Word on The Tweet: 5 ways to get a job in 140 characters

I’m a self-confessed “twitterholic”. 140 characters keeps your message simple and to the point, and the retweet function makes it simple for others to share and spread your “Hire Me” message and links to your resume.
Here are 5 things you can do to help in your job search via twitter:

1: Install Tweetdeck.

I have tried other products but I always come back to it. You can organise columns to follow job-posts, search on keywords or twitter accounts instantly, mark target accounts as friends for streaming in to a column and never miss the opportunity to reply. It’s free and simple to use. What are you waiting for?

Video source; Tweetdeck.Com

2: Sign up for TwitJobsearch.

Twitjobsearch has an incredible search engine that reads millions of tweets a day and filters out the jobs in to a simple to use search engine that is free to use. All you need to do is enter job type and location to receive all the current tweets linking to that job type. The search is in real-time and updates instantly. You should go in and look 3 or 4 times a day to keep up to date with new opportunities as they get posted. Twitter now carry more job links than any other single internet channel. It has been described as the biggest job board in the world. The opportunity you need could well be there, take the effort out of searching.

Video from CarrerEnlightenment.Net

The video includes some great tips on completing your Twitjobsearch unique profile.

3: Use your twitter bio.

Make it searchable by including keywords separated by commas, links to your resume and linked in profile and a clear indication of the type of job you are looking for. Your bio is your promotion, use the limited characters wisely, and remember that it may be the first impression a recruiter or hiring manager has of you. make it count!

Short video post that shows you how to complete your profile from @johnilouise

4: Take part in twitter chats and follow #hashtag conversations around job seeking or your target industry.

The best job seeking chats for job seekers are:

#Jobhuntchat – On a monday night. You can post to the stream anytime or download past chats by searching: http://www.wthashtag.com.
Once you’re in, enter the twitter chat hashtag you want to read about and check out the transcript. This chat is a great resource for tips, blog posts and great follow suggestions.

:#HFChat – The weekly chat that accompanies the #HireFriday and #HFUK stream. This chat is more time friendly for European readers to follow and take part in, going out at 5.00PM GMT on a Friday.

The #HireFriday (US) and #HFUK (UK) are streams where you can post a link to your resume or linked In profile and a description of what you are looking for. Followers of this stream will share your details by retweeting. This should be your destination every Friday.

#CareerChat – Great for career advice and in work job movers.

@WriterChanelle has a list of all the twitter chats that go on in a google doc. connect with her for a link, and some good conversation!

If you are taking part in any of the twitter chats, and they are a great way to get noticed and connect, use http://www.tweetchat.com or http://www.tweetgrid.com  to follow and join in the conversation.

This video is from @pushingsocial. While the featured chat is #blogchat, the advice for ANY twitter chat is great!

Help others where you can and be worth following. That means plenty of conversation, replying to people through the @ messages, sharing posts by retweeting and thanking those that help you. it’s very simple, but be worth following!

It’s very simple to get active and noticed in twitter. If you want me to review your bio and recent twitter stream (as seen by tweetdeck) through a recruiters eyes, post your twitter handle in the comments, subscribe to this blog and I will post you a 30 second review.

Twitter is the best introduction channel, remember to be social in your job search!

Good luck this week,

Bill

Links Mentioned In This Post

Download Tweetdeck

TwitJobSearch

WTHashtag.Com

Tweetchat.Com

Tweetgrid

Connect with @PushingSocial

Connect with @WriterChanelle

What Job Suits You?

If your job search is going nowhere, and you’re getting worn down by rejection, it could be that you are looking for the wrong type of job.

There is a product from Recruit Technologies that could help you understand what roles you should be looking at. The technology is simple to navigate and complete, and from what I’ve seen, the results are pretty accurate. It works like an assessment you might take at interview, only it works for you.
You can buy extra tests and resources that are reasonably priced with the job seeker in mind, (£25.00, give or take a few pennies), but the first 2 tests and reports are free, against 3 market sectors or job roles.

I think it is worth you taking half an hour to complete the assessments that will generate the reports. you can make your own choices if you want to spend any more money on it, but most importantly, you get the reports to work with.
For employers and recruiters, these resources are free to put on the back-end of your ATS. You can send them out to those candidates that don’t make the grade. This is a simple way to provide the best candidate care and requires no extra work from you, it could even provide an additional income stream.
Complete your assessment now and post your thoughts, good and bad in comments.

Be social in your job search,

Bill

PS: I’ve been running behind in my reviews of your resumes and linked In profiles. If you are still waiting, I promise to get them done by Monday. If you haven’t submitted your resume or profile yet, you still can.

Complete The Free My Job Fit Assesment. (Just click on try before you buy.)

Linked In Job Search Just Got Simple. Put Your Profile To The 30 Second Test

I’ve found an application on Linked In that is certainly new to me. It makes the job search much easier and goes well beyond the usual way of responding to ads. As the name suggests, you get right inside the advertising company and the ad itself.
Linked In Jobs Insider enables you to easily see who you are connected with for any job posted not only on Linked In, but also Monster, CareerBuilder, HotJobs, Craigslist, SimplyHired, Dice, or Vault, and like all the best job search applications, it’s free!
The way it works is you download a discrete Linked In toolbar that has just two tabs. One enables you to either update your profile or share posts with links through your groups. The second tab gives you full navigation through the channel so you can go where you need quickly, as well as turning on the Job Insider application.

The application pops up as a small column on the side of the screen and enables you to search jobs by keyword. Once you are in to the keyword search you can narrow the search down as much as you want or need to in order to come up with the jobs you are really interested in.

The search options are when Company by name, when posted, location (country or city), job function, industry, level and experience so that you can really drill down.
The list of jobs returned includes not only Linked In jobs, but also the career sites listed above. That’s a lot of coverage and opportunities.

When you get in to an individual job opportunity you get to see the full job description and company profile as well as who posted the job with a link to their profile and in-mail option. You can apply direct via the company website or via Linked In, request an introduction to the person who posted the job via one of your connections if you are not already connected with them. That is lots of ways to connect and apply from one place.

In addition, the really funky bit is that you can see who you are connected with that already works there (they could become your referer or give you help in your application.)
You even get an e-bay’esque list of similar jobs you can apply for and then if it doesn’t float your boat, a list of your connections that might be interested that you can forward the job opportunity to.

This takes a lot of the hard sourcing work out of the job hunt and enables you to take a two-way approach to applying for a job, with double the chance of getting that elusive interview. Operating within the seven job boards as well as Linked In gives great coverage across the job market. As always, the bigger and more targeted your network, the more opportunity to apply direct to the hiring manager, (You may already be on their radar) or to ask an established contact to refer you.  The best way to get referrals is to build a network of people in target companies/sectors and engage with them before you need something. People are naturally curious about the people they engage with and will look at your profile, bio or blog first off. Get these right to create the best first impression.

I really enjoyed  doing the 30 second reviews of your resumes, and I hope you found my comments useful. Although this post has passed, I will review any I receive, so keep them coming.

The 30 Second Review

This week I’m switching from resumes to profiles. if your going to be applying for jobs through Job Insider, and it is a great application, then you are going to need your Linked In profile to create a great first impression. This week I will be doing 30 second reviews of your profile. (That’s how long a recruiter will look at it before moving on.) If you want your profile reviewing, post the link in comments, subscribe to the blog either by e-mail or RSS feed and I will post a review.

If you have a blog, I’m also featuring blogs and bloggers on my other blog, The Recruiting Unblog. Head over there, subscribe and post a link to your blog, I will do the rest!

Please let me know your thoughts and how you get on with Job Insider, be social in your search.

Bill

Links Mentioned In This Post:

Free Download For  Linked In Job Insider

The Recruiting Unblog (Blog #uncarnival)

Kiss a Hiring Manager And Pass The 30 Second Test

KISS

Job hunting is a simple process made complicated. Maybe we live in an age where there is so much information flowing that it is hard to know who to listen to. Really, there are 9 simple stages to the process:

1: Decide what you want and what you can offer. When deciding what you want, i’ve found a good check list from KPMG Grads in New Zealand that will help with your thought process. You can find it under the “Brand Me” section. You can find the link at the end of the post. Really worth a look.

2: Document what you can offer on a resume/c.v. that is easy to read and makes clear what you do. It needs to stand up to the 30 second test. (more on that later.)

3: Make sure your Resume/CV can be found. Use the box.net application to make it downloadable in all your social places.

4: Get all your profiles, bio’s and on-line places to make sure you can be found and make sure you state clearly the type of work you are looking for. (If you are in a secret job search then make sure what you can do is clear.)

5: Set up alerts for jobs on carear sites and job boards. Change your linked in professional headline to reflect that you are looking and what for (see the post from CornOnTheJob.). Get your resume/cv on all of the job board databases. (You can sign up for jobs by e-mail service at the same time.)

6: Network, network, network and ask everyone who they know and if they might be able to help.

7: Follow every opportunity to the death. If you get a sniff, get active.

8: Always send a cover letter with every application. If you don’t need it won’t bar you, but if you need one and don’t send it, your out!

9: Keep track of all the jobs you have applied for on a spreadsheet with a few bullet points as to why you applied and why you are suitable. there is nothing worse for a recruiter than calling someone who doesn’t know.

None of this is rocket science or complicated. If it was, none of us would be employed. Keep It Stupidly Simple!

Now for the 30 second test, which is free to all readers. Outside of an A.T.S, a recruiter will look at your resume/cv on-screen for about 30 seconds. They scan read for key-words, achievements and compatible experience. If it doesn’t jump out, then they will pass you by.

A few resume/cv tips:

1; Keep it brief and in bullet points.

2; Put skill headers and experience headers in bold

3: Make your resume keyword rich. (To find the best keywords for your resume/cv, find profiles of people in the roles you are seeking. copy and paste their details in to wordle.com to produce a word cloud.) Thanks to Andy Headworth from sirona consulting for pointing me towards wordle.

4: Cut out objectives and summaries. concentrate on facts, relevant skills and experience.

Now the test:

leave a link to your resume/cv or profile in the comments section. I will look at it for 30 seconds and let you know what stands out and what I remember. This 30 second review will let you know if your resume projects the 30 second message you need it to.

Employ Kyle Update

You might remember I ran a post on a job seeker called Kyle from the UK who was launching a marketing campaign to get employed. You might be interested to know that he has secured 9 interviews to date and has been offered 4 jobs. perhaps you should have another look at what he did!

Use the weekend to get your profiles ready for next week, get the resume links over to me and get social in your search.

Good Luck,

Bill

Links Mentioned In This Post:

KPMG Grads NZ: (complete the profile checklist.)

Andy Headworths Sirona Says

Create A Wordle word cloud

A simmilar post from CornOnTheJob that you should read (shows real results!)

Box.Net.Com

W.T.F. Jobseekers? Get Real

I know when you’re looking for a job or out of work, you need all the support you can get. You need encouragement and praise to keep motivated, but sometimes what you really need is some harsh love, this could be one of those occasions.
In my twitter stream recently, I’ve got increasingly frustrated by some comments from job seekers and some of the advice being giving. Here are the top 9  “W.T.F.” comments you really should ignore:

1: If the A.T.S. is too complicated, asks too many questions or takes too long to complete I drop out.

Reality: Many A.T.S.’s suck
Reality: The bigger the drop out the more chance you have of getting the job
Reality: You will not get 100% of the jobs you don’t apply for.
It might be frustrating but you need to stick with it. Employers understand mistakes, and if you are confused by the ATS, ask for help!

2: I only connect with people who send me personalised invites or who I know.

Reality: The number 1 source of hire is referral.
Reality: You never know who knows who till you are connected
Reality: The wider your network, the more chance it will deliver a job
Connect with everyone you can at first invite or finding, you can weed them out later if they are spammers or undesirable.

3: I avoid connecting with recruiters unless they have a job for me.

Reality: Recruiters get people jobs.
Reality: If there is anyway a recruiter can place you they will, it’s how they eat. They are however, not the welfare office or career coaches.
Reality: If a recruiter has a job for you, they will hunt you down.
Make as many recruiter contacts as you can. Don’t expect instant feedback and make it easy to work with you by being friendly and having a clear idea of what you want. Don’t give them a hard time if they have nothing for you now, and DON’T as was suggested, put the phone down on them if they don’t know a job/company inside out.

4: It’s pushy to ask for the job

Reality: Many hiring managers take not asking as not interested.
Reality: If you don’t ask, you won’t get. (My mum taught me that.)
Reality: The offer only goes to someone who is perceived to really want it.
Always ask: 1: What the next step is? the timetable for that? Any reservations they have about you and if you can have the next step.

5: Only interview for jobs and cultures that fit what you want.

Reality: Most job descriptions do not match the real job.
Reality: Job descriptions are often changed to fit the candidate once strengths are identified.
Reality: If you don’t go to the interview you will never know.
Don’t be the one that got away. Go for the interview!

6: Lock down your Facebook privacy settings.

Reality: Recruiters are increasingly sourcing candidates through Facebook.
Reality: Your privacy settings are not really private anyway. there are lots of ways in for the really determined.
Reality: The person who can refer you for a job is probably not a college friend or family member.
Clean up your profile if you’re worried about it. Talk to your friends on the phone. Complete your professional details on Facebook. Sign up for BranchOut, they just got a $6mn investment and the networks/job platform is growing quickly. Make it clear you want a job.

7: I don’t prepare for interview because I want to be natural

Reality: The more you prepare the more confident you will feel.
Reality: The more you know about the company and the job, the better questions you can ask and the closer you can present “fit.”
Reality: Hiring managers are impressed with prepared candidates who tell them why they want the job.
Success at interview is 80% in the preparation, only 20% in the presentation.
8: Why should I chase feedback. if they want me, they will contact me.
Reality: The one who gets the job is usually the one who wants it most.
Reality: Every contact reminds the hiring manager of you.
Reality: The jobs not filled till someone starts.
Follow up, communicate and ask for feedback. Express at every stage that you are interested. It’s not their job to hire you, it’s your job to get hired!

9: E-mail is the best way to communicate.

Reality: E-mails get ignored.
Reality: You can counter objections in a call
Reality: You can project enthusiasm in a call.
PICK THE PHONE UP. E-mail is for confirmation and cowards. Don’t be the latter!

That is  the end of my rant. please add your own comments, examples of bad advice that make you say “W.T.F.” and anything else you want to add. Don’t forget to subscribe to this blog to keep getting tips. You can do so on the e-mail button. It’s quick and simple.

Be social in your job search,

Bill

@ChrisBrogan Job Search Webinar & @Hirekyle Bonus

I’m giving over todays post to 2 people who I think are doing great things in the social job search. The first is someone you probably all know, Chris Brogan.
Chris is the real deal when it comes to social media. His book “Trust Agents” (Co-written with Julien Smith), is a must read.
I blogged about Chris on Christmas day, after he had sent me 2 messages Christmas Eve. I was impressed that he had taken the time out to reply, and I was even more taken back that he commented on my blog 3 times on Christmas day. A rare level of engagement indeed!
Chris is hosting a webinar specifically for job seekers on Thursday 30’th Sept, 7.00 – 8.15 EDT or 11.00 PM – 12.15 PM. called Enhance Your job Search With Social Presence.

To register for this webinar, and I recommend you do, click on Chris’s picture below and go to the registration page. Book it now before you get over subscribed.
The webinar is sponsored by newly launched Human Business Works.e

Click on Chris to get the Webinar

The second person I’m highlighting is much less famous than Chris, but no less worthy  to share the post.  He has  started a campaign to get hired via social media that I think we can all learn something from.
Kyle Clark is a recent graduate from the UK, who has started a “Hire Me” campaign is going viral by the minute. It’s a mix of audacity and creativity. great for social media.

His approach has been to set up a micro-site to highlight his skills, outlined by his @Hirekyle twitter handle.
The site is well designed, as good as you would see from any design house. Take the time to take a look, it takes job seeker branding to a new level. Kyle has had his site up for a few days now, and on the site alone he has achieved 131 tweets and 147 shares. I’m sure Chris would be more than approving of this social campaign to find not just a job, but the right job!

The headings on Kyle’s site are:

* THE CAMPAIGN
* KYLE’S CV (You can view it or download a hard copy.)
* IDEAL ROLE
* BID
* CONTACT

Under the Challenge page, Kyle describes the challenge as:

To get as many people as possible to bid for my services as an employee over the next 2 months.

I decided to MAKE the EMPLOYKYLE campaign to find the perfect job. Or perhaps for the perfect job to find me! With over 70 graduates going for each graduate job, it’s pretty hard to get noticed! This is my subtle way of saying notice ME and demonstrating that I will go the extra mile to stand out. The idea of this campaign is that employers look at my CV, have a think about the value I could add to their company, and then make me AN offer. Unlike ebay, I won’t simply go to the highest bidder, I’ll go to the best bidder. So go on, make me an OFFER.

Being a social campaign, you can follow EmployKyle on twitter, Friend him on Facebook or even e-mail him direct. There are multiple points of contact, all Kyle needs now is to add You Tube and Linked In to complete the set.

The website is profesionally produced by lemonfreshdesign in Norwich. I have no idea of the cost, but it looks to be a very good investment. Theres a clock counting down the days to the end of the campaign, and some funky widgets to drill down in to the C.V. for more detail.

Given the effort that has gone in to Hire Kyle campaign, and it’s viral social nature, I wanted to share it with you. Think big, be social,and you might just land the big job.

DON’T FORGET TO BOOK THE WEBINAR!!!

Links In This Post

The Webinar

My Blog Post: Merry christmas Chris Brogan

Trust Agents At Amazon (Buy It)

EmployKyle

Linked In Invite Research And Other Tips

Get daves attention?

I’ve been reading some well intended posts recently from Linked In experts Neil Schaeffer and Tim Tyrell-Smith on how important it is that you tailor your Linked In connection invites. This is something I have advocated in the past, believing the theory to be correct. It certainly sounds like it should be. You should read their post as it prompted me to write-up this post on some research I completed recently on this very subject.

. The actual results of the test and follow-up were far from what I expected, showing something to the contrary of what I believed and is the expert advice given in these and similar posts. (including some of my own!)

I sent out 50 invites to connect to people I was not connected with anywhere else. I got 31 acceptances in total. Bear in mind that some of the 50 may not yet be opened. It’s not uncommon for some people to either follow you for a while and accept or archive later or those that have profiles they rarely visit, choosing to either ignore or turn-off e-mail alerts.

The results of the 50 invites were:

The Standard Linked In Invite: 23 out of 25 accepted.

The Tailored Linked In Invite: (This introduced me and stated my objective in networking.): 7 out of 25 acceptances.

I took this further by sending out a further 20 invites, 10 using the standard Linked In Invite and another 10 using tailored invites. These were sent as introductions via connections.

I received 6 acceptances. 5 for the standard invite and 1 from the tailored invite. Of the 20 invites, 14 were forwarded to the second level connections.

To complete the experiment, I sent out a further 20 invites to members I shared a group with. At this stage, all of the invites were the standard Linked In Invite.

Of the 20 I sent out, I got 19 acceptances. By far in a way the most succesful.

To understand this better, I mailed all of the people I had invited for feedback regardless of if they had accepted or declined my invite.

Of the 90 e-mails I sent asking for feedback, I got 32 responses, interestingly, 19 from those who had not responded.

Feedback included:

The tailored invite with a stated objective was seen as too direct in an invite. It was felt that there should have been more engagement prior to the invite. With so much spam flying around on linked In, for everything from internet brides to S.E.O., a longer message with any more than the standard RECOGNISABLE invite, then it got dumped without acceptance.

People were comfortable to accept or investigate the standard invite because they knew what it was.

Most people who received the invite chose to either:

• Ignore, Archive or Delete immediately for the reasons outlined above.
• Of those receiving the standard invite, most reported that they viewed my profile first before accepting, hence the reason for making sure that your profile is a real advert for you. Having looked at my profile they accepted the invite.
• Of those that didn’t respond, most had chosen to “follow” me and wait and see. They stated that they may review this status to a full acceptance in the future.
• Of those who accepted my invite who shared a group, most did so on receipt. They felt that if we shared a group, we must have something in common, and as the group had accepted me already I was “pre-vetted.” This emphasises the importance of belonging to groups.

Of those who replied and were willing to take a call to discuss in detail, (20), I got the following feedback:

In order: they would be most likely to invite people to connect if:

1. They already communicated on another social channel, particularly twitter.
2. They read a post they liked in a group or noticed someone on the new “most influential” list.
3. People who are suggested via linked In on “People You May Know” lists. (The more connections you have and the more groups you belong to, the higher the likelihood of appearing on these lists.) Displaying relevent information from the top line of your profile is key here. You have 140 characters and this shows below your name in the “people you might know.” tab.
4. People that come up on key-word searches. That means getting your key-words right and separating them with commas.
5. People who answered their questions.
6. Via e-mails received with a Linked In connect button.
7. Via “connect with” buttons or invites on blogs and other places.

When looking at profiles to decide if to connect the top influencers in the decision were:

1. A professional photo or one they recognised from your avatar in another channel. Be consistent with your picture. No picture, no connection.
2. Your professional top line matching their area of interest.
3. A recent update in the last 7 days. professional not personal content.
4. Contact details for follow-up. (put this at the top of your profile.)
5. A well written summary and objective.
6. If you have an embedded blog most included this in things they look at on your profile.
7. Whilst nearly everyone responded that they were impressed to see slide share presentations on the profile (professional image), most did not look at them unless they found the title really interesting and relevent.
8. Most importantly, no one looked at recommendations at all, and gave them little credence. People with lots of recommendations, (more than 10), were seen as fake.
9. The whole twitter feed on a profile was seen as irritating or irrelevant. Don’t do it!
10. Interestingly, most reported that they go back to profiles in more detail once relationships were established, then they go back to profiles and look at the downloads (box.net, blog entries and slide share presentations.) In particular they go back to the profile from group posts, group comments or mails from update notifications.
11. Most will look for contact details on Linked In first before Google. Make sure yours are prominent.
12. Most fed back that they found relevent links on updates to be the most likely reason to engage with someone.

Other interesting feedback included:

• The least popular thing about recruiters using Linked In is random  job approaches without any prior engagement or jobs with no real relevance.
• Hiring managers in the sample were unlikely to connect with connection requests post interview but would accept them pre-interview, would be more likely to engage and respond to e-mails via Linked In than a standard e-mail. They also admitted peeking on-line for comments post interview on Linked or Facebook. (Always be positive!).
• Some of the Hiring managers compare the Linked In profile with the resume received. If they differ, you are unlikely to get the job.
• Most said they couldn’t care less what you have pictures of Facebook, and while they wouldn’t friend you, they would accept a Cow from you or fight you in Mafia wars! (Worth checking for this. I never would have thought of it!)
• Most are comfortable engaging with you on twitter and are impressed by this, though not about the job or interview in detail, other than “good to have met you. Very interested!” Always check the Linked In profile for twitter profiles and follow. This is the most likely route to engagement!
• Most stated that they had been made uncomfortable during the interview if the applicant refered to personal detail about them found on-line. (like where they had been on holiday!) Research is impressive, but profesional detail only.

Where I am 100% in agreement with Tim, and he brings this up in the comments section of his blog is that once you’ve connected, you need to get social. collecting names, like collecting stamps won’t get you employed. As always, my best advice is be social in your job search!

Thanks to everyone that replied to my questions, it has been enlightening, and is quite different to a lot of the advice that is flying around. It has taken me about 100 hours to complete but has been well worth while.

Subscribe to this blog for more detail on this research and some interviews with some of the respondents on what they really want to see from Social Job Seekers.

Keep it social in your job search and be lucky!

Bill

Links Mentioned In This Post:

Best Practice In Writing Linked In Invitations By Tim Tyrell-Smith & Neal Schaffer

Get Hired By Word Of Mouse

You might have heard the rumbling around the growing use of “referral” as the favoured source of hire. For a hiring company this has a lot of benefits.
for a start there are no fees involved. (Although some companies will pay a bounty to the referer as a reward.)
Given that an employee has been willing to stake their reputation on the recommendation, there is less risk than unknown candidates.
Given that the both the candidate and the company are known to the referer, the cultural fit is most likely right.
Getting a job through the referral of a friend gives greater commitment through peer pressure.
Given these points, it’s easy to see why hiring companies are so keen to make this route to hire a top priority, and are developing new ways to utilise social media channels like Face Book, linked in and twitter. Getting hired will increasingly be about who you know and are connected with, rather than what you know or where your C.V/resume is on show.

How can you get yourself marketed by word of mouse?

1: Make sure all your profiles and bio’s are up to date and present you in the best light. In particular, remember to complete the professional pages on Facebook and that you have an open, accessable profile.

2: Sign up for the free “Branch Out” application on Facebook.

3: Identify the companies you want to work for and run searches on Linked In, Branch Out and Twitter Search to see who you are connected to in those companies. With Branch out you can also see all the secondary and third level connections with the company.

(Branch Out have just announced $6Mn in funding from Microsoft Bizspark, so i’m expecting a rapid growth in users.)

4: Ask those you know for a referral to your target companies. If you don’t have any close connections, consider targeting them through a facebook ad. These are very cheap, targeted and you pay only per click.

5: Give your connections something they can share within their connections and employers. This should include your LinkedIn profile, (with a C.V/resume added using the box.net application,) and a clear statement of the type of work you are looking for. You should also consider a blog that will showcase you and a clear, concise statement of what you are looking for in a job. Make sure you are easy to contact by having your contact details on all your profiles, bios and places. (A hire me button really stands out, is easy to create and link.)

6: As I listed in my last post, a video on You Tube is an easy thing for your connections and friends to share. I’ve attached another video that was shared with me by one of my connections, that showcases the skills, experience and personality of Graeme Anthony. (It’s a UK one too!) You can record a short video that is tailored to the company you want to join, what you can offer them and why you want to join them. Taking the time to research the company, your connections and finding out about them will really stand out.

Word of mouse will get you hired. Your friends and connections want to help you, but you need to give them material to share!

Be social in your search,

Bill

Links listed In This Post

Investment In Branch Out

Create Your Own “Hire Me” Button
Box.net Application

I learnt a new Linked In tip today (Thanks to Otis Collier)

Love linked In!

This might be really simple, and the power users of Linked In will laugh at me for not knowing it already, but I learnt a simple trick from a video that was shared with me via Facebook.
The video was about making your contacts settings visible to everyone, whether you are connected with them or not. This is great advice, and i have included the video for you to watch.

The bit I didn’t know, and I love this, is that you can drag and drop the sections of your profile in to any order you want by clicking on the edit button in settings and moving them around.

This means you can position the key details where you want them and make your profile a little different to the others that might have been looked at. Moving the download of your resume and a presentation of the job you are looking for near to the top of your profile seems a great idea.

I will be doing a makeover on my linked In profile this week. Look out for changes!

The advice on being easy to contact is on the money. The easier you are to contact, the more likely you will get a call.

Thanks for sharing the knowledge Otis, and Kay Kellison, for bringing it up on my radar via Facebook. true meaning of friend.

Links In This Post:

Otis Collier

Kay Kellison (Good sharer of info)

Social Media Job Search Model

I’ve been asked to post on how to develop social media networks in the job search. My starting point is to forget about having separate strategies for each social media channel in isolation.
I consider all social media to be one channel, with each place serving a different purpose.

This is my model for what you can use each channel for, and the tone to take in each place.

1; Linked In – This is where you find targets through search, joining and posting in groups and asking questions. Home base and reference point at the start of the search.

2: Twitter – where the conversation starts. Organise your targets through tweetdeck and start replying, commenting, questioning, retweeting and engaging. Gets you on the radar.

3: Facebook – Fan the company and comment or question. Ask for help.

4: Invite to Friend on Facebook for closer conversation, instant messaging, commenting and looking for opportunity. (don’t be disappointed if this is declined.)

5: You Tube – For showing. Great material for sharing in all the channels and promotes your capability.

6: WordPress for telling and sharing. If you are ready to blog in order to showcase your skills and opinions.

This is my model of the stages of building social presence through the channels, to link you with the right targets in your job search.

Good luck in making your job search social.

Bill