BlogBoomerBlog

Creating a Great LinkedIn Profile for Job Seekers in Arvada, Friday, August 21

Job seekers hear this all the time: Are they on LinkedIn? But how easy it is really without having a good profile and knowing the basics of what LinkedIn and social media is? According to LinkedIn, users with complete profiles are 40 times more likely to find opportunities through LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the premier professional social media network for business that recruiters use to find candidates for jobs.

In this information filled class, you will learn how to create an effective optimized job seeker profile that helps prospective employers and recruiters find you. We'll go over the different headers that are important to your success in finding the perfect job!

Class will be held at Panera Bread, 7739 Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada, CO 80003 on Friday, August 21 from 10:00am to 11:00am and is only $20. Job seeker networking group (the dynamic Caffeinated Careers Club) precedes the class at 8:30am. Reservations suggested but not required. Questions? Please email jojewel@gmail.com or call 303.632.2928. Attendees will have access to a Power Point presentation with resources and tips on LinkedIn.

Here are some reviews from people I've worked with and attendees:

Jo was a fantastic teacher. She explained everything very well and her use of the projector to walk us through it was great. I learned not only how to use LinkedIn, but also how to make it work for me. I would not suggest any changes whatsoever. I would absolutely recommend this class to others. - Megan Welsh
 
Jo is a resource of knowledge for networking strategies. She graciously exceeded my expectations with concise, patient guidance after listening to my goals, and guided me through the process without the patronizing attitude too often exuded by the "technically-able". Her obvious proficiency enables her to be an asset to a wide range of clients. - Linda Heiberg, M.A.

I did enjoy your presentation last week and learned quite a bit that will help me with my career. - Dave Barton

Jo is a marketing expert. She has successfully helped me get my business up and running. Years ago I took a LinkedIn class and went on to use LinkedIn as taught. It wasn't until recently, when I took a LinkedIn training class from Jo, I realized how much I didn't. I wish Jo had taught the original LinkedIn training class. She really knows her material. If you want to learn to latest and greatest marketing tools, including LinkedIn, call Jo. You won't be disappointed. - Steve Gess

Social Media Marketing For Job Seekers Class, Friday, July 17

Can you twitter, get LinkedIn or Facebook your way to a job? What is the right and wrong way to use social media? In this intensive one-hour workshop, you will learn marketing techniques using social media for networking and finding a job, how to pay it forward and look like an expert, building the right community, choosing keywords and more. You’ll also learn successful profile tips for different networks, finding hiring managers, job openings and more. In order to cover a lot of ground, all attendees will have access to a Power Point presentation including resources and tips for the different media.

 

Join me on Friday, July 17 at Whole Foods Community Room, 7400 E. Hampden Ave., Denver, CO 80231. Job seeker networking meeting is from 8:15 to 9:30. Workshop starts at 10. Reserve your spot by emailing me. If you have any questions, please call 303.632.2928 or email me. Workshop is only $15!

 

Get LinkedIn To Jobs Class in Denver at Colorado Free University

We've all heard it.  Use LinkedIn and social networking to find a job, But how easy it is really without understanding the basics and beyond? In this information-packed two class seminar, you will learn to create an effective job seeker profile that helps prospective employers and recruiters find you.  

Learn how to grow your network the easy way, make the most of every direct contact, join the right LinkedIn groups that will shorten your job search and more. Use the advanced search feature for finding your target companies and connections.

Join me two Wednesdays, July 29 & August 5, 2009 from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm at Colorado Free University, Lowry Campus, 7653 East 1st Place, Denver, CO 80230. Register by phone 303.399.0093 or online at CFU's website. Please post questions here and I will answer them. Or email me! Hope to see you there!

Here are some reviews from people I've worked with and attendees:

Jo is a resource of knowledge for networking strategies. She graciously exceeded my expectations with concise, patient guidance after listening to my goals, and guided me through the process without the patronizing attitude too often exuded by the "technically-able". Her obvious proficiency enables her to be an asset to a wide range of clients. - Linda Heiberg, M.A.

I did enjoy your presentation last week and learned quite a bit that will help me with my career. - Dave Barton

Jo is a marketing expert. She has successfully helped me get my business up and running. Years ago I took a LinkedIn class and went on to use LinkedIn as taught. It wasn't until recently, when I took a LinkedIn training class from Jo, I realized how much I didn't. I wish Jo had taught the original LinkedIn training class. She really knows her material. If you want to learn to latest and greatest marketing tools, including LinkedIn, call Jo. You won't be disappointed. - Steve Gess

Don’t Miss Out on Being Submitted for Jobs! Create Your VisualCV Resume

The butcher, the baker, the candlestick-maker. The job seeker, the business owner, the graphic st? Yes everyone can use VisualCV to post their resume of qualifications to expound their skills. Bragging or honesty? Let’s say honesty, I mean isn’t it hard to brag about yourself?

 

Not with www.VisualCV.com. You can easily post a professional resume with pizazz including objective, work history, summary, skills, interests, certifications and clearances. Post your portfolio and references. Don’t want to include these or want to customize your resume? No problem. It’s up to you to format the resume, what colors to use, what pictures to upload, and in what order you’d like your headings. Use the custom button for extras and add side bars. Unleash your creativity to tell your story.

 

We all know job seekers have lots to do and creating a website for a resume can be time consuming. Not to mention that technical know-how is a must. When an unemployed person is looking for a job full-time, learning how to create a website for their resume may not be a priority. VisualCV is totally intuitive, easy and you don’t need technical skills such as html or Dreamweaver. You can also download your information from LinkedIn and it magically appears on VisualCV. You can then adjust what you want to keep or delete.

 

 

When I first (luckily) ran into VisualCV, I was preparing for a workshop entitled “Get LinkedIn to Jobs.” I couldn’t believe that I would be able to share VisualCV with the attendees. Kathleen Conners, a local recruiter, told me that "recruiting software" that many recruiters use reads what is on LinkedIn as junk or gibberish. So if a recruiter cuts and pastes from LinkedIn, they may not bother with a candidate that does not have their resume outside of LinkedIn. So don’t take any chances. Make sure you are the candidate that is not passed over even though you have the perfect qualifications. VisualCV even guides you on how to link your VisualCVfrom LinkedIn and other social networks. Oh and I had to her cut and paste my resume from VisualCV and it copied over just fine to her software. 

 

software.  

 

Not sure where to start? VisualCV has a complete, easy and enjoyable to read learning center with many helpful suggestions and even a mini tour quick guide. Need help developing a high impact resume? Read the Insider’s Guide. If you’re a visual learner, you’ll love the Demos and Tutorials section.

 

Two of the attendees to my workshop sent me links to their VisualCV’s. Might want to get some ideas from them: http://www.visualcv.com/rmarkowskiand http://www.visualcv.com/iuhle. VisualCV also has a great line up of resume examples.

 

Go to www.VisualCV.com to create your unique, powerful online resume. And if you have any questions, please post them here and I will answer. Or post your helpful suggestions as well. If you know of any other places where you've posted your resume, also post them here please.

 

Ten Tips for a Great Job Seeker LinkedIn Profile

You’ve probably heard of LinkedIn and how great it is for job seekers. According to LinkedIn, however, users are 40 times more likely to receive opportunities if they have a complete profile. So, what’s stopping you?

LinkedIn is a great business social networking tool. And because it is used by job headhunters or recruiters and hiring managers, it is very important to be found as a job seeker.

So here are some quick tips for composing your job seeker profile on LinkedIn.  And if you have any questions/comments please post them at the end of this blog entry.

1. Your “Profile Header” is your micro summary. Use the name you are known by. Add credentials or designations. Let people know you are looking for your next great position by including “Job Seeker.

2. Status Profile. Make sure you update this often and add value to your network. Don’t just say why you are/were so great at your job. Link to interesting articles in your field, post helpful tips, links to your blog, etc. Just make them relevant and will make you look like an expert.

3. Your picture is very important. Since LinkedIn is a professional business network, leave your fun pictures that show more of your quirky personality in Facebook or other social networks. Use a professional (looking) head shot. Don’t use one with your cute dog or cat, a full body picture, etc. Show recruiters and hiring managers you are a serious candidate.

4. Use your name instead of the number that LinkedIn assigns you. At the public profile URL section, click on edit, type in your name and then click “set address”.

5. Right under the Your current URL you’ll see Public Profile. Make sure you check off what you want to make public. As a job seeker or business owner, it’s a good idea to make your profile public which will be listed in Yahoo and Google but it’s a personal preference depending on your comfort level.

6. The next sections should be filled out when you are feeling great about yourself.  Write enthusiastically and positive. Use your voice as if you are interviewing.

7. Your “Summary” includes two parts. Your “Professional Experiences and Goals” and your “Specialties”.  You can put part of your resume in the Professional Experiences and Goals and write about what you can accomplish with your new company – what can you do for your next employer. It’s your longer elevator speech.

8. “Specialties” are the keywords relevant to your target job and industry. You don’t need to capitalize them. Just list them and use commas between.

8. Your “Experience” is your resume albeit perhaps a bit shorter. You may not have as much space as you have on your resume. So use it wisely. Choose strategic words. Add job titles, positions, companies, successes, etc.

9. Get Recommendations. If you can’t pin people down to send positive recommendations, offer to write for them and suggest they put it in their own words. Remember, unless they are on LinkedIn, they cannot post the recommendation. 

10. Think sales, marketing and problem solving. And remember, you are the product and the solution!

So, go to www.linkedin.com to start setting up your profile. And please post questions and helpful comments here versus emailing me. I am glad to answer questions and will be automatically notified when you post! And I’m an open networker, I accept all invitations, so send one to me at http://www.linkedin.com/in/joguerra.

Beginner LinkedIn Job Seeker Profile

View more presentations from Jo Guerra.

The Power of Networking for Job Seekers on LinkedIn

Five telephone calls one hour later, 160 return emails: How one man used LinkedIn to help his sister find potential jobs.

With today’s current US economy, job seekers need to be creative in their job search. Using time and resources in a different way is important to not getting stuck in the black hole of online and often useless job search websites. I have over 5,700 first line contacts on LinkedIn and receive many networking emails but last week I received this one:

Subject: Witness the power of Networking

Hello Jo,

I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone that responded to my email yesterday and to share the power of Networking with others in LinkedIn. 
 
Yesterday I reached out to a large group of first level contacts who work in the Staffing or Recruiting area.  I asked them to take a look at my sister’s professional resume. She is a mainframe programmer looking for a new position. Within the first hour she had her first 5 telephone calls.  I had more than 160 emails from people making commitments to contact her or to pass her resume along to someone involved in her area.  I was impressed with how powerful networking is. 

So thank you to everyone that responded.

Jim Teeter
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jimteeter

Jim also shared some of his favorite valuable resources for networking. 

Jim’s original email follows: 
 
Dear Jo,

As a fellow Staffing or Recruiting professional, I would like to ask a favor of my LinkedIn contacts.
 
I would like to recommend Sandy Kucheravy as an excellent computer programming candidate.  She is looking for a mainframe programming position. Her experience is in the IBM environment (MVS, z/OS). Her strengths are COBOL, CICS, VSAM, JCL, IMS. Sandy has worked domestically and internationally
 
Please take a look at her resume and if you know of a position please contact her. If you know of someone else that might have a need for someone of Sandy's caliber, please pass her information along. 
 
Sandy is my sister and there is no fee if you can find her a position. 
Thanking you in advance.
 
Jim Teeter

When you are a job seeker and things aren’t going quite as well as you’d like, you have to remember that people are normally willing to help you if you ask them.  Jim’s email is a perfect example.  Yes perhaps his sister had a good resume or qualifications but it all boiled down to Jim reaching out to his contacts and everybody rallying to help her. 

As a job seeker, use your creativity in reaching out to your contacts on LinkedIn or other social networks.  Use every invitation you receive as an opportunity to share information that may be useful to your contacts and to tell each contact a little about your job search and background. When someone accepts your invitation, do the same. Don’t bore people or overwhelm them but be brief by using your most concise elevator pitch. Offer to help in return. After all, it is about paying it forward and knowing that people will be gracious in helping you.

If you have any ideas or comments, please share them by posting them here instead of emailing them to me. Everyone will appreciate your ideas and experiences. Thanks.

Send me an invitation on LinkedIn if you’d like and I’ll be happy to connect to you.  http://www.linkedin.com/in/joguerra

A Job Seeker's Rejection Form Letter in PDF?

Or what is this world coming to when everyone is mad at big business? Would you call this good public relations?

Eileen, a job seeker sent me this rejection email from Western Union:

From: "Western Union Human Resources" <hr-westernunion@invalidemail.com>
To: Eileen (name changed for this posting)
Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2009 8:53:55 AM GMT -07:00 US/Canada Mountain
Subject: Status of your Application with Western Union

The details of this message can be viewed by opening the enclosed attachment using Adobe® Reader®. To download this free software, please visit www.adobe.com.

Replies to this message are undeliverable. Please do not reply.

Message.PDF
6K   View   Download 

And this is the attached PDF Eileen clicked to view:

Dear Eileen:

We greatly appreciate your interest in applying for the position of Project Manager, ####, with Western Union, LLC.

However at this time we have decided to pursue other candidates who more closely match our needs.
Please continue to visit our website, www.westernunion.com, to learn more about opportunities that may interest you.

We will contact you should your talents and abilities match a future opening.

We appreciate your initiative in seeking career opportunities with us and wish you the best in achieving your goals.

Sincerely,
Talent Acquisition Team
Western Union, LLC
Do Not Reply.
Do not reply, this email will not reach Western Union Human Resources. (five times in one email include do not reply, email will not reach, and invalid email) 

Okay, big deal another rejection letter from a company.  However, Eileen had originally interviewed on the phone with the Human Resources manager after sending her resume through her neighbor. He told her that he would forward her resume to the hiring manager. He would also send her the job description once it was up and asked her to follow up with him in a week. When she did he said he “brushed her off” saying he was going out of town and she apologized for being persistent in pursuing the job opportunity.  He said he understood she had to do this in this economy.    

When she saw the job posted online, she took 1-1/2 hours (not to mention the time she spent interviewing, following up, etc.) to fill out the online job application. She also asked her neighbor to forward her resume to a Vice President of Western Union. She emailed and called the HR manager and he never responded. And eventually she received the letter which she had to click on to read. 

Now I am sure that Eileen will say that perhaps there were better candidates for the job. But a PDF form letter on a Do Not Reply email?  Can’t Western Union personalize the letter just a bit more? Ever heard of copy and paste to an email and personalize it by using the candidate's name?  Why couldn’t the Human Resource manger take a moment to email her?  Was this handled badly? 

Eileen had also applied for another job with a local company in the Denver area that she also did not get.  However, she said they handled it so differently perhaps you could say, with dignity. The Human Resource manager called her on a Friday, apologized for having to leave a message because she said she realized that this was not the appropriate way to communicate.  But the HR manager was going out of town the following week and wanted Eileen to know that they had hired someone else that had the specific financial experience they needed and thanked her for applying.  Eileen said she emailed the HR manager and the hiring manager for being so thoughtful and gracious in their rejection approach.

So, what do you think? Are Human Resources professionals too busy in this current US economy? Should the company have a better way of handling rejection emails? And how about the public relations aspect? Does Western Union care about people?

What do you think? Please re post this. Just link back to www.BlogBoomerBlog.com and mention that I (Jo Guerra) wrote this. 

Get LinkedIn to Jobs

Here is a LinkedIn presentation for job seekers. Why is it important that you use LinkedIn for a job search? Or why should you have your profile up to date and 100% complete? In this presentation, you'll find information on finding jobs through LInkedIn and how to make it easier for recruiters to find you. Please feel free to add comments and suggestions.

Get LinkedIn to Jobs

View more presentations from Jo Guerra.

Job Seekers: How to Find the Hidden Jobs

Another article I received recently from Kathleen Conners.  I attended her recent job seeker seminar in Denver.  The techniques she teaches for finding jobs are very different than the traditional approach that includes networking, informational interviews, job boards, etc.  If you are in sales or business development, you can also use her techniques when trying to find the right decision maker I've posted two other articles she wrote on this blog under jobs and careers.

Everyone’s advice to job candidates is “find the hidden jobs”.  Realistically, hidden jobs cannot be found until hidden companies are discovered!  In a difficult job market such as the one being experienced today, hidden companies are those companies that are “making things happen”.  Perhaps the company is experiencing high growth due to the introduction of a new product or service.  Or a company can also be accelerating due to the elimination of its competition. Some companies are winning industry awards.  Still other companies develop in order to comply with new laws, regulations, and tax codes. And companies that are receiving funding also create new jobs. Even in difficult economic times there are movers and shakers.

The logical approach becomes to first uncover hidden companies which have the hidden jobs. To discover these hidden companies requires creative research. Most of these types of companies will be in the private sector and not listed in published databases.  The majority of these companies will also be small businesses as it is small business that creates 7 out of 10 jobs in the US.   Once job candidates find these small private businesses that “make things happen” they can present themselves to these companies.  Thus job candidates succeed in finding the hidden jobs!

During the last recession of early 1990, PeopleHirePeople studied companies that were “making things happen” for the times. Without the Internet, the most recent periodicals at the library were studied as well as contacting associations and organizations for current lists. Today the research techniques are simplified by using the Internet creatively.

The Internet makes finding hidden small businesses exceptionally easy. Recent industry articles are easily accessible.  Using search engineers these types of articles can be found. Study each article for the companies mentioned and find each company website. Review latest lists of companies that have received industry awards.  Find companies that have received funding.

One example used in lecturing by PeopleHirePeople is to follow the money trail.  In earlier lectures at MBA programs, the consensus of the majority of the students was to work at a Fortune 500 company and many for those Fortune 500 companies on Wall Street.  However times have changed.  The major corporations are not hiring and instead are handing out pink slips. PeopleHirePeople demonstrates that many of the Fortune 500 companies had funding from the Small Business Administration (SBA) at one time in their history. To name a few: Intel, Apple, Outback, FedEx, Nike, Callaway, and Amgen.  To MBA students, PeopleHirePeople’s advice has been to find a small private company and help it grow into one of the Fortune 500.  Job candidates can uncover companies currently receiving some type of SBA funding for potential employment.

Approaching hidden companies must be done through personal contact.  Start by using the phone.  Mention that the recent article or latest list as to how the company was discovered.  Do not rely on an email as an introduction. Too many emails get deleted, filter out by companies firewalls, etc. It is by engaging in conversation with one or more company employees that firsthand information on hiring is gained. 

85% of jobs are never advertised!  So to discover the hidden jobs start by uncovering hidden companies. Remember these hidden jobs often do not even appear on the company website. Consequently hidden jobs are truly discovered by directly contacting people in hidden companies.

 
Kathleen Conners developed PeopleHirePeople hunt& contact strategies for job search.  She is a full time recruiter and a guest lecturer to MBA programs at major universities.  Kathleen is the author of The Thrill of the Hunt: Get Real in Your Job Search.  For more information go to her website at www.peoplehirepeople.com. 

Eleven Ways To Use LinkedIn To Find A Job

This is a great articleby Guy Kawasaki that I am reposting after obtaining his permission. Just today I received requests from people I know that wanted me to introduce them to two of my 4,800 direct connections on LinkedIn. Both are job seekers and the LinkedIn contacts were happy to speak with them. There seems to be two opposite views on using LinkedIn: the open networker that accepts all invites and the ones that limit their network to people they know personally. I'm an open networker that believes in paying it forward and trying to connect people. I truly believe it always comes back. After you read tip 11, perhaps you will agree. Please post any other suggestions!

Searching for a job can be hard if you constrain yourself to the typical tools such as online jobs boards, trade publications, CraigsList, and networking with only your close friends. In these kinds of times, you need to use all the weapons that you can, and one that many people don’t—or at least don’t use to the fullest extent, is LinkedIn.

LinkedIn has over thirty-five million members in over 140 industries. Most of them are adults, employed, and not looking to post something on your Wall or date you. Executives from all the Fortune 500 companies are on LinkedIn. Most have disclosed what they do, where they work now, and where they’ve worked in the past. Talk about a target-rich environment, and the service is free.

Here are eleven tips to help use LinkedIn to find a job. If you know someone who’s looking for a job, forward them these tips along with an invitation to connect on LinkedIn. Before trying these tips, make sure you’ve filled out your profile and added at least twenty connections

1. Get the word out.Tell your network that you’re looking for a new position because a job search these days requires the “law of big numbers” There is no stigma that you’re looking right now, so the more people who know you’re looking, the more likely you’ll find a job. Recently, LinkedIn added “status updates” which you can use to let your network know about your newly emancipated status.

2. Get LinkedIn recommendations from your colleagues. A strong recommendation from your manager highlights your strengths and shows that you were a valued employee. This is especially helpful if you were recently laid off, and there is no better time to ask for this than when your manager is feeling bad because she laid you off. If you were a manager yourself, recommendations from your employees can also highlight leadership qualities.

3. Find out where people with your backgrounds are working. Find companies that employ people like you by doing an advanced search for people in your area who have your skills. For example, if you’re a web developer in Seattle, search profiles in your zip code using keywords with your skills (for example, JavaScript, XHTML, Ruby on Rails) to see which companies employ people like you.

4. Find out where people at a company came from.LinkedIn “Company Profiles” show the career path of people before they began work there. This is very useful data to figure out what a company is looking for in new hires. For example, Microsoft employees worked at Hewlett-Packard and Oracle.

5. Find out where people from a company go next.LinkedIn’s “Company Profiles” also tell you where people go after leaving the company. You can use this to track where people go after leaving your company as well as employees of other companies in your sector. (You could make the case that this feature also enables to figure out which companies to avoid, but I digress.)

6. Check if a company is still hiring.Company pages on LinkedIn include a section called “New Hires” that lists people who have recently joined the company. If you have real chutzpah, you can ask these new hires how they got their new job. At the very least you can examine their backgrounds to surmise what made them attractive to the new employer.

7. Get to the hiring manager. LinkedIn’s job search engine allows you to search for any kind of job you want. However, when you view the results, pay close attention to the ones that you’re no more than two degrees away from. This means that you know someone who knows the person that posted the job—it can’t get much better than that. (Power tip: two degrees is about the limit for getting to hiring managers. I never help friends of friends of friends.) Another way to find companies that you have ties to is by looking at the “Companies in Your Network” section on LinkedIn’s Job Search page.

8. Get to the right HR person.The best case is getting to the hiring manager via someone who knows him, but if that isn’t possible you can still use LinkedIn to find someone inside the company to walk your resume to the hiring manager or HR department. When someone receives a resume from a coworker even if she doesn’t know the coworker, she almost always pays attention to it.

9. Find out the secret job requirements. Job listings rarely spell out entirely or exactly what a hiring manager is seeking. Find a connection at the company who can get the inside scoop on what really matters for the job. You can do this by searching for the company name; the results will show you who in your network connects you to the company. If you don’t have an inside connection, look at profiles of the people who work at the company to get an idea of their backgrounds and important skills.

10. Find startups to join.Maybe this recession is God telling you it’s time to try a startup. But great startups are hard to find. Play around with LinkedIn’s advanced search engine using “startup” or “stealth” in the keyword or company field. You can also narrow by industry (for example, startups in the Web 2.0, wireless, or biotech sectors). If large companies can’t offer “job security,” open up your search to include startups.

11. Build your network before you need it.As a last tip, no matter how the economy or your career is doing, having a strong network is a good form of job security. Don’t wait until times are tough to nurture your network. The key to networking (or “schmozing”), however, is filled with counter-intuitiveness. First, it’s not who you know—it’s who knows of you. Second, Great schmoozers are not thinking “What can this person do for me?” To the contrary, they are thinking, “What can I do for this person?” For more on schmoozing, read “The Art of Schmoozing.”

Guy also suggested the following websites that may be helpful to job seekers: http://linkedin.alltop.com/, http://jobs.alltop.com/ and http://alltop.com/?keywords=careers.

Invite me connect to you on LInkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/joguerra and please use jojewel at gmail.com at my email.