The LinkedIn Advantage Plus Top 3 LinkedIn Mistakes
I spend a great deal of my time networking with the executives that are in transition and those that do the hiring. I started using LinkedIn slowly in 2003. Back then it seemed less than useful as a networking tool. Over the years, as more and more people have joined, and LinkedIn itself has evolved, it has become a phenomenal resource for job seekers and recruiters alike.
Looking for a job is never an easy task. During these challenging economic times it can be quite an overwhelming process. It’s been my experience that Internet Job Boards do more harm than good to the people they claim to be helping. Internet job postings can be an addictive curse for job seekers by creating a lot of “false hope”. Simply applying to a job online perpetuates the illusion of being busy and productive in your job search, when it’s really not!
Currently, on average, only 5-10% of new jobs are landed by people whose resume was posted to a job board. The moral of the story: “Clicking and sending your resume and hoping the phone rings can be a huge waste of time and energy. Fact: 8 of 10 people land their new job through networking relationships and getting connected to new people through warm introductions and referrals. Want proof? Just look back in your career and remember how you found most of your jobs!
LinkedIn is by far the best online networking tool for job seekers because it empowers them to touch more people by connecting virtually, which leads to more conversations and “face-to-face” meetings. Having a LinkedIn profile that is “100% completed” will help you improve your visibility to recruiters and human resource professionals. It is one of the best and most modern job search tools around.
Being a member of a “LinkedIn Group” is another great way to stay connected and allows you to be “passively proactive” with other people that have a common goal – landing a new job!
I expect all my career coaching clients to update their LinkedIn profile periodically and suggest that they join the ExecuNet LinkedIn Group, which was created exclusively for the executives that attend the ExecuNet monthly networking meetings that I host and facilitate in Carlsbad and Newport Beach, CA. I always encourage the ExecuNet LinkedIn Group members to post discussions and comments and to share job leads.
Top Three LinkedIn Mistakes
Here are the top three mistakes executives make on their LinkedIn profiles include:
- Forgetting to use the right keywords
- Leaving out results-oriented information
- Not taking advantage of the full space provided in their profiles
This type of virtual communication builds relationships and increases positive momentum for everyone in transition and provides new connections that can help them move from where they are to where they want to be!
Follow Hire Consulting on Linkedin for talent management solutions and executive career transition coaching to help reach your full potential.
Mark James, CPC is the founder and CEO of Hire Consulting Services (HCS). Established in 1999, HCS is a highly customized executive outplacement and career coaching firm for executive-level professionals.
Mark is equipped with over 25 years of experience in Executive Career Management Coaching, as well as Outplacement and Executive Search Consulting. He is the author of the three best-selling books—Keys to the C Suite: Unlock the Doors to Executive Career Path Success, The Interview Mindset: The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Your Career, and The Recruiter Mindset: The Ultimate Guide to Working with Executive Search Recruiters.
Mark uses a proven and successful strategy and structured process to fully enable his clients to conduct a professional job search campaign and with the singular goal of securing their next career opportunity in significantly less time it would take without a career coach. Clients gain a new perspective of their marketing value coupled with executing a strategic plan and closing the deal on their new role in their next job.
