LinkedIn Archives - Career Connectors

How Personal Brand Applies In The Job Search Process

November 28, 2022 by Markitors

What is one way a “personal brand” is relevant when applying and interviewing for a job role?

To help you make the best of your online presence, we asked C-suite executives and other career experts this question for why they think branding is critical. From showing off your core values to proving your initiative, there are several reasons below why you should take building a strong personal brand seriously when entering the job market.

Here are 11 reasons your personal brand is essential to becoming an attractive candidate for any role:

Shows Employers Your Core Values
Aligns Your Interview Answers With Your Online Persona
Gives Potential Employers Insight
Battles the Recruiters’ Paradox of Choice
Creates Your Real First Impression
Makes You Strategically Attractive For Higher Positions
Proves to Be the Best Candidate Differentiator
Lets Your Personality Shine Through
Helps Make Common Connections With the Interviewer
Attracts the Right Opportunities
Demonstrates You Have Initiative

Shows Employers Your Core Values

Businesses are not only looking for skills but the core values of a candidate, and this is one reason having a personal brand can play an important role in applying for and interviewing for a job.

Just as businesses use marketing to convey their brand’s values to their customers, personal brands work much the same way.

By using your LinkedIn and other professional accounts to tell your story, demonstrate your values, display your growth, and talk about your skills and passions, you will showcase who you are in a manner that is not common to most job-search formats.

In using your professional social media accounts to highlight personal attributes and core values, you will effectively market your personal brand and better your chances in the application and interview process.

Greg Gillman, Chief Revenue Officer, MuteSix

Aligns Your Interview Answers With Your Online Persona

Interviewers are savvy and often check online profiles on various social media platforms. They’ll look at your posts, opinions, pictures, and other content that you’ve shared. All of this contributes to your personal brand.

Many people will tell you to take an inventory of your online persona and edit out those things that can harm your job prospects. But what many people ignore is the lack of alignment that can arise when your social media content doesn’t match the answers you give in an interview.

The best way to solve this is by being honest. You don’t have to share everything in an interview. But, you also shouldn’t pretend to be someone you’re not. An interviewer will see straight through it if they’ve spent a little time studying your personal brand online.

Instead, focus on how the different dimensions of your personality—and brand can be seen as a positive for the company. Then, when those aspects show through in your online posts, they’ll feel aligned with your interview answers.

Dennis Consorte, Digital Marketing & Leadership Consultant, Snackable Solutions

Gives Potential Employers Insight

An online personal brand affects the preconceived notions the interviewer may have of your skill set.

For example, if you position yourself as an expert on LinkedIn, the preconceived beliefs about your professional value will be in your favor. Your personal brand relieves some of the heavy lifting in the interview; with readily available anecdotes online, it makes it easier for potential employers to get an idea of your values.

Patricio Paucar, Co-Founder & Chief Customer Officer, Navi

Battles the Recruiters’ Paradox of Choice

A personal brand makes you go from a number or name in the sea of applications to a person—as odd as it sounds—it humanizes you.

The dark reality of today’s society and recruitment processes is that there are so many options to choose from that it all becomes a digit that often obscures the individuals’ complexity and the qualities they offer.

Having a personal brand pushes you above the pile and makes you a recognizable and desired player. The paradox of choice is a real thing, and it concerns recruiters as well. A personal brand boosts your image and lets you control to a much greater extent how you are perceived when applying for jobs, making you a bold, unique, and high-value contender. Thanks to this, you will surpass the recruitment challenge of the paradox of choice.

Nicole Ostrowska, Career Expert, Zety

Creates Your Real First Impression

I’m a BIG believer in personal branding and have worked very hard to build mine on both LinkedIn & our company page.

When someone applies for jobs the FIRST thing recruiters/employers do is check the resume against their LinkedIn account for consistency & to get acquainted in a non-committal “safe space.” That’s your first impression and you can control the narrative.

It can either be an asset or a liability depending on several factors like a professional headshot, consistency with resume, and personal branding like recommendations/published work. This is how I differentiate myself.

I ask for branding content from my candidates via success story feedback for our website and recommendations for my LinkedIn. These endorsements can be the difference between whether top talent works with me versus the many other recruiters that approach them.

The best part is this branding is FREE! Does your LinkedIn make a 10/10 impression? If not, it’s like using your worst photo on a dating app, very limiting.

Matthew Jones, Senior IT Recruiter, VIP Staffing

Makes You Strategically Attractive For Higher Positions

Personal branding applies only to strategic positions, not every job. These positions require credible candidates who take responsibility for their actions and decisions—and care about their reputation as experts in the field.

Companies don’t want anyone with an unprofessional image representing their brand. They want people who are passionate about what they do and can communicate that passion to all the employees, customers, and other stakeholders.

In fact, sometimes personal branding helps candidates appointed to a significant position in the company without having to go through the typical recruitment process of interviews, tests, and assessment rounds.

It gives an advantage over those candidates who don’t have a strong personal brand and makes themselves more visible to recruiters.

Arkadiusz Terpilowski, Head of Growth & Co-Founder, Primetric

Proves to Be the Best Candidate Differentiator

Establishing a personal brand, or the image and characteristics thought of when you are considered professionally for a new role, can be the calling card that helps you to stand out from the rest regarding an interview process or candidate selection process.

Being known in your industry or amongst peers as a subject matter expert relative to a certain function or skill set, coupled with a personal brand that embodies work ethic, connections, and a measurable ROI to a company associated with your work, will help you stand out more than the candidate that just has a “good resume.”

Establishing a professional brand can start with a LinkedIn profile, but what makes it tangible and real is support from those in your network through recommendations and endorsements. A presence at industry events as a speaker, panelist, or expo presenter will also bolster your brand.

Tiffani Murray, Director, HR Tech Partners, LinkedIn

Lets Your Personality Shine Through

A major part of the interview process revolves around striking a good rapport with your interviewer. Having a solid personal brand can be a great way to achieve this because it lets your personality take the spotlight.

Your resume, for instance, only talks about your achievements and experience—it does little to paint a clear picture of your personality. A personal brand, on the other hand, lets you express yourself a lot more and interviewers can actually connect with who you are and fill in the missing gaps.

Guy Sharp, Relocation Advisor, Andorra Guides

Helps Make Common Connections With the Interviewer

Experience and skills are important in leaving a great impression on the interviewer, but communication also plays an essential role in setting you apart from your competitors.

Engaging in small talk not only leaves a lasting impression, but also establishes a connection between the job seeker and the interviewer. Thus, it helps to showcase your personal brand as well.

Before appearing for an interview, try going through the background of the interviewer to find the most common topic of interest. Some topics may help in promoting your personal brand. For example, passion, hobbies, and professional interests. Keep in mind, you might offend the interviewer by discussing political or religious topics.

Zephyr Chan, Founder & Growth Marketer, Living The Good Life

Attracts the Right Opportunities

One of the biggest advantages of having a personal brand is that it allows you to evaluate what is truly important in your professional life.

When you can do this and present it confidently amongst your peers, your network, and potential employers, you’re more likely to land opportunities that align with your long-term goals and true interests.

This benefits both yourself and your employer as it serves to move you both in the right direction.

Larissa Pickens, Owner, Repeat Replay

Demonstrates You Have Initiative

You want recruiters and hiring managers to take comfort in knowing that you’re able to take the initiative. If you can successfully promote yourself with just a social media platform (or two) and some well-honed instincts, just think how well you can promote an established brand.

If you’re interviewing for a marketing role at a company, it will serve you well to show the hiring managers you know how to sell a brand, that includes your personal brand.

You may even come with a robust, built-in following, which is something that is sure to appeal to any company looking for more exposure.

Emily Saunders, Chief Revenue Officer, eLuxury

12 Creative Ways To Stand Out On LinkedIn

May 30, 2022 by Markitors

What is your best tip for a creative way to stand out on LinkedIn?

To help you stand out on LinkedIn, we asked CEOs and social media managers this question for their best ideas. From correlating your banner picture to your profile picture to being your unique self, there are several creative tactics you can try to help you stand out on LinkedIn.

Here are 12 creative ways to stand out on LinkedIn:

Correlate Your Banner Picture To Your Profile Picture
Complete The Summary Section
Keep Work History and Role Descriptions Easy To Follow
Ask for Recommendations
Promote Others’ Content
Add Industry Terminology
Post Regularly in The Feed To Boost Visibility
Tell a Unique Story in Your Bio
Use Visuals
Be Creative With a Concise and Commanding Headline
Create a Personal URL
Be Your Unique Self

Correlate Your Banner Picture To Your Profile Picture

Many people understand the importance of having a professional profile picture, however, when one clicks on their profile their banner picture generally does not correlate to the profile picture. This is often a missed opportunity to really get your LinkedIn profile recognized. Make sure the Banner Picture matches in terms of color schemes with your profile picture, to provide a unified overall feel. This really makes you stand out from the crowd.

Mogale Modisane, Power Tools Blog

Complete The Summary Section

I have noticed that many people skip the summary area, but it’s a terrific place for you to tell your own story, so don’t use it to simply list work responsibilities. Your summary should be brief and to the point, describing your previous experiences and present job responsibilities. Highlight specific accomplishments that you are proud of that indicate your abilities or progress toward your goals. It’s best to think of it as your elevator pitch. You just have 30 seconds to get your main points across. You may also show off your personality more on LinkedIn, so don’t be concerned about it being too official.

Gerrid Smith, Joy Organics

Keep Work History and Role Descriptions Easy To Follow

A strong resume is one that shows the strength of one’s career, such as how long you’ve stayed at companies, your list of duties for each job, etc. LinkedIn should work like a strong resume and a strong social media profile, showing strength of a resume in a clear format. Recruiters and potential bosses want to be able to look through at a glance and know who you are and how effective you’ll be. A messy profile suggests a messy work ethic, so keep it clean, and be concise when describing your roles to make them easy to follow.

Brett Estep, Insured Nomads

Ask for Recommendations

Ask your connections for recommendations to strengthen your profile. These recommendations from colleagues allow hiring managers to understand who you are as a worker, and your team members can vouch for you. It helps them determine if the skills and experience is a good fit for any open positions, and they’ll be eager to reach out and get in contact after seeing the messages. Team members can highlight your leadership or communication skills, for example. Not only does this strengthen your profile, but also leaders recruiters to your page and move forward with next steps.

Sara Adam Slywka, Nestig

Promote Others’ Content

Share your connections’ content while including a thoughtful response in the post to acknowledge what others are putting out into the world. Shifting the focus from ‘me’ to ‘we’ helps to open others up to more meaningful conversations; most people want to feel seen so tipping the proverbial hat publicly often has a greater impact than if solely sharing about oneself on Linkedin. Posts from your network about achievements, new roles, articles, interviews, and the like are simple examples of what is already being shown in your feed that you can easily reflect on and share, tagging the original poster or connections you feel the content may benefit. Social media is made for fostering connection, so taking the opportunity to spotlight others’ work and commentary helps validate their unique take while naturally allowing you to stand out as a supportive, engaged connection.

Tommy Chang, Homelister

Add Industry Terminology

Add industry terminology to your intro. According to LinkedIn data, listing industry information leads to up to 9% more profile views and can help you get discovered up to 38% more in recruiter searches. Making the best out of your LinkedIn is much easier when you know who you are trying to attract. Know your industry and know what types of jobs you want to attract. That way you can craft your header and about me section with Keywords that match your industry.

John Cheng, Baotris

Post Regularly in The Feed To Boost Visibility

Posting engaging content in the feed is a great way to gain exposure for your business or personal LinkedIn. If your posts are truly interesting, your connections will like and comment, which will increase the chances of your content being viewed by more users. Even if it just means sharing progress about a current or future project, every little bit helps.

Gerald Lombardo, The Word Counter

Tell a Unique Story in Your Bio

You really stand out from the crowd if you take advantage of your bio section and have fun with it. Tell a story that sets you apart from the others, that gives you a unique point of view of the work or of life, that shares your sense of humor or creativity. Your resume is already listed on LinkedIn, so make your bio be the place where your personality and uniqueness shine

Staci Brinkman, Sips by

Use Visuals

Why not use visuals? Honestly, when I’m drawn to a LinkedIn page it’s because there are compelling visuals. When someone adds photos to their work experience or summary section they’re creating a more in-depth and unique introduction for themselves. They automatically stand out with visual components because it adds another aspect to their profile. And, as a potential employer, I’m able to see how they might be a good fit for our team both energetically and skillset-wise. Take advantage of the visual component of LinkedIn to stand out, and don’t underestimate how powerful it is to combine images with the written word.

Tony Staehelin, Benable

Be Creative With a Concise and Commanding Headline

Take advantage of the headline. The headline’s right below the headshot and it’s the perfect way to draw in a potential employer. It’s what I immediately look at. To me, a headline is your chance to be creative, concise, and commanding. It tells me if you’d be a good member of our team, what your personality is like, and what skills you have – all in one little sentence. Don’t be afraid to use your headline to show off and attract attention, its whole point is to intrigue someone to read further… so have fun with it!

Karim Hachem, Sunshine79

Create a Personal URL

Create a personal URL! A lot of people don’t think about it when they are editing their profile, but your URL is the first thing a recruiter sees on your LinkedIn when you attach it to your CV. A personal URL with your name on it instead of a series of random letters and numbers is a quick and easy way to seem more professional. It also tells people you care about details. A personal URL is easier to share, recognize and find. If you are in a creative industry you can even add some flare to it. It’s really easy and it has a ton of advantages.

Soji James, 1AND1 Life

Be Your Unique Self

Be yourself. It’s easier said than done. How can we stand out if everyone is trying to stand out? Aren’t we all the same? The straightforward answer is: Nope. You are unique. There hasn’t been anyone quite like you and there won’t ever be anyone quite like you, so use it for your advantage. Have you ever asked yourself, “How can I be successful even though [fill in the blank]?” Even though I’m a woman, even though I’m younger than others, or even though I am queer? I’ll treat you to a little secret.

Let’s flip this question and replace your “even though” with a juicy “because”: “How can I be successful because [fill in the blank]?” Because I’m not a native English speaker, because I am Asian, or because I’m new to this industry? All of a sudden your story becomes your superpower and your authenticity becomes the fuel of your brand.
Find your “even-thoughs”. Flip them to a juicy “because”. Watch your personal brand unfold, as unique and powerful as you are.

Manuel Schlothauer, HeyManuel.com

Terkel creates community-driven content featuring expert insights. Sign up at terkel.io to answer questions and get published.

12/2/21 – LinkedIn Navigation = Career Success!

December 10, 2021 by Julia Churan

What is the problem with my job search? Why is it so hard? Why are so many people making moves and I’m still not getting interviews or a new role?

Take Control of Your Job Search and Create Opportunities

Written by Julia Churan

Trevor Houston, host of Who Ya Know – Job Networking Show, was the keynote speaker for this event sharing techniques for job seekers to get noticed, create opportunities & take control of the financial impact of job loss. Trevor’s podcasts can be downloaded from Apple, Pandora, Spotify and other popular streaming sites. His approach was most recently featured on the cover of Forbes Magazine

Trevor cites that job searches today have been de-humanized!

No longer are the days of walking into a business and handing a real person a resume or saying “Hi – I’d like to apply for a job.” Job searches today are all about “click to apply,” applicant tracking “black holes,” phone interviews, recruiter ghostings, and searches for “purple squirrels.”

The result is fewer interviews for qualified candidates. The current process leads to an average of one interview per month. Experts say a job seeker should be prepared for the search to take one month for every $10K in salary expected. Therefore a person looking to make $100,000 will be searching for 10 months with only 10 interviews. Not only is this overwhelming, it is totally discouraging.

Getting Control Back

Trevor’s techniques are all about taking back control, increasing your activity, and getting noticed so you decrease search time. The goal is to go viral within a company but you may have to reach outside of your comfort zone to get there.

Don’t – send short text messages via LinkedIn Inmail! You are not unique to the recruiters that may be getting a hundred or more a day.

Do – make your LinkedIn activity personal. Check out the recruiter’s activity – are they active, do they post? Try an approach that has an 87% response rate — post a personalized “video comment” to their post by using some of his favorite tools.

Tools to Stand Out

Small Whiteboard – pick one of these up at a discount store or online retailer. Put your hiring target’s name or a nice message on it and post this in your message or as a post comment.

Video Messaging App – currently there is only one tool that is recognized by LinkedIn with integration – BombBomb. Trevor recommends exploring this in one of the many YouTube videos or instructional videos on their website before starting your 14 day trial. Practice creating small 30 sec or less personalized “raw” clips to test with your “accountability partner.” Think of these as video voice mail. “Thank you so much for your post on XYZ. I’d love to have a conversation about this. Here is a connection request and a link to my calendar. Let’s connect.”

Evergreen Videos – Small videos that aren’t personalized but congratulate an individual on a promotion, a new job, a work anniversary. You can use these over and over with your connections. These evergreens clips will also help get you noticed by connections of your network and help build an audience.

Embedded “Call to Actions” (CTA) – Respect the recipient’s time and avoid the hassle of going back and forth to set up a meeting. Use is a simple calendaring tool like Calendly to make setting up a virtual coffee meeting or real-life lunch as easy as the click of a button. You can sign up for a free version which should provide enough features for basic job seeker use and integrate with the most common calendaring systems like Outlook and Gmail

Auto Text Expander – this is a basic Google Chrome Extension that allows you to save snippets of text that you can include in your video link, calendar link, or other messaging to save time in posting responses or evergreen messages.

Email Signature – BombBomb has a feature that allows you to make an interactive email signature including your photo, contact info, link to schedule a meeting or phone call, or reply with a video. This will really take your emails to the next level of professionalism.

Trojan Horse – This means making a video message rather than just an email expressing your interest, clarifying any points from your meeting and calling for next steps. This is like the namesake virus, the “trojan horse” because after the recipient opens the email, they will be so wow’d by your unique form of communication, they will forward it to others who also spoke with you, other team members and on up the organization line. You’ll become internally famous for standing out.

Hiring Companies

Freedom Financial Network

Laurel Pendle was representing the Freedom Financial hiring team. She is newer to the FFN team but shared enthusiasm about her experiences with the culture and opportunities within the organization. FFN is a leader in the debt consolidation industry and has been named “Best Companies to Work For in AZ” for 10 years in a row. This San Mateo-based company now has 2600 employees and growing with offices in California and Tempe, AZ. Many of their employees are now remote or hybrid.

Diversity & Inclusion are important to their culture with employee resource groups, webinars, mentoring and development programs to support their growing staff. As Laurel shared, FFN Walks the Walk. They are currently hiring for approximately 85 roles in Tech, Marketing, Customer Services, and Sales. See the full list of postings at FFNJobs.com

They encourage seekers to connect with their recruiting professionals on LinkedIn:

Ian Ingersoll: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-ingersoll-b89871b4/
Maya Blake: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-blake-a21a2316a/
Melissa Whitlatch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissawhitlatch/
Rama Parandekar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rama-p-53242b2/
Loretta O’Donnell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loretta-o-donnell-b401b41a/
Kevin Morris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-morris-43555a4b/
Lily Brezler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-brezler/

BCBSAZ

Due to technical difficulties, they were not able to join the event, but have many openings throughout the organization at https://jobs.azblue.com. Be sure to also follow them on LinkedIn.

Resources

Jessica Pierce, Founder, and CEO of Career Connectors, closed out the event by encouraging everyone to expand their networks by connecting with other attendees, speakers and former co-workers via LinkedIn.

Many thanks to the speakers, staff, and volunteers who make these events possible. Also, thanks to all who supported the organization through generous donations on Giving Day and throughout the year.

Be sure to take advantage of the many services available to job seekers through the website and various sponsors. Check out opportunities for assessments, coaches, professional photos, and future events on the Career Connector’s website. Also, be sure to read past blogs and highlights of other HR experts.

Upcoming Events:

Our resident networking expert, Jessica Pierce, will finish off the year’s events with a virtual experience Tuesday, December 14th about “Land Your Perfect Job in 2022.” Hiring companies will include Sun Health, Freedom Financial Network, and The Entrepreneur’s Source. Get registered and continue to follow us for information about future career events both virtually and in-person. Stay tuned!

9 Reasons To Connect With a Hiring Manager on LinkedIn

October 27, 2020 by Markitors

You’re applying for a job, or maybe you just completed an interview. Now, you’re wondering whether to take that next step and send a connection request to the hiring manager on LinkedIn.

Should you press that “Connect” button? If so, at what point in the interview process does connecting with a hiring manager become appropriate?

To help provide some insights, we asked nine hiring managers what they thought about candidates connecting with them on LinkedIn. Here’s the reasons why connecting with a hiring manager on LinkedIn may be a good idea.

It Increases the Odds of Getting an Interview

In my experience, taking the time to connect with a hiring manager significantly increases the odds of getting an interview. Introducing yourself, explaining why you have an interest in their company, and asking how to learn more shows a great deal of proactivity and professionalism. The key is to make very small requests, like a 15 minute phone call, offering to buy them coffee, etc. The point is to learn more about the company, and not to try and brown nose your way into a job.

Zack McCarty, Qwick

It Gives you an Opportunity to Stand Out

In most instances, connecting with a hiring manager on LinkedIn may give you an opportunity to stand out among other candidates. The best way to manage this connection without overstepping boundaries is simply to introduce yourself. Think of a message to the hiring manager as a preview to your cover letter and resume. Give them a reason to keep an eye out for your name.

Megan Chiamos, 365 Cannabis

It Shows You’re Willing to Go Beyond

Connecting with a hiring manager on Linkedin shows that you are willing to go beyond the normal bounds of the hiring process. Requesting a connection shows that you took the time to research them and are highly interested in their company and them as a professional. Connecting with them right after you apply it’s a great way to elevate your application status and make your name stand out.

Ryan Nouis, TruPath

Use Linkedin to Research Similarities

I’ve always been told that it is interview etiquette not to connect prior to getting the job offer but I would suggest, however, that you review the LinkedIn profile of each person you will interview with, and you can see if there are any common connections (same college attended, similar sports interests, hobbies, etc) to discuss during the interview. In lieu of connecting on LinkedIn with the hiring manager, I would strongly recommend writing (not emailing) a thank-you letter to all the people that interviewed you immediately after the interview.

Craig Rosen, InterviewFocus

Consider Connecting if You Don’t Get the Job

Once a decision has been made, and you are hired at the company, connect away! Something to consider if you don’t get the job, you can still add that person on LinkedIn to ask what you could’ve done better and ask them to reach out if there’s an opportunity that comes around in the future.

Michael Staton, Lyon Shield Security

View Their Profile, But Don’t Connect

Although I would not connect with a hiring manager right after an interview, you should consider reviewing their LinkedIn profile before and after the interview. This way, a hiring manager will get notified that you viewed their profile on LinkedIn. This shows that you dedicated time to review their profile and show interest in their company, but respect the interview process to resist from connecting with the hiring manager too early on.

Thylan Le, Markitors

Ask for a 15 Minute Call

If there is interest in a particular role or a particular company, why not connect? I would recommend asking for a 15 minute call to learn more about what the hiring manager loves about working for the company, and to talk about how you may be able to bring value to the position that you are interested in. Following this up with a LinkedIn connection will make you a memorable candidate.

Deborah Bubis, Recruiter and Sourcer

Do It for the Long Run and Future Opportunities

I am a fan of the long game. Some of the best hires we’ve had have come from a conversation that spans several months. If there is a company you like and would consider working for, connect with your possible future hiring manager. Now focus on content. What are you generating on your LinkedIn page? This is a great way of communicating what you are about. LinkedIn is powerful as it is a one-stop shop in which to establish your professional brand.

Steven Brown, DP Electric Inc

Connect as Part of Your Wider Application Strategy

You can connect, but don’t be pushy on LinkedIn. Connect as part of your wider application strategy. This will make it easier for them to look you up on LinkedIn after reading your CV. Indicated to the hiring manager that you are targeting their company personally.

Justin Barlow, Nigel Wright

Terkel creates community-driven content featuring expert insights. Sign up at terkel.io to answer questions and get published.

07/31/18 – Get LinkedIn or Get Left Out

August 2, 2018 by Cindy Nowack

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.

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