Making Meaningful Connections on LinkedIn

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Q. I need to start actively networking on LinkedIn, but I find the idea of reaching out to strangers really intimidating. What tips do you have for making connections?

A. Cultivating a strong network on LinkedIn is a really smart idea and can be an incredibly powerful part of a career management strategy. However, unless you are especially outgoing, it can be really awkward to simply reach out to new people. Here are some tips that should help build more authentic connections on LinkedIn:

• Always send a personalized message when making a connection request.

• Provide the potential connection with some context. Let them know why you are reaching out and how you know (or know of) them.

• If the person you want to connect with has a strong presence on LinkedIn, consider using something they’ve posted (a blog or thought piece) as a starting point. That could sound like “I really enjoyed your piece on… and appreciated your point of review regarding…” You can then go on to tactfully ask a few (very) quick questions.

• If you find someone with whom you would like to connect, consider joining a group that that person is a member of.  Now you have something in common!  Then, when you do reach out for a connection or to ask a quick question, you can say, “I notice we are both members of the ‘Technology Management’ group.”

• Be very respectful of a potential connection’s time. Let them know that you are very aware that they are busy and would only ask one or two very quick questions.

Whether you are the world’s most outgoing person or someone who dies a little inside at thought of networking (or more likely somewhere in between) the above tips will help you to thoughtfully and tactfully build your professional network.

The Curse of Desperation

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A client reminded me of this post in a recent conversation, so I thought it was time to bring it back to the top.

Many people seek help with a job search only when they become desperate. For these people, networking and following up on resumes only becomes important when the situation is dire. People know when you are coming from a place of reactive behavior vs. proactive behavior. It's discernible in your voice, your tone, and your approach.

Most important, coming from a place of desperation is a confidence killer. It's tough to fake confidence.

For this reason – and many others – I'm regularly advising people to (for example) do the best they can to come from a place of commitment and to seek enduring fulfillment in life and work.

The days of mindlessly sending off subpar resumes and crossing fingers are over. The employment landscape will never be what it was. More importantly, your career and life are worth whatever energy it takes for you to feel in sync.

Today, decide that you are going to manage your job search and your career with a strategy that keeps you in the driver's seat.

You are the Product

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At this point in our technological evolution, we are all fairly comfortable with the idea that if we aren’t paying for a service (i.e. Google, Facebook, etc.) then we are probably the product. I am reminded of this fact every time I see a LinkedIn profile where the individual has filled out the Personal Details section that LinkedIn urges users to complete.

Here is the hard truth. As an HR professional, I am just short of horrified that a professional networking site encourages professionals to provide their age and marital status. Since these are questions that have long been off the table when it comes to making hiring decisions (whether that is actually practiced is for another post), it would seem that a professional networking site would steer away from asking for – and then sharing – these kinds of personal details.

When it comes right down to it, these questions are not there because they are critical to networking and career management. They are there despite the site’s stated intent.

Here is my recommendation; leave these unnecessary personal details off of your profile. If you feel guilty about it, you can always upgrade to a professional account.

Political and Religious Affiliations on a Resume

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The most effective resume is one that is targeted toward a specific role and that appeals to broad range of readers. Given that objective, it is important to be very mindful when considering whether or not to include political or religious affiliations on your resume. 

By including religious or political affiliations on your resume, you are providing readers with information that – often despite their better judgment – will be used to disqualify you. Of course, there is always the chance that some readers will share your religious or political beliefs and be biased in your favor, but there are a lot of people who play a role in the candidate selection process; they are not all likely to share your beliefs. 

The resume review and candidate selection process is a reductive one. Readers are looking for reasons to remove candidates from what is often an overwhelming pool of qualified applicants. Don’t make it easy for them to eliminate you based on superfluous information (to the hiring process) by providing information about your political or religious beliefs.   

It Pays To Follow-up

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I just heard from a client who shared that she received an interview, and ultimately secured a job, because she used the resume follow-up letter we developed to re-assert her interest in a position. After not hearing anything for several weeks, she sent along a follow-up and quickly heard back that the company was inundated with candidates and was struggling to whittle things down. As it turns out, her follow-up letter differentiated her, reminded the potential employer of her qualifications, and earned her an interview.

If the idea of a resume follow-up letter is new to you or you just need a little refresher, check out these tips for making the most out of a resume follow-up letter.

Entry-level CEO

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Job titles can be really frustrating. They rarely capture the actual scope of a role and often don’t seem to make any sense at all. For example, I work with a lot of professionals from a major technology company where a large group of employees share the same non-descriptive job title despite performing very different roles. While there are ways to compensate for a frustrating title, there is little you can do about the title itself. 

On the other hand, I work with a lot of clients who are self-employed, work for small organizations, or have flexibility when it comes to their titles. In these cases, it is not uncommon for titles to – as perceived by potential employers – significantly overstate an individual’s actual qualifications. For instance, I recently worked with a very accomplished freelance marketing consultant who, because she owns her own company, assumed the title CEO and VP of Digital Marketing. Those titles may catch the eye of potential consulting clients but, as I advised this client, had the potential to work against her when applying for less-lofty internal marketing positions. Here are two reasons why: 

1. Readers may dismiss her application simply because they quickly review titles (or the automated resume screening system reviews her titles) and make a snap decision that she is significantly overqualified.

2. Readers may believe she is purposefully trying to overstate her skill level and be turned off. This is especially likely if the title she has adopted aligns with the title of an internal employee who is several levels above the position she is applying for. 

If you have flexibility with your title, make sure that the title you choose aligns with the overall market. This will save you a lot of headaches when you decide to take your next career step.

3 Tips to Make Your LinkedIn Profile More Effective in 3 Minutes

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Despite the fact that LinkedIn is playing a greater and greater role in the hiring process, many professionals are not making the most out of the professional networking site. 

I help a lot of clients develop high-impact LinkedIn profiles; profiles that seamlessly align with their resume, shape and strengthen their brand, and serve as a critical component of their broader career management strategy. Often times clients’ LinkedIn profiles are abandoned virtual spaces that, if considered during the recruiting and / or hiring process, could work against them. While a truly effective LinkedIn profile requires real strategy, there are some very quick things you can do to increase your profile's effectiveness. 

Improve your tagline – The tagline on your profile is auto-completed to mirror your current or most recent title. All too often, though, titles don’t accurately represent the position. Don’t waste this valuable space! Change your tagline to represent your actual professional area of expertise. For example, if your title is “HR Generalist,” don’t be afraid to include something more descriptive like “Multifaceted HR Professional and Benefits Administration Expert.” 

Optimize the order of your information – I am always surprised when I pull up a professional LinkedIn profile and scroll down to find that the top of the profile – the most prominent spot – is dedicated to something like Courses or Volunteer Experience. Those are important areas, but they certainly are not more relevant than your Professional Experience, Certifications, and Education. You can easily reorder the profile flow, so make sure the most relevant information is at the top. 

Secure your vanity URL – LinkedIn provides a simple way to update the inelegant standard profile URL to something much prettier and easy to remember. All you have to do is visit your profile settings and select the option to change your profile URL. I recommend that clients select some variation of their name (which can get tricky for common names) and avoid hyperbolic titles like: linkedin.com/in/ExtremeBenefitsAdminRockstar.

Are You Owning Your Expertise?

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What would your resume look like if it were written by someone who didn’t process your experience and accomplishments through a filter of self doubt and second guessing? 

I write a lot about how critical it is to develop a resume that is achievements-focused. That sounds like a fairly simple task. However, most people struggle to fairly evaluate their own professional impact and fully own their expertise. That is why it can be so effective to partner with a qualified professional resume writer. 

During the process of co-creating a new resume, clients will be shocked to hear my perspective on their experience. Because my understanding of a client’s experience is not clouded by self-doubt, it is not uncommon for me to see accomplishments that clients haven’t recognized or, more commonly, aren’t really owning. 

If you feel like you may be standing in the way of your own success, get in touch.

Dealing With Gaps on Your Resume

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Q. I’ve seen a few resumes where the person explains employment gaps in the experience section. I was told this was not a good idea. Is that still true?

A. I can’t think of a reason why a candidate would speak to employment gaps on the resume itself. If a gap is significant, it should be tactfully addressed in the cover letter. The keyword there is tactfully. For instance, if you were a stay at home parent and are now looking to re-enter the workforce, you might include the following language:

“I have spent several rewarding years raising my family and volunteering within my community. I am now looking to re-focus on my career goals...”

You can see how that quickly addresses the gap but almost instantly moves the conversation back to a focus on career aspirations. This general approach is effective in many situations.

Having said all that, the best advice I can offer someone who has employment gaps is the same advice I offer to all clients: focus on communicating your impact and providing the reader with clear, quantifiable achievements. If you can do this effectively, even larger gaps become less of a roadblock.

Beyond a Resume

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Lets first run over the basics. Before considering what else you can be doing for a productive job search, lets make sure you are already nailing the fundamentals:

1. You have a concise, achievement-focused resume.

2. You are researching each position and company.

3. You are targeting the resume toward each specific opportunity.

Now that we have confirmed you are covering the very basics, we can talk about two more components of an effective job search / career management strategy.

Networking – Building an engaged network – either in person or via technology like LinkedIn – is hands down the most effective way to bolster the success of your job search.

Professional Development – Uncover ways to continually expand your skillset. Whether pursuing certifications, taking additional courses or simply staying on top of shifts in your industry, it is critical that you challenge yourself to stay relevant and up-to-date.

The truth is that these are not just optional next steps. In this job market, these activities are so critical that they should be considered fundamental as well. If that seems overwhelming, here is the upside. In addition to dramatically improving the effectiveness of your job search, these activities can help to make your career more fulfilling.