Professional Social Media Networking

Are you using LinkedIn?  There are over 100million users currently using this professional social network.  It is a well established resource for networking, finding out information and staying connected.  You control all of the aspects of your profile, you see who you have invited, and once you know your way around, LinkedIn is an incredibly valuable tool to build your personal and business brand. LinkedIn recently went public on the stock exchange and wowed the world with its initial IPO offerings of $82 a share. Currently trading around $76.

Within the past year, BranchOut became more popular as a job search network application on Facebook.  I set up a profile.  As it is trying to be like LinkedIn, you have the ability to import items from your LinkedIn profile.  It has a game type feel to me, you have badges that you "earn" with more connections or honor badges you can give to your contacts.  I haven't experienced the same value from BranchOut that I have from LinkedIn.  The one recent benefit to BranchOut is the ability to post a job for free to a jobs tab in BranchOut on your Facebook Fan Page.  If you have a person handling your web/social media development, that isn't so useful, but if you are a small company without that type of staff, it is a good feature. Mashable's take on Branchout

On June 26, 2001, a new application from Monster.com showed up on the Facebook scene. BeKnown is the latest (and late in the game) social media for professionals to appear. To test it out, I set up a profile.  You have the option of uploading your Monster profile, if you have one, or your LinkedIn profile.  I tried to upload the LinkedIn profile and either my computer didn't like it or the widgit isn't functioning properly.  BeKnown promised to let you connect with people to whom you are not connected on Facebook, but when I tried to find one such person, I was unable to do so.  Someone had sent me an invitation to connect on BeKnown and I couldn't see where to "accept" it. Mashable's take on BeKnown

I think I will concentrate my efforts on LinkedIn until I see more substance from either of these other products.

What have you tried?

Social Media and the job search

Are you using social media in your job search? If not, why not?

Over 100 million users are on LinkedIn, 700 million users are on Facebook and 175 million users on Twitter. Now assuming that each of those networks only has 80% of those users who are active, that is still a BIG number. Of people using social networking sites, the use breaks down this way: 92% use Facebook, 18% use LinkedIn, 13% use Twitter. [Source: Pew Internet and American Life Project, Social networking sites and our lives, June 16, 2011]

LinkedIn is the biggest source of professional networking. You can follow companies, find jobs, and build your level of expertise. Facebook now has an answer to LinkedIn called Branchout. You can ask your Facebook friends to join you in your professional network and receive recommendations. Twitter has post after post of jobs that you can find even if you don't tweet yourself. Just go to search.twitter.com.

LinkedIn has a search component that will show you who is posting about a particular term like "hiring" that you can drill down and get to your local area. Did you know that more men 63% vs. 37% women use LinkedIn.[Source: Pew Internet and American Life Project, Social networking sites and our lives, June 16, 2011] Women tend to be bigger users of the other social networks.

Remember, you can't just create a profile and let it hang there on the web, you must work at it, as you must with any job search process.  If you need to learn more about using social media, you can visit our website. OR you can sign up for one of our hands-on LinkedIn workshops - check our calendar for the next session.

What are you doing with social media and your job search?

Pay it Forward

Do you remember the movie "Pay it Forward" with Haley Joe Osment?  It was all about doing something nice for someone else.  Paying it forward can apply to every aspect of your life including your job search or your business growth.

When you are out networking you should adopt this very philosophy. By offering to help someone you meet with a recommendation or a referral you are paying it forward.  That person that you helped will remember what you did for them and will in turn work to repay your kindness.

I worked retail many years ago.  I knew my mall very well.  I managed a store that had a large variety of items so that when someone came in looking for an item, if I didn't have that particular item, I could tell the shopper exactly where they could find the item they were seeking.  When that shopper needed something that I did sell, they came back to shop in my store over and over.

Use your network to see how you can assist others in your network.  If you are using LinkedIn use the tools within the social media network to "Pay it Forward" by forwarding profiles to others who may be interested, answer questions asked in the "ASK" section, thoughtfully answering questions asked within groups, and sharing articles or information in your status updates. 

You never know where it might lead!

Should you use a recruiter?

I just participated in my first ever tweetchat.  It was interesting to be sure.  Even though I tweet, I got a bit confused.  All of a sudden loads of tweets would show up and it just keeps going faster and faster.  The site is http://www.tweetchat.com/. The hashtag was #careerchat.  It happens Tuesday's at 12PM Central time. I found out about this twitter phenomenon from CampustoCareer blog article http://campus-to-career.com/2010/11/02/how-to-work-with-recruiters/

The topic of the tweetchat was Working with Recruiters. I will share the highlights: (the answers are taken directly from the twitter feed and the words are in twitspeak in some cases.) If you need to learn more about using Twitter for your job search check out two of our previous blogposts Twitter and the Job Search and a short video on using twitter.

Q1: How do you feel about working with recruiters to get a job?
Answers:

• Recruiters *can* help present you in the best light possible. In your initial convo with one be sure to SELL yourself
• Definitely believe they are helpful. IT's good not to rely on them %100. Always conduct your own search as well.
• They can be a resource if you are looking for a job in a different city/state. The more people you know, the better.
• A recruiter is going to know what things the employer are looking for specifically. It's their job to get it right!
• When working with a recruiter be sure to know their niche/focus because most specialize!
• If they (a recruiter) believe in you they will fight for you
• Try to choose a recruiter who is wired into the industry/ targets you are looking for! Don't be afraid to ask!
• The recruiter is a direct pipeline to the Hiring Manager
• Recruiter is a source of information for the seeker - not just the hiring manager. Ask questions & advice of your recruiter!

Q2: Should you try to go around the recruiter and straight to the hiring manager?
Answers:

• Bridge burning!
• ethically u shouldn't especially if you got it through them. But the Q is, why are hiring managers still seeking recruiters //Good ones vet candidates, save time & $.
• clients direct candidates who approach them directly back to me.(the recruiter)
• If you can, good to have one or two contacts who know hiring mgr place recommendation calls. No more.
• If the recruiter finds a potential position for you at a company, it may be best not to undermine them
• It may backfire on you, especially if the hiring manager knows you got their info through a recruiter.
• Recruiters often specialize in a certain field. Find them on linked in and build a relationship.
• Absolutely not. Going against the recruit if that is SOP is a tale-tell sign that you can't follow instructions
• going around the recruiter is similar to going around a real estate agent after they show a house to you.

Q3: How do you answer the salary range question?
Answers:

• a) ask others in the industry b) get data on salary trends c) calculate ur worth > a career has to be a win-win situation
• I say provide a range but let them know you are willing to work with them.
• For salary range, look online for the industry standard in your field and judge from there.
• Answering the "salary expectations" question: http://j.mp/bWmOil 
• Great salary resource is glassdoor.com. Ranges for specific companies, cities, & jobs.
• Research salaries for pros in that position/industry and always give a range.
• best to let the employer give number first. But if u can't, just be honest
• Answer salary range question broadly, after doing ur homework on company/position/industry.
• give past salary history then range of acceptable $ ~ sometimes worth taking less $ if better benefits/flexibility/growth
• a few IT recruiters that it's best to be direct on this. Not giving a number to them is "non-compliance"
• Want the job? Offer not quite what you want? Negotiate a 6-mo salary review. Be sure it's in offer letter.
• Article on salary Q if interested http://bit.ly/9uFySo Also negotiating for more http://bit.ly/du2J0W
• Compute your hourly. Work weeks vary tremendously. What might sound like a pay cut could be an increase.
• we recommend doing the LMI for your area and quoting a range so the interviewer knows you have done research
• Be honest about salary range! Go too low and you'll be disappointed, go to high and you lose viable job options!
• Research! Don't neglect industry message boards, library databases & past stats from DOL 4 your position/industry.
• work out what you can afford to take and add 20% is my formula
• do your research!!! You should already know the ranges for industry, position, and experience level.
• we recommend doing the LMI for your area and quoting a range so the interviewer knows you have done research
• Help them understand your value to the organization. More "you" talk than "I" talk.
• Be mindful of when the salary question is asked. If early on, they are "weeding out" candidates. If later, they want you
• Monster.com have a very good salay and package comparator based on other jobs, title, area and experience
• The conversation should show how you will add value not what you can get from the company.
• If $ can't be worked out, ask for other perks (flex time, tuition reimbursement, travel expenses, etc.)

Q4: Are recruiters are being replaced by job boards and social networking sites?
Answers:

• recruiters are competing with direct sourcing. thats great for job seekers
• smart recruiters are using SM to their advantage and seeking out talent, but SM is a killer for the "not-so-smart" ones!
• Recruiters aren't being replaced by job boards, but are being used by some companies more strategically
• Social networking sites and job boards give us jobseekers the chance to talk directly to hiring managers.
• Probably not; people said the same thing when Monster came out. But recruiters help cos by meeting cands w/ their needs
• use every avenue. Dont close any off because you think they are dying
• no, recruiters aren't being replaced. there's a difference between sourcing candidates & closing them!
• Recruiters who can't sell themselves as an asset by effectively using SM are getting replaced
• Recruiters place the majority of job board advertising. that should tell you something
• I think social media helps people connect with recruiters more easily. But companies still value recruiting.
• Recruiter help hiring managers who do not use social networking sites (funny, some still don't) and help cut through the volume
• Not exactly. Finding candidates is different, but recruiters still vital for interfacing with employers
• definitely not ~ would say opposite. Recruiters help companies weed thru plethora of candidates 2 find quality matches
• Candidates may not see the value of a recruiter bc of job boards, etc, but they need to be seen as an additional resource.
• not totally, but many are using LI, Twitter & job boards to post that recruiters may have to recruit harder to compete.
• Don't solely rely on one source for your job search. Use them all effectively. Best to get your name out there.
• Recruiters help companies find employees who r not on networking sites or those who are who might b good fit for their co.
• Remember that SM is still "cutting edge"...and for some of us HR pros, big box sites (eg: monster) are still cutting edge!
• Interesting stats: 1M co profiles on LinkedIn, 14M on ReferenceUSA. Lots of hiring mgrs not on LI.
• Recruiting talent is more than just phone screening candidates. Recruiters won't be replaced by SM.
• View recruiters almost like a networking opportunity. They are there to learn about your interests and get you connected.
• Find target companies on RefUSA: http://j.mp/ccDho7. THEN find internal/external recruiters & hiring mgrs.
• In-house recruiters can be powerful allies. They know youll bring value to the company & want you there.
• Recruiters can be very valuable especially if u find one who will truly listen to what your passions are.
• Smart recruiters look for excellent placements that do more than fill a quota. Fantastic hire = Fantastic PR
• Need to establish expectations with your recruiter, and they need to give feedback and closure
• A recruiter in your corner can give you invaluable feedback re: how you interview, insider tips for an interview, etc.
• One of the most valuable tools you can have in your #jobhunt is a recruiter who sees your value & strives to get you hired.

Checking references - on and off line

Nowadays, the references you offer up with your resume and your previous employers are not the only place potential employers check you out.  Because the use of social media is so prevalent, it only makes sense that hiring managers and business owners will use social media as well.   What will they find out about you?

This article from 2009 is still of value to you in a job seeker position today.  http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/kit-eaton/technomix/if-youre-applying-job-censor-your-facebook-page

Here are the nuts and bolts of what kept people from being hired:

• 45% of employers check social networks before hiring
• 11 % plan to use social networking sites for screening in the near future
• 35% of companies had rejected a candidate based on information from a social-network profile
• 14% rejected a candidate for using an emoticon

Why DID companies hire people because of social media profiles:

• 50% chose a candidate because their profile communicated a “good fit” and personality
• 39% based on professional qualifications
• 39% based on the creativity of the candidate

Remember that LinkedIn recommendations are almost better than references, especially if it is from someone who offered an unsolicited recommendation.

Put your name into the search engines periodically to see if you:

1. Show up - this is all about your branding;
2. Leave a positive impression;
3. Are the only one with your name out there.  If not, be prepared to let an interviewer know that there are  other John Smith's that are not you should they check you out on-line.

What expereinces have you had with a potential employer checking you out?  Employers, what have you found?

Do you need to use Social Media to land your next job

I just read this blog post - http://blogs.bnet.com/career-advice/?p=1310 entitled "Do I need a LinkedIn Profile?" by Suzanne Lucas.

She referenced some interesting points about recommendations and your contacts. 

In short, she said, the worse the employee the shinier the profile.  Is this true??

Another point she made was that recruiters may delve into your profile, find contacts with whom you may have worked and start making contact with them to find out about your work habits and ethics.  In other words, if you are connected with co-workers that you had at a former employer, you need to know what they have to say about you as well as the people who have actually recommended you.

This is the same as knowing what a potential employer will find if they google your name.  Be aware of your personal and professional reputation.

Social Networks - How Secure are you?

You thought you had your privacy settings established. You are sure you have Facebook locked down. You are applying for jobs.  You may be getting interviews but you aren't getting any offers.  Are you sure your Facebook posts aren't your downfall?

If you have a LinkedIn profile, you know that you need to keep that professional in appearance and language.  Twitter posts are fleeting, but still can show up in a Google search.  Now what about your Facebook posts? 

When you are in the job market, you need to "clean up your act" and your posts!  I recently read about a website http://youropenbook.org/ .  This website allows anyone to search for any person or topic and not have to have a facebook account or be your friend.  If your posts are not protected properly, you may be showing off some characteristics that you may not want an employer to find out about. Check it out. Type in your name, type in a company name, type in a phrase (looking for a job) or keyword.  Look at the posts and the pictures. What did you find out?

Again, if you are in the job market, change your profile picture to something more professional, be sure that what you "share" is something you would want your grandmother to read, and protect your posts so that your private thoughts (as private as a facebook post can be) do not destroy your chances at getting a job.

Business Basics for Facebook

The last of the series of short social media for business webinars created for the Aurora Regional Chamber was done on Facebook pages.



If you would like to see the basic videos on Twitter and LinkedIn, you may go to our website at www.kcdee.org/trainingvideos.html

Twitter Basics

Here is another short video on the basics of using Twitter to improve your business.  This presentation was created by KCDEE for the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce.



If you would like to see the presentations on Facebook and LinkedIn you can check our blog or our website www.kcdee.org/trainingvideos.html

LinkedIn Basics

KCDEE was asked to present some short social media basic presentations for the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce.  Here is the one on  LinkedIn. It is geared for making the most of your profile to drum up more business.



You can view more on our webpage at: www.kcdee.org/trainingvideos.html

Copywriting for your On-line Profile

Today I listened to a webinar entitled Writing Powerful Online Profiles that Lead to More Connections, Interactions & Possibilities with speaker Allison Nazarian author of “One Minute Copy Writer”.  Here are my thoughts and notes based on the webinar.

During your job search, potential employers will Google you to see what you are about. Only 17% of jobs come from job boards. What would a hiring company find if they see your on-line profile?

Writing for paper is different than writing for online profiles. You don’t want to just cut and paste. Your résumé may stay the same for years. Social media allows for more personality. You could potentially be editing your social media profile hourly. The social media medium allows you to brand yourself in your own voice.

You forward a paper résumé to a company, possibly unsolicited and wonder what if anything is done with it. If you update your LinkedIn or other on-line profile, you could receive an immediate response from people within your network. You are able to create a dialogue when writing for the on-line medium that isn’t available in a written résumé.

Copywriting principles apply to on-line profiles. You are selling yourself on your profile to a potential employer. Your profile is your on-line advertisement. Use words to sell your career skills.

1. Know your target market - before you place your profile or make a change to it, determine who you are targeting to read your profile. What is the job title of the person who would hire you? What are the demographics of the company that would hire you? How can you solve the problems your potential hiring company might have? You are also writing to your allies and advocates who might know someone who needs a new employee with your skill set. Be deliberate with your keywords for the search engines to hone in upon.

2. Benefits vs. features – your résumé will list the skills and experience you have, but doesn’t necessarily allow you to express the benefits without adding several pages to the document. On-line profiles allow you to express the benefits of your problem solving actions that could be applicable to the company to which you are applying. Potential employers think “what’s in it for me?” Make it short, sweet and simple so that the employer knows what you are offering.

3. Formatting – make your profile easy to read and visually pleasing – use short paragraphs, bulleted lists, bolded sub-titles, and ensure it is easily scanned for rapid review. Use first person when writing your profile. i.e. Use XX machine to complete orders.

4. Action verbs – use an active voice and action verbs when writing your profile – see our previous post on action verbs for a list of action verbs. Action verbs express that you do things, perform for an employer and act on problems. Get specific with what you can do for a potential employer. When you edit your profile, let your verbs do the work for you. Be conscientious of using the verb groups “to be” (is, are, & were), “to do”, “to say” and “to go”.

Remember you are selling yourself to a potential employer or business associate if you are seeking contract work. Use all of the tools at your disposal to get yourself re-employed.

Twitter and YOUR job search

How are you using your social media to help you find a job?

What are some pros and cons about using Twitter while your job search progresses.

To tweet or not to tweet, that is the question. Do all of your tweeps (the other people you follow on twitter) care if you are unemployed? Will that help or hurt you in your search?

There are two schools of thought on broadcasting over Twitter that you have recently lost your job. One thought pattern is that you are seeking sympathy; another is that you get the “news” out to everyone in one fell swoop and then when you see the person face to face, you can move on with other topics.

Twitter – Twitter profiles provide some of the same information that Facebook and LinkedIn provide. The information shared on Twitter is in 140 character "tweets".  Often it has a “pay it forward” concept.  You might find something and share it.  Someone else tweets something you think is worthy – you retweet it.  If you are looking for a job, try to hold back from tweeting what you had for breakfast or that you just went for a great 12 mile run.  Follow others who will provide job leads or useful information for your job search.

Search tools for Twitter allow you to find people or organizations as they do in LinkedIn.  Use this to your advantage to “follow” potential employers or contacts at an organization at which you would like to work.
You may even use Google or Bing or other search tools to find a person or a company and then search for them on Twitter.  You can search by company, field, job type, region, or in general.  Often, websites will post their Facebook or Twitter account with a link to follow them. Or you can search for people or organizations to follow on Twellow or on We Follow.  Mashable also has a suggestion for 15 Twitter Directories in a comparison. Look for recruiters to follow who hire for companies that do not publicly post their job openings.  Use Twellow (will search people's bios) to search for a company for which you would like to work and follow anyone from that company that might have twitter profiles.

If you are tweeting, a good source to follow for valuable tools about all aspects of social media is @mashable. Mashable suggests jobseekers follow: @microjobs and the hash tag discussion #tweetmyjobs. As you follow more people, you will discover more #resources. A few other hashtags to use include: #jobs, #jobhuntchat, #jobsearch, #jobadvice.  Be careful to watch the ratio of who you follow to those that follow you to prevent yourself from being classified as a spammer.

Read more of our articles on Social Media on our webpage - kcdee.org
What other hashtags have you found? Post in our comments please.

Job Search and Social Media

In a recent webinar about job seekers who use social media, there were some interesting thoughts to share.

Thought number one – by using social media are we establishing a buffer zone between ourselves and other humans or are we actually forging new relationships?
Let’s examine that thought from both sides of the coin.
1. Buffer zone concept – you can build your network “virtually”. You will eventually run out of people that you know and then being able to “link” with new people becomes increasingly more difficult. The Buffer zone also allows you: to communicate with someone by keyboard; to not worry about your appearance once you have a profile picture in place; to “lurk” in the background; and, to do plenty of research on a company and its culture.
2. Forging new relationships – you are able to use the social media tools as a conversation opener or closer by asking someone you have just met if they are on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. That allows you to: hold a conversation with someone new (or a renewed acquaintance) about a mutual topic of interest; have a place to remain or become connected; and, stay on top of events at a business in which you might be interested in gaining employment.

Thought number two – 140 characters:
In a nutshell, Twitter is the equivalent of one of those community boards in the vestibule of a grocery store where you can scan everything and really only read what you want to read. How accurately does a “tweet”, a text message, a Facebook post, or a LinkedIn status update reflect your character? If you use any or all of these mediums to connect with your network, you may or may not coherently express your thoughts in only 140 characters. While your friends and followers may know you well enough to be able to read between the lines, a hiring manager may not be that tuned into your psyche. Twitter is an additional avenue to network with a company or individual. It should never be an exclusive option. A “Google” search could turn up your comments, and in turn, could help or hinder your abilities when searching for a job.

Thought number three - Culture
Corporate culture seems to be one of the new catch phrases. What this means to you as a job seeker is if your job skills and abilities are equal to other applicants, will you be a good match in the way that a company does business, or corporate culture. One way for a hiring manager to find out if you will be a good match for their company is to follow you on Twitter. Twitter comments are open for public view. When someone searches your name, your tweets (comments you have made) show up. Twitter posts paint a picture of your personality. If you are trying to find a job with a new company, the company hiring manager may “Google” you, find your twitter account and read the tweets. This gives the company a good insight into your ability to fit in with their corporate culture.

Thought number four – sincerity
Nowadays people are concerned about their “carbon footprint”. When you are writing anything on the internet, you need to be aware of your “social media footprint”. Remember that what you put out there stays out there, somewhere. What you think is an innocent, innocuous statement, could be construed in a different manner by someone (who doesn’t know your personality) thinking about offering you a new position. Are you posting comments about a company to garner attention from that company or because you truly feel strongly about that company and want to share your positive opinions about it? If you are not genuine in your comments on social media sites, it could come back to bite you.

Thought number five – brand
When you see certain commercials on TV or symbols out somewhere, you know instantly what the company represented is because they have done such an excellent job of creating that image or brand. You too need to be concerned with your brand – your personal brand. Another new catch phrase, personal branding, is something that can be affected by what you say on social media sites. If you are one to express strong opinions about controversial topics, you may want to consider locking down your security settings on Facebook and/or limiting who you actually allow to be your friends. Are you filling out on-line profiles just to be filling them out? Stop. Be specific. Be focused. Be targeted. Figure out who you are, what you want, what you want to project about you, and follow through with that in whatever you write on a blog, a website, or in 140 characters.

Thought number six – fit
Three questions hiring managers* are asking these days are:
1. Is someone a good fit? Do they like you; will you fit into the corporate culture?
2. Will you stay motivated? Are you going to be happy on the job in the future?
3. Can you do the job? Are your skill sets appropriate to accurately complete the tasks?

Do your research. If you really want to work for company X, read their website, any related blogs, check out their culture, read tweets, check out LinkedIn and Facebook, review any projects that they may have completed to which you may have access. Think outside the norm – is a traditional resume the most appropriate way to sell you to this particular company? Or, is a “created” magazine cover with your picture on it more in line to show off your abilities. And above all, when you are applying for a job – read the directions listed and follow them – even if it is on social media.
*credit for this concept to Joshua Waldman of http://www.careerenlightenment.net/

How we can help – We offer many resources to help you gain a new position. The Employment and Training Representatives at Kane County Department of Employment and Education can help you find all the information you need to help you go from unemployed to employed. Visit our webpage at http://www.kcdee.org/