action and words that show accomplishment and achievement – as opposed to words that merely describe what your previous role was. Also, if you’re currently unemployed list your current position as “open to opportunities.” Edit your LinkedIn Profile.
5. Update your Status
If you just recently lost your job, make sure you update your status field in your profile so your network know that you’re looking for a job. It’s a quick and easy way to let folks you’re connected to know that you could use their help. David Stevens, one of our users, updated his status upon being laid off. Within seven business days someone in his network knew of an open position, which Dave landed shortly thereafter.
6. Do your homework.
Sign on to LinkedIn and do a search for people that already have your dream job title. What positions did they hold beforehand? How long were they in their previous role? Information like this can be a valuable bargaining chip when it comes time to negotiate your salary. Also do search for your desired employer’s LinkedIn Company Profile. Company Profiles show career paths for people before/after they joined a company, recent promotions/changes, most popular profiles and other stats that will help you understand any potential employer (and its competitors) better.
7. Rekindle relationships/build your network before you need it.
Use LinkedIn to do a search for people that live in your hometown and work in your desired industry. Offer to take them to lunch near their office and learn more about the industry, their position, likes/dislikes and other firms in the area. New acquaintances help you expand your network giving you a broader reach into the job market. Use the networks of your friends and family since they are your best advocates.
8. Confidence counts.
Before your interview, check and see if the person who’s interviewing you is on LinkedIn. If they are, check for common acquaintances. Having a mutual friend or old co-worker is a great icebreaker and an awesome way to get your foot in the door. It’s also worth taking a look at the schools they’ve attended and what cities they’ve lived in since that may be another commonality. And, never underestimate the power that your favorite pair of shoes or a good power suit can wield.
9. Check your surroundings for other resources.
A number of communities offer resources for people returning to the workforce. If you think you may be lacking marketable skills, haven’t been working for five years or more or have never held a paying job, check with your state’s department of labor office. The Internet also offers a plethora of blogs, columns and publications that are geared toward helping you jump start your career so do a search for those as well.
10. Pay it forward – recommend an old friend or a colleague
And, finally, your LinkedIn profile is like a living, breathing resume; so ask friends and old co-workers to leave recommendations for you on your profile. That way potential employers can see them. Make sure that you ask references to comment on specific traits that highlight what a perfect fit you are for your new career and remember to thank them afterward.
If you aren’t looking for a job, but want to help a friend or colleague that lost their job leave a recommendation for them on their LinkedIn Profile. Recommendations spread virally, so if you leave Joe a recommendation on his profile all 65 of his connections will see a network update when they sign in showing that you just recommended his work. Your connections will also receive a network update saying that you just recommended Joe too so it’s a fast and effective way to let both of your networks know that this person is a hard worker and great person to work with.
* Feel free to share your favorite LinkedIn Tip on job hunting in the comments section
Tags: career, jobhunting, lay-off, linkedinprofile, resume
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The Michael Gass Journal » Blog Archive » The LinkedIn Blog: The Getting Back to Business Checklist for Job Hunters December 11th, 2008
[...] A neat article from Krista Canfield on The Linked In Blog. [...]
Lori Addicks December 12th, 2008
I have found that linking to groups is a great way to build your network quickly and for others to discover you. Your profile becomes more accessible. You can also make your e-mail address visible and others will link to you more easily.
Yet another PIF reference « December 12th, 2008
[...] 13 12 2008 A good refresher if you’re job hunting. This one is from LinkedIn….check out #10, yet another PIF reference. Hmmm, maybe we ARE onto [...]
John December 12th, 2008
I completely agree with all the items, and I have found that there are tools out there that can build on my LinkedIn contact list to enable me to reconnect with old associates. I have been using socialminder (www.socialminder.com) which looks in my email and tells me who I am out of touch with from my LinkedIn list. It does this by building a model of my previous contact history/pattern. Pretty slick!
Jon Davidson December 15th, 2008
Great advice Krista…In addition, when building resumes, candidates should consider that companies hire people who appear to have the talent to save and/or generate revenue. Job seekers should take some time to consider the areas where they have added value throughout their career and translate these accomplishment into comprehensive and measurable terms (Ex. Instituted Lean initiatives that led to 25% reduction in scrap).
kristacanfield December 15th, 2008
@Lori: We actually recommend that you don’t publicly list your email address in your LinkedIn Profile since listing your email address publicly can open you up to scammers and spammers. You may want to check out this post from our VP of Marketing and Advertising, Patrick Crane, in regards to connecting only to folks that you know and trust: http://blog.linkedin.com/2008/11/09/a-guide-to-building-the-right-connections/
David Watson December 15th, 2008
I find that just as much attention is given to you by who you recommend as by the number of recommendations you have received.
As a beneficial holiday/new year activity, send out unsolicited recommendations for those people you believe in. For them it is a breath of fresh air. For you it is reestablishing the close connection. In many cases they never knew that you respected them. Your planting of a good recommendation pays dividends in the future.
Rodrigo de Araujo December 15th, 2008
Helo, I don´t know where I could recommend this, so I am typing in this post. Well… I LOVED Linkedin idea. It´s fantastic, but managers should take a look around 11 countries that uses Portuguese as their primary language. Why don´t you guys start thinkink about this?
LiveSpaces already done it.
Myspace also…
Why don´t you? well, it´s not a critic, just a recommendation.
Thank you.
matt December 16th, 2008
shall i try again, great blog it’s good to see someone using a blog for what it is actually meant for look forward to seeing further comments.
deepti December 17th, 2008
Useful
azeez rofiat December 17th, 2008
Though this programme is okey and nice, but my problem is to secure a beter job as an accountant.Iwill be very greatful if u can help.
Leah Glantz December 17th, 2008
While the steps above are all great, another perfect tool especially for this soft economy is something called Interview Angel.
With Interview Angel you will be better prepared than you have ever been for a job interview. This toolkit will help you execute the job interview in a positive and professional manner, and also get you hired sooner than others competing for the same type of jobs.
This is one of the best interview preparation and execution tool kits suitable for all job seekers whether you are just graduating from school, someone re-entering the workforce or interested in changing careers.
While there are other products, books and consultants out here, Interview Angel is unique in that it is a “Do-It-Yourself” system that allows you to evaluate and become more confident in yourself and your abilities. Plus it is a great organizational kit that you can actually take into an interview with you to help you feel more prepared and relaxed so you can truly focus on letting who you are and your strengths shine.
Check us out at interviewangel.com
Mario Sundar December 17th, 2008
@Rodrigo,
Thanks for your recommendation. You may have noticed we currently have two languages on our site. Stay tuned for more.
Mario from LinkedIn
Mario Sundar December 17th, 2008
@Azeez,
Check out our Learning Center for more tips for job seekers
http://learn.linkedin.com/job-seekers/
Hope this helps.
Mario from LinkedIn
Casey Green December 18th, 2008
I’m sorry, but this blog post rankled my feathers. I have been trying for nearly a year to get our company, Avalon Consulting, LLC, added to your list of companies. I tried the “add company” feature (which didnt allow me to add), I escalated to customer support on at least two occasions (neither of which resulted in any action). The latest escalation, in ticket 080322-000487, received a simple response that LinkedIn would “add our company to a list of companies that are interested in having a profile.” This was disturbing. We are preparing to require all of our 50+ employees to move off of LinkedIn and standardize on Facebook, something we have not wanted to do as we felt that LinkedIn was a better venue for commercial activity. But you are leaving us with no choice. To then see a blog post where you boast about your company profile capability … sorry, that doesnt sync with how your service works.
What makes this worse is that there is an Avalon Consulting in India that *does* have a profile in LinkedIn, thus causing great confusion for anyone looking for us on LinkedIn.
Mario Sundar December 18th, 2008
@Casey,
Sorry to hear about your experience. I presume you’ve tried adding your company profile at this link here –
http://www.linkedin.com/companies?didentcompy=
If it still doesn’t work, let me know. Plus, I’ve forwarded your information to our customer service team.
Thanks for your patience.
Mario from LinkedIn
Susan Bernstein, PhD December 19th, 2008
Great suggestions, Krista!
About suggestion, 3. Be a news hound:
I’ve found that it’s really helpful for stay-at-home moms who are returning to the workplace (on-ramping) to join groups as a quick way to get back up-to-speed with what’s happening in their industry or function.
And, LinkedIn Groups are a great place to make connections. I suggest that job seekers look through groups and notice who’s offering helpful suggestions, and send them a note of thanks…and share a high-level overview of where you’re needing assistance. I’ve connected with people for speaking engagements, interviews, and much more. Job seekers can ask for connections to experts and hiring managers, ideas of companies who might need them, and insights into what’s happening in the marketplace.
Keep up the great work connecting people!
Susan
Online Resume Center December 22nd, 2008
Loved your insight!! For once someone got everything correct!! Would you mind if I put a blogroll link back to your post? :)
David B. Wright December 27th, 2008
Excellent advice! I particularly like the tip: if you’re currently unemployed list your current position as “open to opportunities.”
I highly recommend LinkedIn in my book, Get A Job! Your Guide to Making Successful Career Moves.
To your success,
David B. Wright
Author, Get A Job! Your Guide to Making Successful Career Moves
http://www.thegetajobbook.com
http://jobs.therecruiterslounge.com
Barbara C December 28th, 2008
Really enjoyed your article, comments and advice.
Please, How can I add a line of education? There is no ‘edit’ in the ‘education’ section.
Many thanks,
Barbara C
Keith January 6th, 2009
What I think Linkedin should do, is allow each member to have a “design” background on his or her profile. It might bring out the individuality.
Right now, everybody, has the same format, and it’s kind of “blah”. It also might allow more to stand out, when looking for a job.