Written by Cindy Nowack
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Get LinkedIn or Get Left Out
Ted Robison
Ted Robison, also known as “Mr. Link-Me-In,” has been coaching LinkedIn techniques for the past nine years at Career Connectors, church ministries, universities, colleges, companies and recruiting firms. 87% of job seekers will find a job through networking, and Ted provided many helpful techniques and tactics for making the most of your LinkedIn connections. You should be on LinkedIn for creating connectivity, raising your brand and visibility, and to be found.
While aiming for more than 500 connections on LinkedIn, you should also be engaging with professionals and online groups within LinkedIn. Ted says “connections are good, but relationships are golden.” There are more than 500 million subscribers on LinkedIn, where engaging with others is based on three degrees of separation. Ask for introductions when one of your first level connections is connected to a 2nd level that you would like to get to know. Offer to take that person to coffee or lunch to ask them about their company and its culture.
Within LinkedIn, you can maximize its benefits in the following ways:
- Find jobs, people, groups, associations, and your target companies
- Create your own unique URL – elevates you in Google searches
- Understand the benefits of free vs. Premium accounts
- Consider your privacy, contact levels and how you can be searched by others
Your profile page on LinkedIn is your personal brand and image promotion. Customize it!
- Add keywords and search engine optimization (SEO) so you will be found
- Your picture is a must
- The headline should reflect your job title/industry/tagline
- Your summary should include S.E.E.S. – skills (hard and soft), experience, expertise and style
- Your style is what can differentiate you in your LinkedIn profile and in an interview
- You should have 4-8 recommendations – 2 managers, 2 peers, 2 subordinates (if you are a manager), and 2 clients
- Join 30-50 groups and associations to expand your visibility
- Provide status updates, posts, blogs, articles – raises your brand and visibility
There is a hidden job market that accounts for 80% of the jobs. Create a list of 30-50 target companies. Use the Phoenix Business Journal Book of Lists and Reference USA to learn more about your target companies. You can then build relationships of the employees who work at these companies by reaching out to those 2nd and even 3rd level connections through your own LinkedIn network. Companies offer referral bonuses, so build your connections of employees at your target companies, and, when a job is available, your connection can refer you. It’s a win-win situation. If you’re hired, you have a new job and your connection receives a referral bonus.
Once you have an interview, you can continue to use LinkedIn to prepare. Research the company to know their products, services, competitors. Know the company’s culture and core values to determine if you would work well in that environment. Also, research your interviewers. Knowing their hobbies, work history, and common groups will help you connect in the interview. LinkedIn also has a new learning section to brush up on skills that may be needed in the role for which you are interviewing.
In summary, Mr. Link-Me-In provided a review of several action items to make the most of your LinkedIn account:
- Build and strengthen your profile with key words
- Meet people and increase your network
- Create and search your target companies
- Join associations and groups
- Research the company and its employees in preparation for interviews
- Talk to the hiring manager if possible. Take friends or colleagues out to lunch (ask about the company, and if they can pass your resume along to the hiring manager)
- Know your value propositions – what differentiates you?
- Network, network, network!
You don’t want to be left out in today’s job market, so be sure you are linked in on LinkedIn.
RESOURCES
vCandidates
LT Ladino, CEO/CMO/Founder
Technology advancements have hurt the hiring process and alienated qualified people. If you have worked with staffing firms but haven’t been thrilled with the results, vCandidates is launching a subscription-based platform in October connecting recruiters with candidates. The company will foster open communication, candidate engagement and organization, with platform key features beyond the popular job boards. The candidate can present themselves in their own voice. This new recruiting tool will combine technology with the human touch.
Grand Canyon University (GCU)
Rob Loy, Head of Non-Degreed Technology Programs
In the job market today, 58% of all new jobs are in STEM, and computing jobs are the #1 source of new wages in the United States. To help you get the necessary skills to compete in this job market, GCU offers an Immersive Java Bootcamp. In 16 weeks, the bootcamp is more than 600 hours of project-based collaborative instruction and your accelerated path to employment. The courses completed within the bootcamp are part of GCU’s existing, regionally accredited programs. These courses are transferrable to a GCU bachelor’s program, or eligible for transfer at the discretion of other regionally accredited U.S. institutions.
HIRING COMPANIES
Wells Fargo
Meghan Pringle, Recruiting Manager
Wells Fargo has more than 5,000 employees at the Queen Creek and Price location. There are 10 lines of business within the company, more than just bank locations. Current Arizona openings include:
- Analytic consultant
- Bankruptcy specialist
- Business Initiatives Consultant
- Implementation Consultant
- Quality Assurance Analyst
- And many more.
There are also Enterprise IT career opportunities in numerous IT disciplines. Go to www.wellsfargojobs.com for a complete list of available positions here in Arizona, and in other locations. If you don’t see what types of openings appeal to you, you can set up a job search agent online, which will notify you when an opening is available that matches your criteria.
Northwestern Mutual
Joe Morris, Managing Director
Northwestern Mutual began in 1957 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company offers an array of financial products including mutual funds, disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance. In addition to a supportive team environment and a strong industry reputation, a 5 year mentoring program of new advisors is a valuable benefit for joining the company. Current opportunities at Northwest Mutual are:
- Financial representative/advisor
- Assistant financial representative
More information about these position plus other orporate career opportunities can be found at www.northwesternmutual.com/corporate-careers/.
Or reach out to the Director of Recruitment and Selection, Megan Wotton, on LinkedIn.
Allstate
Nate Smith, Senior Recruiting Consultant
There are more than 70,000 Allstate employees in North America, plus employees in Belfast and northern India. At the Tempe regional offices, Allstate is hiring for a number of positions including:
- IT (4)
- HR (2)
- Product (1)
- Claims (6)
- Sales management (2)
- Exclusive financial specialist
You also have the option of becoming an agency owner. Allstate has a 90% retention rate because as you grow your business, you build your success and own your equity. There are no royalty fees or franchise fees. A minimum of $100,000 spendable start up capital is required, but the advantages of being an Allstate agency owner are no inventory, repeat revenue, and competitive compensation in a high demand field. You can earn what you are worth, with a recognizable national brand backing you up. You can even begin without insurance experience or your license. Allstate will help prepare you for your new career.
Contact Nate Smith or visit www.allstate.com/careers for additional information.
CLOSING
Thank you to our premier and corporate partners for their continuing support. A special thank you as well to our host facility, Central Christian Church.
Our next event is Thursday, August 16 at Grand Canyon University when Bridgett McGowen-Hawkins will speak about “From Transition to Triumph: Mentally Regrouping in the Midst of Career Change.” Check the Career Connectors website for the topic and location of each week’s meeting and other resources for job seekers.
