7 Tips For Recent Grads When Working With Recruiters

by Crissanka Christadoss on July 29, 2011 · 0 comments

in How To: Job Search, Recruiters

Ken Sundheim runs KAS Sales Recruiter, Marketing Recruitment Boston, Recruiters NYC, Executive Recruiters Chicago, Staffing Agency Los Angele.

After graduating college or right before getting their diploma many entry-level job seekers are exposed to recruiters for the first time. One of the main reasons for this is that many career centers are not too keen on headhunters primarily due to the fact that some recruitment professionals act in a manner that is perceived not to be in the best interest of the college graduate.

Therefore, many entry-level job seekers have little to no idea about the staffing industry until they are initially contacted by a recruitment agency. When I graduated college, I was recruited by a professional recruiter in Minneapolis whom I knew little to nothing about in a job that I hated for company that was antiquated and not progressive in their thinking. Luckily, this worked out for me.

Regardless, the below advice should help recent college graduates effectively deal with recruiters.

1. Only engage with recruiters who have jobs that pay a base salary.

2. Only engage with recruiters who do not charge the job applicants nor actively push resume services or other job seeking consulting services before the headhunters consider you for a job.

3. Only engage with recruiters who will tell you the name of the company that they are working with prior to interviewing with that firm. However, as a job seeker you should be responsible and confidential about the companies that are hiring as not doing so is highly unethical and is a form of corporate theft.

4. Upon approaching a recruiter or any particular executive search firm, do enough research on the staffing agency prior to initial contact and make sure that the firm deals with jobs that you may like.

5. If a recruiter sends you to meet with a client, remember that upon interviewing with that firm, you are not only representing yourself, but also the recruiter who sent you on that particular interview.

6. Have realistic expectations as nobody will find your perfect job for you without you doing the necessary legwork. Recruiters can only do so much; you have to help the recruiters help you.

7. Only work with recruiters whom you feel comfortable with. As a recent college graduate, remember that you’ve worked hard for your degree and, if you don’t feel comfortable with the direction a recruiter is taking you, either voice your opinion and see if the individual changes or change recruiters.

In the end, working with recruiters is not brain science, however make sure you have enough information and, upon gathering this information make a decision whether or not you would like to approach head hunters at this point in time.

There are more ethical, hard-working recruiters than the bunch that you often hear about and, working with recruiting firms, if done properly is a good way to diversify your job search.

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What If We Talked About Engagement Instead of Age?

by Crissanka Christadoss on July 27, 2011 · 0 comments

in Already Employed, How To: Interview, How To: Networking, Reinvention

Donna Svei is One of Monster’s “11 for 2011: Career Experts Who Can Help Your Job Search”

Humans love to develop ingroups and outgroups. They help us know who we are.

In the workplace, and in the job market, much of the inning and outing concerns age. Are you Gen X, Y, Z, or a Boomer?

Wrong question – and not just because I can’t spell Millennial without help.

Much of the conversation about employee age is really about employee engagement. So can we leave age out of it and talk about engagement strategies that work — for everyone? That’s a vast space. Once we get that nailed, then maybe we can parse it for age.

Employment engagement drives business results, not employee age.  More here.

When I recruit, I don’t care how young or old a candidate is. I care about whether or not they’re willing and able to do the job. Willing = Engaged. End of story.

Well, almost. If being too young or too old is limiting your job search, make sure everything about you brands you “Engaged.” Look at your resume, social media profiles, networking conversations, interviews, etc. Do you:

  1. Articulate a clear value proposition?
  2. Describe accomplishments and results?
  3. Appear on top, or ahead of, changes in your industry and profession?

Put your most engaged foot forward — consistently across virtual and live platforms. It makes a huge difference in how people who refer, recommend, and hire you perceive you.

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Job seekers subjected to social media background checks

by Crissanka Christadoss on July 25, 2011 · 0 comments

in How To: Job Search, Recruiters, Social Media

Simply Zesty is a company that helps you punch above your weight with smart marketing. The company was founded by Niall Harbison and Lauren Fisher. Here we share our tips on how to grow your company using free online tools. The post by Lauren Fisher.

”"A new startup is offering a unique service for employers, that may come as unwelcome news for jobseekers. Social Intelligence runs social media background checks for potential job candidates, so the company can be alerted to potential problems or issues that might be considered contentious. While this is something that many companies practice anyway when they’re recruiting for jobs, Social Intelligence formalises this service, making it a lot more official, and visible for candidates. In the case of Social Intelligence, job seekers are required to submit to the test as part of the job application process. Information gathered is then passed onto the recruiter, omitting details such as religion or marital status (which should not be asked during an interview process).

Is it fair?

For many, this might seem like a wholly unreasonable ask. After all, what you choose to do online is your own business – the photos you share, videos you record, updates you write, are on your own time, in your own social domain. The only problem is however, that this information often happens very publicly, unless you’re extremely savvy about your privacy controls. And the inherent risk for the company is that information found online is then revealed perhaps to other employees, stakeholders, customers or clients, and the company itself is implicated. Given that they can access this information, would organisations choose to ignore it? Or rather, if the same things were revealed during the interview process, would it affect the decision to give the person the job or not? Of course, social media background checks are not just used to look for the negative, but also to discover facts that might further prove their suitability for the job, or the strength of them as a candidate. This is positive, but the risks when finding the negatives are far greater and it poses a difficult problem for recruiters.

”"The difficulty comes down to the fact that it’s subjective. What you’re posting on your social media profiles might seem acceptable to you, but unacceptable to the prospective employer. Examples given by Social Intelligence for cases where people haven’t been offered the job, include uncovering a Craigslist ad for Oxycotin, nude pictures posted online, and people making racist remarks or joining groups that clearly show their prejudices. Again, if this information was revealed during the interview process, you’d likely be straight out the door. But because this information is accessed online, without the candidate directly revealing it, it throws up many problems. The difficult fact is that while this social information is yours, once it hits the public domain, it can be accessed by anyone and, in a sense, owned by anyone.

Over-policing

While there is no easy answer here, the social checks run by Social Intelligence do verge on the side of over-policing. It’s worrying to think that companies can build up complete social profiles of you (albeit with your consent) that can cover every single reference to you online. The more of our time we spend online, the more and more information we build up publicly that can be interpreted in the wrong way. Something we posted online 2 years ago may in no way be a reflection of our character now, we could have sent drunken tweets, or even had friends pose as us online, joining groups or writing status updates when logged into other accounts. This shows that social media ‘checks’, if they are to be run, need to be considered carefully. While companies may be able to access countless information about someone online, it’s not necessarily their right to use this to determine someone’s suitability for the job. The context in which social information is shared is important, and what this check actually does is discriminate against people that might be more active in social media, and who will have produced more social information to be accessed.

Checks like this are possibly too ahead of their time, as we are still getting used to how social media fits into our lives and affects our relationships with others. Using this information against someone for something like applying a job may be too drastic, before that understanding is developed.

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5 Creative Ways to Showcase Your Resume Online

by Crissanka Christadoss on July 20, 2011 · 0 comments

in How To: Job Search, How To: Resume, Reinvention, Social Media

If it’s appropriate for your industry, an out-of-the-box resume could help you stand out

By Alexis Grant, US News

If you’re applying for a job that requires creativity, innovative thinking, or problem-solving, one way to make yourself stand out is through a unique digital resume. Showcasing your resume online can not only help you emphasize your creativity, it can also demonstrate skills like design, programming, and more.

Click here to find out more!

This approach worked for Christine Hall, a recent graduate of Duke University who was striking out when cold-calling advertising agencies on the hunt for her first after-college job. Using skills she’d gained while working in advertising for the school newspaper, she designed and built hirechristine.com, an interactive site that introduces her resume and then allows employers to click on it to read more about her.

“I wanted something that was really different, that people would pass along and say, ‘Hey, look at this,’” says Hall, 22.

That’s exactly what happened. The site spread like wildfire on social media, getting more than 10,000 page views on the first day it went viral. More than a dozen companies contacted her about a job, and she’s now in the midst of interviewing for positions. Her advice for job seekers looking to spark similar interest? “Be as creative as you can,” she says, “while still understanding your target audience.”

If you decide to go the creative route, remember content still counts. The story your resume tells about your experience and knowledge is important even if you present it in a unique way.

Here are five ways to make your resume stand out from the pack:

1. Create an infographic. If you’ll be working with data or visuals on the job, an infographic resume might be the way to go. These are naturally packed full of information, which means you’ll have ample opportunity to strut your stuff. For inspiration, check out resumes by social media strategist Hagan Blount, journalism student Chris Spurlock, graphic designer Elliot Hasse, and visual journalist Heather Billings.

2. Produce a video. A video resume allows the hiring manager to get a feel for your personality before meeting you in person. And since likeability and cultural fit are often high priorities when considering a candidate, introducing yourself via video can put you ahead of your competition. You’ll need multimedia skills and a friendly, upbeat-yet-professional personality to make this work, so if cameras and editing tools aren’t your strong point, it might be smarter to skip this option. Alternatively, consider a tool like Hello There that does some of the legwork for you.

3. Use a QR code. For techies, QR codes—or barcodes that direct you to a website when read by a smart phone—present loads of opportunity. The code itself isn’t difficult to generate. What’s more time-consuming is figuring out where that code will take your potential employer; whatever’s at the other end has to be impressive. Make sure the hiring manager will understand and appreciate this technology before using it as part of your pitch. Check out this resume spotted by Mashable that has both QR code and video elements.

4. Just go digital. LinkedIn works for getting your experience and skills online, but what if you displayed your resume on your own website? Even without interactive bells and whistles, offering a good-looking resume at a URL rather than on a piece of paper shows you’re ahead of the curve. Like with the rest of these options, you’ll probably want an old-school paper version of your resume too, in case the human-relations department requests it. But if you’re applying with a Web-savvy company, a digital resume might be all you need. Here’s one great example by NYC-based art director Nick Hansen.

5. Pitch yourself with a PowerPoint. If you’re looking to work at a presentation-oriented company and can convince the hiring manager to click through more than one page, a PowerPoint might be the right choice for you. Pitching your skills isn’t the only way to approach this; you could also offer ideas on how the company could become more effective and the role you’d play in that transformation. Watch how this job seeker pitches herself and her skills via a PowerPoint presentation.

What other unique digital resumes have you come across? Leave a link in the comments.

agrant@usnews.com

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9 different ways to find a new job

by Crissanka Christadoss on July 15, 2011 · 0 comments

in How To: Interview, How To: Job Search, How To: Networking, How To: Resume, Recruiters, Reinvention

Article by Janet Fowler

The old days of finding a job right out of school and sticking with it until retirement are certainly in the past. In these modern times, people have become more adept at locating new job opportunities. But some of the more traditional tactics have started to fade in popularity; no longer are people looking solely at the newspaper want-ads to find their dream jobs. Job seekers are becoming more creative and utilizing new strategies in moving their careers forward. (For more help, check out 7 Job-Hunting Tips For 2011.)

1. Networking
It is said that the majority of job vacancies are never advertised, often referred to as the “hidden job market.” To land these jobs, seekers will need to find a way to get a foot in the door. Networking can go a long way in locating job opportunities; even if no one you know directly has knowledge of a job opening, there’s a chance they know someone who does.

Networking can be done both in person and online. You can join professional associations, attend events for graduates of your school, or aim to connect with professionals who work in your field. Various online tools also exist, such as LinkedIn, which allow you to network with other professionals and learn out about possible job openings. You may also be able to meet other professionals through social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter.

2. Referrals
Referrals also come from individuals you know, however, this method may get you an invitation to apply for a position without actually searching for a new a job. Some employers offer incentives to their employees for referring a successful candidate to their company – a win-win situation for everyone. You get a new job, and your contact gets a finder’s fee for attracting a top-notch employee.

3. Job Boards and Career Websites
Job boards were traditionally just that – boards posting vacancies and employment opportunities. Though some of these boards may still exist in a literal sense, many job boards have moved toward a virtual format. Often federal or state governments will provide job boards and job banks that job seekers can access. You can also use job search engines on the Internet or the vast number of career-related websites that post job openings, such as Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com. These websites function in a similar way to the traditional want-ads, however, they have a much quicker turnaround time and allow you to search a much larger number of jobs over a large area.

4. Job Fairs
Job fairs are typically targeted toward specific industries, though some job or recruitment fairs are more generalized. These ads will usually come with a list of the organizations that will be present. Investigate any companies that interest you, bring a number of resumes and be ready to sell yourself. Consider any conversations with recruiters as mini interviews that can set you apart from other applicants. Some organizations may even offer on-site interviews to candidates that match their requirements. (Weren’t successful? Find out why. See 5 Reasons You Didn’t Get The Job.)

5. Company Websites
If you already have your dream employer in mind, why not go directly to the career section of their website? If you watch for openings on their site, there’s a chance you’ll find just the opportunity that you’ve been waiting for. Create a list of employers that you’d like to work for and visit their websites often. If you’re really set on working for a specific company it may take some time to find just the opportunity that fits your skill set. But if you’ve got the luxury of time, this might be the optimal method for finding your dream job.

6. Cold Calling
If you don’t see any job listings posted for a company you’re particularly interested in, you might consider making a cold call. You can use the telephone or email to contact individuals within an organization by finding their contact details on the company website or by inquiring with a receptionist. Contact individuals directly to find out if they foresee any upcoming vacancies, and be sure to attach a copy of your resume to any emails you send. You can also ask for information about types of jobs, or what kind of skills or qualities the organization looks for in a candidate. Keep in mind that this kind of contact may not always be well received, but there is always a chance it’ll give you the inside track on upcoming vacancies.

7. Head Hunters and Recruitment Agencies
If you’re looking for some professional help in your job search, head hunters and recruitment agencies can definitely lend a hand (though in some cases it may come at a price). There are a number of organizations that hire through recruitment agencies because it helps to streamline the lengthy process of locating and interviewing candidates. Head hunters locate individuals to fill a specific vacancy within an organization or find a position for a job seeker who has hired their services. Payment is often based upon commission. Keep in mind that many high schools, colleges and universities have job placement services that can help new graduates to develop their resumes and assist both current students and alumni with their job searches.

8. Temping or Internships
Sometimes temporary employment can lead to permanent positions. If you’re without work, finding a temporary position with a great company is a great way to get a foot in the door, or provide you with useful business contacts to call upon in the future. Many recruitment agencies can assist with locating temporary or casual positions and contract work. Internships are a great choice for students who are just graduating from college and many schools’ job placement services can connect students with opportunities. Volunteering can also be a great method for gaining valuable industry contacts. (For more advice, check out 6 Ways To Find Your Dream Job.)

9. Creative or Outlandish Tactics
In a competitive job market, some job seekers have moved toward more creative methods for drawing attention to themselves. Billboards, chain letters with a copy of your resume attached, or even pasting your resume to yourself and walking around the city as a human billboard are just some of the methods individuals have used to get noticed by potential employers. Though these methods can actually work, be cautious. You may get the attention of recruiters, but you may also be sending the wrong message. If you’re going to resort to creative techniques, be sure that it’s appropriate for the industry in which you’re attempting to find employment. (Stand out from the rest of the applicants. Don’t miss 6 Extreme Ways To Land Your Dream Job.)

The Bottom Line
In the modern job market, finding the very best job opportunities often requires a combination of methods. Always keep in mind that there are a variety of methods available for finding job opportunities, all with their own strengths and weaknesses, so don’t be shy to experiment with a variety of techniques. (The Internet may be the best tool for job hunters; check out 5 Tips For Finding Your Perfect Job Online.)

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What not to do while Job Hunting

by Crissanka Christadoss on July 13, 2011 · 0 comments

in How To: Job Search, How To: Networking

Marvin Walberg is a job search coach. Contact him at mwalberg(at)bellsouth.net, marvinwalberg.blogspot.com, or PO Box 43056, Birmingham, AL 35243

Recent reports show that the job market is showing signs of life, though unemployment will remain high for years. So it’s vital for job seekers to know what to do and what NOT TO DO to help land that next job.

The following is advice from career expert Elaine Varelas, managing partner of Keystone Partners. Keystone Partners is a leading career management-consulting firm in Boston. See more at www.keystonepartners.com.

Five Critical Pitfalls Job Seekers Should Avoid to Stay in the Game

– Underprepared: Often times job seekers who have been at it a while get discouraged and begin to get lazy. Be prepared. If you have an interview, don’t let that opportunity go to waste. Research the company, bring questions about the job, and bring examples of what you would do in the first 90 days.

– Going Casual: Even if you know you are interviewing at a company where the dress policy is business casual, you still want to present at the top of your game. Wear your best suit, polished shoes, minimal jewelry, get a haircut. Be memorable for how professional you look.

– Going Negative : It’s easier than you think to sound negative in an interview, so think about how to phrase what you will say as much as you think about what you are going to say. No one really wants to hear about how hard the job search is, or how much rejection you have had. Be positive!

– Going it Alone: Many people still undervalue the power of networking or they become overly reliant on technology as a means to do it. In addition to online networking and job boards, get out there and meet people. Get in front of people who can introduce you to the people who put those postings online.

– Pursuing Everything: Applying for every job in your field regardless of how over or under-qualified you are is a waste of time. Rather than inundating hiring managers with applications to jobs that you don’t want anyway, take the time to focus on submitting the highest quality materials to only positions you know you will be excited to take. That should free up more time to network, conduct more company research, etc.

Thanks to Elaine Varelas, and if I may add: Do what others fail to do!

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How to Jumpstart Your Job Search Despite Lackluster Market Improvement

by Crissanka Christadoss on July 11, 2011 · 0 comments

in How To: Interview, How To: Job Search, How To: Networking, How To: Resume, Recruiters, Uncategorized

Alexandra Levit’s goal is to help people find meaningful jobs – quickly and simply – and to succeed beyond measure once they get there. A former nationally syndicated columnist for the Wall Street Journal, Alexandra has authored several books, including the bestselling They Don’t Teach Corporate in College, How’d You Score That Gig?, Success for Hire, MillennialTweet, and New Job, New You. Her book on the top myths of business success is due out from Penguin/Berkley in the fall of 2011.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has just released data on the Employment Situation in June, and overall, we’re continuing to see minimal improvement in job market health.  Because employment gains in 2011 are not occurring as quickly as initially anticipated, job seekers must be more proactive than ever to ensure that they can earn a living.  As a founding member of the Career Advisory Board presented by DeVry University, I’ve taken note of the BLS data and provided the following action steps.

Treat Your Job Search Like Full Time Work

A BLS June unemployment rate of 9.2 percent and 6.3 million long-term unemployed (27 weeks or longer) means that if you have been without a job for some time, you have lots of company.  However, that is not an excuse to loaf around and watch too much daytime television.

Getting out of your rut and engaging in a successful, short-term job search involves treating it like full time work, including setting aside 8 hours a day and adhering to a daily checklist of activities that encompasses scanning online resources, sending e-mail inquiries, creating customized application materials, interviewing, and attending networking events and one-on-one meet-ups.

Get dressed and commit to spending the day in your home office without allowing yourself to get distracted by household duties. Even better, rent office space or conduct your work day from a local coffee shop. You’ll be more motivated and will feel better about yourself by interacting among the living.

Consider a High-Growth Field or a Smaller Business

If you are unemployed or among the 8.6 million involuntary part-timers in the U.S. right now, you may want to revisit the fields in which you’re seeking work.  According to BLS, employment in professional and technical services continued to increase in June (+24,000). Health care employment continued its upward trajectory as well (+14,000), and in fact, employment in this industry has risen by an average of 24,000 per month over the prior 12 months.

Heading into 2012, healthcare will continue to grow exponentially.  Due to an aging population and expanding healthcare to those who previously could not afford coverage, one in 10 U.S. jobs expected to be in this sector by 2018.

If you don’t have experience in an in-demand field, that doesn’t mean you can’t move into one.  Be aware, though, that career change doesn’t happen overnight and for most people, it involves a gradual process of increasing commitment.

In developing a resume and other promotional materials for the field you want to pursue, think about how your current skills and talents apply to the responsibilities you’ll hold in the new job.   Then, ease into a new career one foot at a time.  Perhaps this means earning a paycheck at your current job while doing a part-time internship in your new field.   Alternatively, you could pursue a degree program from an accredited university that offers flexible online and in-classroom learning options to accommodate current work and family obligations.

Finally, don’t limit your search to large, established companies.  According to payroll processing company ADP, small and medium-sized businesses were largely responsible for the 157,000 private-sector positions added in June.

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The Worst Handshake Ever.

by Crissanka Christadoss on July 8, 2011 · 0 comments

in How To: Job Search, How To: Networking, Uncategorized

From a BBC article on the band Oasis - I thought the picture looked like a funny handshake.

The wooden hand was cold and clammy. It lacked personality and any sort of human qualities.

I used to think that a handshake was no big deal, why practice something so mundane? After my experience shaking hands with, what it seemed like to me, a human robot I changed my mind.

I had just moved to Des Moines and was attending a job fair. Then I met him, the human robot, a representative of some recruiting company. The second the intro and handshake was over, I felt like asking “What the hell was THAT?!” Yuck.

The reason I bring this up is because every little part of you, from your smile to your shoes to your handshake, represent you as a  job seeker. I don’t remember anything else from this job fair other than this guy and his nasty handshake. Yes, nasty.

The perfect handshake is like a dance - read this article on perfecting your business handshake. Like a dance, the author is right in saying a handshake is filled with nuances and subtleties. To perfect something, you always have to practice.

I am guilty of giving some bad handshakes, too. Once, I remember washing my hands in the bathroom and upon exiting, ran into someone I knew. I shook their hand, wet from just washed hands. Oops.

Worse things can happen, I suppose. But it doesn’t hurt to keep something like this in mind, especially while job seeking or networking. Don’t be someone’s “Worst Handshake” story.

- Crissanka Christadoss, unemployedindesmoines.com guest blogger and website coordinator

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Get A Job Using The Hidden Job Market

by Crissanka Christadoss on July 6, 2011 · 0 comments

in How To: Job Search, How To: Networking, Struggles

Susan Adams is a deputy leadership editor and writes about careers and corporate social responsibility.

Move to the head of the line of candidates before the job is listed online.

The technology executive had been out of work for more than a year, but he didn’t tell any of his friends he was unemployed. Instead, he made up a story about how he was consulting on some confidential projects, the details of which he would reveal when it was time to go public. Meantime, he applied for dozens of posted job openings he saw online, with zero success. He also spent time golfing at the country club, where his locker was next to a CEO in his field. Still, he guarded his secret carefully, staying mum with his golf buddies about his job hunt. Finally, his distraught wife set up some sessions with Donald Asher, an executive career coach and author of 11 books, including Cracking the Hidden Job Market: How to Find Opportunity in any Economy. Asher, who splits his time between San Francisco and northern Nevada, convinced his new client to open up about his job hunt, and start talking to everyone he knew about how he was on the market. Sure enough, one of his golfing friends gave him a tip that led to a job at a startup. “He never ever would have gotten that job the way he was looking for work before,” writes Asher.

As I’ve written in earlier articles, despite the explosion of employment listings online, job seekers should spend no more than 20% of their time answering ads (some coaches recommend only 10%). Instead, says Asher, and a number of other coaches I’ve interviewed, the best way to find a job is through a combination of networking and direct contact. That way you tap into the so-called hidden job market. That is, you get to the head of the line of job candidates before a job is listed anywhere, and sometimes, before the hiring manager has even decided she is going to hire for a particular position.

Example: A college student was looking for a summer internship and decided she wanted to do communications and marketing for a liberal arts college. Instead of answering online listings, she put together a letter describing her interest, and sent it to PR professionals at 40 colleges and universities in her area. Ten got back to her and one offered her a position.

“The hidden job market is a job you can’t see,” explains Asher. “If I can hire somebody without posting the job, I’m going to do that 100% of the time.” Given the choice of sorting through hundreds of difficult-to-distinguish applications, and taking the recommendation of a contact, or considering an applicant who has demonstrated initiative and enthusiasm by getting in touch directly, most hiring managers will take the most efficient path. “It’s like the dating rule,” says Asher. “You’re more likely to date someone introduced to you by a cousin. The same thing happens in hiring.”

As Asher writes repeatedly in his book, “you get a job by talking to people.” That doesn’t just mean classic job interviewing. It means talking about your job search to everyone who will listen. Asher recommends using all channels, including face to face chatting, phone, email, snail mail, and social media like LinkedIn and Facebook. Asher even says that strangers, like people you might meet in line to buy coffee, can be great contacts. He tells the story of a client who was heading from the airport to an interview with a company in Indianapolis. She asked her cabbie about the company, and the driver replied that he’d heard a competitor was a better place to work. Asher’s client wound up reaching out to the competitor, telling them honestly that she was in town interviewing with their rival. She wound up getting offers from both companies.

Asher also advocates looking for a specific job, rather than casting about for openings. Know the industry where you want to work, the job function and the title. If you’re not certain about those three things, Asher suggests an information-gathering mission.

In his book, Asher writes about how he used to have open office hours where he coached non-executive clients. One client, Aiden Spencer, was about to graduate from U.C. Berkeley with a degree in biology, but he wanted to be a residential income property manager. Spencer’s résumé was loaded with terms like “Spectrophotometry” and “chromatography titration,” so Asher urged Spencer to walk into residential high rises and ask for advice about how he could rewrite his CV to make himself attractive as a job candidate. At the first building, Spencer was urged to take some business classes. Spencer answered that he had worked as the treasurer for his fraternity and handled the capital and operating budget. Asher urged Spencer to continue to walk into buildings and ask about what his résumé needed. By the end of four weeks, he’d removed words like “endonucleases,” and played up his experience not only handling budgets, but also managing carpentry, plumbing and electrical repairs. Armed with new information about residential property, Spencer decided he was more interested in managing commercial buildings. Asher encouraged him to keep hunting by walking in and approaching building staff directly. Two weeks later, Spencer had landed a job as a leasing agent at a commercial building.

Asher recommends approaching contacts with a series of questions, rather than a plea for a job. “Do not ask them for a job at their place of employment,” he advises. “Always ask about advice, ideas, leads and referrals,” he says. “People always have time for that conversation.”

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Oops! What not to do on LinkedIn.

by Crissanka Christadoss on July 1, 2011 · 0 comments

in Uncategorized

Stacy is the Most Connected Woman on LinkedIn with 30,000 first-level connections and is #9 Most Connected Worldwide out of 100 million total users. Stacy has spent her 15-year career recruiting in-house for Fortune 500 technology companies and has been training others in cutting-edge social media recruiting techniques since 2004. Stacy lives in San Diego, CA and is an active blogger at www.stacyzapar.com.  Follow her on Twitter @StacyZapar.

I am forever grateful to my LinkedIn network and love doing whatever I can to help my connections in their networking efforts.

I enjoy being a piece in the puzzle as they network to find employment, grow their businesses, hire talent, share best practices, ask questions, learn, knowledge share, reconnect with former coworkers, etc.  With a large network, that’s a lot of effort and a big time investment, but it’s all worth it and I love to pay it forward.  What goes around comes around. And my wonderful network has helped me in more ways than I can count.

That said, there are some requests that cross the line, in my opinion, and I think that folks should remember to leverage their network without taking advantage of it.  Here are 10 of the most common LinkedIn networking mistakes that I see:

1.  Can you endorse me?

Lots of us are open networkers, meeting new folks and connecting with them for mutual networking purposes.  I’m here to help you network and will do what I can, but if I’ve never met you and have zero interaction with you yet, please don’t expect me to write a LinkedIn recommendation for you.  I’d like to think that my endorsement means a little bit more than that!

2.  Can you help me find a job?

Sorry folks.  A recruiter is someone who finds candidates to fill jobs, not someone who finds jobs to employ candidates.  This is a very key mistake that many, many people make.  I’m happy to send you my advice for job seekers, but I’m not a professional “job finder”… Those really don’t exist, folks!  :)

3.  Do you know of any job openings that fit my profile?

Rather than coming to me with such an open-ended question, having done zero research on your part and expecting me to do all of the homework, please make some effort and do a little legwork ahead of time.  First off, please read my profile and realize that I work for one company and only recruit for that one company.  I’m not a headhunter or a professional “job finder” (see #2 above).  Secondly, visit our careers page, apply online and then come to me with some specific positions of interest in mind.  I’ll gladly do what I can to put you in touch with the appropriate decision-makers.  Having done some homework on your end will not only speed up the process, it will also put less of a burden on the person you’re asking for help!

4.  Can you please send me John Doe’s email address?

If folks wanted their email address to be public knowledge, they’d put it right on their profile (and many of them do, so please check there first!).  If not, then it’s really not my place to give out their email address to others.  Instead, use the “Introduction Request” feature on LinkedIn.  I’ll gladly pass along the introduction request to them on your behalf and then they can decide if they’d like to follow up with you.

5.  Do you know anyone at Acme Company?

Probably!  In fact, I probably know (or am connected to) dozens of people at that company.  Rather than asking me to stop what I’m doing and run a search of my database to find a list of all possible contacts at a company, please do a little homework and run a search yourself.  You can easily find out the answer and then send an introduction request to me (or perhaps someone else in your network) who can introduce you to the perfect target contact.  After all, only you know the reason why you want to reach out and who the best contact person at that company might be.

6.  I’m interested in a position at Acme Company and would like to apply for position #1234.  Can we set up a time to speak?

Great!  But please note that I have not worked for “Acme” Company in seven years, so an interview with me won’t get you very far… Oops!  Please read my profile carefully before reaching out for help.

7.  Can you please look at my resume and send me your feedback / suggestions?

Holy moly… this one really gets me!  As much as I’d love to help, these requests would take up a full 40-hour workweek (or more!) if I complied with every such request I receive.  Resume writing is a very time-intensive process that requires two-way discussion, extensive editing and re-writing, etc. Professional Resume Writers charge big bucks for their services because it’s no easy task.  This request is something that I simply don’t have the bandwidth to help with, unless we’re married, related by blood or you promise me your firstborn.  ;)

8.  Let’s chat on the phone, grab coffee sometime, meet up for lunch, etc.

Often times, these requests are intentionally vague, asking for time on my busy calendar, yet not disclosing the reason for the meeting.  It would be much more professional and forthcoming of you to disclose the full details up front so that I can decide if it will be a good investment of my time.  And even if the reasons are legitimate, please don’t be offended if I can’t take you up on your offer…  I’m a busy working wife and mother with a jam-packed calendar who is already struggling to get everything done in a day!  :)

9.  Hi Tracy / Hi {FirstName} / Hi trusted friend / Hi James

When reaching out to contacts on LinkedIn, please be sure to get their name right.  “Tracy” is close (but still wrong), {FirstName} is clearly some mass email error, “Trusted Friend” is obviously an impersonal email blast (and immediate delete on my part) and no, I’m not some guy named James!  haha  It’s the quickest way to turn off your recipient… please personalize the note and get their name right!

10.  Love your picture / Nice smile / Hello Beautiful…

LinkedIn is a professional networking site, not Match.com.  Please refrain from trying to “pick up” your connections or come across as a stalker!  Ew. Immediate trip to my “Remove Connections” page!  :)

~~~~~

What are some of the funniest or most inappropriate requests that you’ve received on LinkedIn?  Please share them below…  I’m sure there are lots of other great examples out there!

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