LinkedIn Summary vs. LinkedIn Experience Sections

LinkedIn Summary vs. LinkedIn Experience Sections I got this question from Derek, who saw my LinkedIn Optimization course on Pluralsight  (which you can get access to for free read below): I just completed the course on LinkedIn Profile Optimization and feel that I have a strong above the fold profile which the video was mainly focused on. The video didnt focus on the experience section and what to write based off what you did at the company. You touched on writing mini stories for the summary and experience sections, I am not sure writing only mini stories will give the best overall picture in the experience section. Do you have another video on pluralsight that helps enhance the content for the experience section? This is a great question. After doing group trainings and one-on-one consultations for years, I feel like my best answer is jelling pretty good. Of course, there are exceptions, but in 99% of the one-on-one consultations I do, and the Profile critiques Ive done, the answer below will be appropriate. Its critical to think about the LinkedIn Profile as one single marketing document.  If you  break up the sections of the Profile, and think about them as a critical reader (recruiter, hiring manager, prospective funder, partner, prospect, customer, etc.) might, you could probably guess that some parts are more important than others.  For example, your Professional Headline is not only at the top, but its a part of your mini profile, and seen in other places on LinkedIn (other than your Profile page). On the other hand, the best way to contact me, or the seeking sections, are largely ignored (by design, because they are so far down the Profile). If we think about the Profile as a single marketing document, the question is, what is the single message of the document?  I am now counseling my consultation customers to have that single message communicated  in a concise and clean way in the Professional Headline.  This is what I call your main claim, or your primary claim.  Then, your Summary has five to seven secondary claims, ALL OF THEM SUPPORTING THE MAIN CLAIM.  These can be communicated in various ways, my favorite of which is the mini-stories. You can see all of this in action in my LinkedIn Profile Optimization course on Pluralsight for free.  How?  JibberJobber users get a free 30 day pass to Pluralsight, which means you can watch this, and dozens of my other courses (including the LinkedIn Proactive Strategies course), during your 30 day window.  Click here to see how you can have access within a 60 seconds   no credit card required. Okay, so in the Pluralsight course, its clear how to position the secondary claims and make your Summary much better than the status quo.  Derek gets that, but wonders what to do in the Experience section, which some people call the job description the parts in each of the jobs you list in your Profile. This really isnt a job description, although some people treat it that way. I suggest you make this more about YOU and less about the job. How do you do that? I think the best way is to use the exact same strategy as what you used in the Summary section. That is, secondary claims (that all support the primary claim in the Professional Headline), with mini-stories that (a) present the claim, (b) give a for example, and (c) quantify the results. Mini-stories are SO powerful. When you align them with your primary claim, you give further evidence and support that your primary claim is valid, and that you are focused and understand your value. What I normally see is resume-like statements that are super concise, and super dry and boring. Worse, they look cliche. They look like what anyone else would write that has your same job history, and is making the same claims, and is looking for the same job you are looking for. Okay, you think, maybe thats not so bad.  To be honest with you, having resume-speak on your Profile is better than the weak, non-information that I see on too many Profiles. So kudos for having anything that helps me understand you more. But what Id rather see you have in your experience sections are mini-stories that each (a) make a claim, (b) give me a meaty for-example, and (c) tell me why it matters (ie, the quantification) this is what we accomplish with mini-stories, and (d) support the primary claim. This last part is important so the reader doesnt get sidetracked by irrelevant information. Thats my recommendation from the summary all the way down through the Experience section claims, quantification, and alignment. Do you have a different idea? Leave a comment and let us know! LinkedIn Summary vs. LinkedIn Experience Sections I got this question from Derek, who saw my LinkedIn Optimization course on Pluralsight  (which you can get access to for free read below): I just completed the course on LinkedIn Profile Optimization and feel that I have a strong above the fold profile which the video was mainly focused on. The video didnt focus on the experience section and what to write based off what you did at the company. You touched on writing mini stories for the summary and experience sections, I am not sure writing only mini stories will give the best overall picture in the experience section. Do you have another video on pluralsight that helps enhance the content for the experience section? This is a great question. After doing group trainings and one-on-one consultations for years, I feel like my best answer is jelling pretty good. Of course, there are exceptions, but in 99% of the one-on-one consultations I do, and the Profile critiques Ive done, the answer below will be appropriate. Its critical to think about the LinkedIn Profile as one single marketing document.  If you  break up the sections of the Profile, and think about them as a critical reader (recruiter, hiring manager, prospective funder, partner, prospect, customer, etc.) might, you could probably guess that some parts are more important than others.  For example, your Professional Headline is not only at the top, but its a part of your mini profile, and seen in other places on LinkedIn (other than your Profile page). On the other hand, the best way to contact me, or the seeking sections, are largely ignored (by design, because they are so far down the Profile). If we think about the Profile as a single marketing document, the question is, what is the single message of the document?  I am now counseling my consultation customers to have that single message communicated  in a concise and clean way in the Professional Headline.  This is what I call your main claim, or your primary claim.  Then, your Summary has five to seven secondary claims, ALL OF THEM SUPPORTING THE MAIN CLAIM.  These can be communicated in various ways, my favorite of which is the mini-stories. You can see all of this in action in my LinkedIn Profile Optimization course on Pluralsight for free.  How?  JibberJobber users get a free 30 day pass to Pluralsight, which means you can watch this, and dozens of my other courses (including the LinkedIn Proactive Strategies course), during your 30 day window.  Click here to see how you can have access within a 60 seconds   no credit card required. Okay, so in the Pluralsight course, its clear how to position the secondary claims and make your Summary much better than the status quo.  Derek gets that, but wonders what to do in the Experience section, which some people call the job description the parts in each of the jobs you list in your Profile. This really isnt a job description, although some people treat it that way. I suggest you make this more about YOU and less about the job. How do you do that? I think the best way is to use the exact same strategy as what you used in the Summary section. That is, secondary claims (that all support the primary claim in the Professional Headline), with mini-stories that (a) present the claim, (b) give a for example, and (c) quantify the results. Mini-stories are SO powerful. When you align them with your primary claim, you give further evidence and support that your primary claim is valid, and that you are focused and understand your value. What I normally see is resume-like statements that are super concise, and super dry and boring. Worse, they look cliche. They look like what anyone else would write that has your same job history, and is making the same claims, and is looking for the same job you are looking for. Okay, you think, maybe thats not so bad.  To be honest with you, having resume-speak on your Profile is better than the weak, non-information that I see on too many Profiles. So kudos for having anything that helps me understand you more. But what Id rather see you have in your experience sections are mini-stories that each (a) make a claim, (b) give me a meaty for-example, and (c) tell me why it matters (ie, the quantification) this is what we accomplish with mini-stories, and (d) support the primary claim. This last part is important so the reader doesnt get sidetracked by irrelevant information. Thats my recommendation from the summary all the way down through the Experience section claims, quantification, and alignment. Do you have a different idea? Leave a comment and let us know!

How to Start a Side Hustle That Pays Fast

How to Start a Side Hustle That Pays Fast Its now been over 4 years since the recession hit, and youve probably felt some effect of it by now. You might be in a job just because you need something to pay the bills.   Or maybe you enjoy the job youre doing, but youre working at a pay rate that doesnt meet all your needs. Youd like to make more money but that means either moving to another job (good luck) or getting a second one. And jumping into a side hustle isnt as easy as it sounds.   You have to take the time to look.   And you struggle inside with whether taking on more work will burn you out. But bills have to be paid, and insanity is just doing the same thing over and over again. The good thing is, theres a way to do a side hustle without the drawbacks of burning yourself out or taking all of your free time.   And Im here to show you howguaranteed (see end). How College Taught Me to Side Hustle College was a great atmosphere for learning how to side hustle.   Every semester was a mystery as to what my schedule would look like, so finding a flexible job was CRUCIAL. One semester I might have classes in the morning M/W/F then the next semester I was spread all over T/Th. So instead of trying to find a new job every semester that fit my schedule best, I looked for several side hustle jobs. And I found this kind of work in spades.   I worked in promotion for Dell, Microsoft, and Livescribe.   I played with the survey sites.   I freelanced articles for EHow.   I did consulting, training, and even demoed a machine that made icecream from bananas. The point is Ive been there, done that, and still do some from time to time. Lets get started. The First Step: Whats Your Motivation? Not all side hustles are built the same.   Your motivations may be completely different from my motivations. So some side hustles may work better for you than they might for me. For example, maybe you just need a little bit of extra work to pay off an unexpected car repair.   Getting another part time job only to quit after a few months isnt the best idea. Or maybe you want to develop a skill so you can eventually move to a different job or career.   Delivering pizzas on the weekend probably wont help you much there either. Starting to see why understanding your motivation is key. Step Two: Find the Type of Side Hustle You Want There are three types of side hustles I typically see in the job market. 1. Weekend/PT Job 2. Freelancing 3. A Side Business Online Depending on your motivation you might focus on a different type of side hustle. For example, if you are really looking for something long term that allows you to pursue your passion, an online side business makes a lot of sense.   It will take more time to build and start making money, but in the long run will make you happy. If you need some money right away to help pay for your familys Christmas gifts, then you might look elsewhere. Step Three:   Where to Look For the Side Hustle That Fits YOU So you have an idea of what you are looking for in a side hustle, now you just need help finding it. Here are a few popular choices based on the three types I listed above. Side Hustles For the Weekend Part Time Warrior  1. Promotion Agencies This is probably one of my favorites in the bunch, and an area most people dont know about.   Promotion agencies are great because they will tend to pay fairly well, upwards of $20 or more an hour, for jobs that have you working 4-5 hours on a Saturday or Sunday. Its a great win/win for the employee and the agency.   The promotion agencies want their staff in the stores when they are busiest, which typically are the weekends.   The employee only has to give up a few hours of their weekend and comes home with a couple $100 each month in return. Also these tend to be project based so you get to work on a variety of products and can space out how often you want to take on additional projects.   If you just want to work leading up to the holidays you can.   If you want to work a few weekends every month, you can do that too. Promotion Agencies You Can Check Out: Mosaic Experiential Marketing, Sales, Merchandising Marketstar Experiential Marketing, Sales, Events Integer Retail Branding, Promotion The Marketing Arm Promotion Agency 2.   Pizza Delivery I have known several people who have picked up some extra dough delivering pizzas. Many pizza places are always looking for weekend drivers to fill in for their busy times.   And tips on the weekends are usually better as well. Do some research and see which pizza shops pay best, how they compensate for gas and wear on your vehicle, and what your hours might be. If driving soothes your soul, than this might be a good choice. 3.   Mystery Shopping Who wouldnt want to get paid to shop?   Not only that, you often get to keep merchandise from the stores you visit. The challenge however is finding the agencies that hire mystery shoppers. Also, it might be helpful to know that there is actually more work to it then you might think.   The agencies that pay you are doing it because they want DETAILS.   That means after the fun of visiting the shop and being your own private detective, youll have to come back home and write a decent report on what you experienced. So dont be surprised if they screen you for your writing abilities, attention to detail, and ability to describe events clearly. Mystery Shopping Agencies to Check Out: A Closer Look Restaurants, Hotels Management Consulting Group Restaurant, Hotels, Fast Food Pacific Research Group Retail Side Hustles For Freelancers 1.   Craigslist Yes, the same place you go to sell your old sofas also turns out to be a great place to find freelance work. Under the jobs section there are a few areas you can try, such as part-time, marketing, general labor, and admin/office. But, they also have a place specifically for Gigs. These can range from doing computer based work such as graphic design, social media, and seo, to more general work like writing, casting, and photography. 2. Elance Elance is a job posting site that is built for freelancers.   Employers have to pay a fee to get started on Elance, so the jobs are real and the employers have a sense of urgency to hire you quickly. The categories of jobs listed range from IT to Admin Support.   It should be fairly easy to pick up a job if you have some basic skills with a computer, marketing, or writing. A good thing to be aware of on Elance is that you will end up competing on projects.   So its not easy to charge whatever you feel like.   Theres going to be an Elance economy in effect where certain projects tend to go for certain rates. So to stand out, make sure your profile looks nice and that you can link to some of the work youve done. 3. Freelance Switch If you Google freelance sites, youll find plenty of results on the topic, but if you ask me you really only need one.   Freelance Switch. This is the ultimate resource for everything freelance, even the jobs themselves. To be fair, to apply for the jobs you do need a subscription which is $7 a month.   But this is a good thing. The jobs here are quality.   Sony, Comcast, EA, and other big name companies use this site to post their freelance work. Having a name like that on your resume isnt bad, right? Also, some of the writing gigs pay $75 an article. So you arent working hours for pennies here. Finally, this is aimed for serious freelancers so its expected that if you sign up for the subscription, you are going to take the time to apply for the jobs listed in order to make a return on your investment. Side Hustles For the Online Business Folk Now despite what the headline says, this isnt a quick way to make some extra cash. The reason being, that it just takes time to set up a site, generate traffic, create a product, market the productyou get the point. Sorry, if youre looking for a way to get rich quick, I cant help you. Still, this is an excellent option for those who are motivated to work on something they have a passion for and can wait to get money down the road. There are already remarkable courses and lessons on how to do develop this path, so Im not going to try and replicate it quickly right here. If you are serious about starting your own site, and want to learn how to monetize it, I suggest you take Corbett Barrs course Start a Blog That Matters. Still Cant Find A Side Hustle?   Ill Help You I understand, looking for work is tough, even if it is a side job.   So if you still cant find something that works for you, Ill personally help find a gig for you. Heres what you do. 1. Post a comment below describing the type of side hustle you are looking for and what your interests and skills are. 2. Subscribe to our email updates above (this will let me know you are serious and are open to the advice Ill give). Best of luck, Im interested to hear your thoughts. image courtesy of scottkellum

Owning Your Elegant Warrior

Owning Your Elegant Warrior You’re an Elegant Warrior. No matter whether you’re wearing cut-off jeans, no makeup and a top knot or a business suit, nude stockings and 3-inch pumps, you meet the definition. Whether you’re a teacher, a nurse, a doctor or a CEO, an athlete, a couch potato or a ballroom dancer, you can wear the mantle of “elegant warrior.” That’s the great thing about being an Elegant Warrior. You set the standard. The root of the word “elegance” is “to choose.” That means you get to choose your elegance and what it means to you. You choose exactly what it means to you. But that’s the easy part. The hard part of being an Elegant Warrior is staying true to your choice when things get hard. During times of trial, battle, or war, when we have to pick up our armor and step into life’s inevitable conflicts, it’s awfully tempting to sacrifice the elegance and go all in for the warrior. But temptation doesn’t have to become reality. You choose. I’m a trial lawyer. I defend doctors in medical malpractice cases. We lawyers call the rooms where we prepare for trial “war rooms” and we call the stories we tell about our trials “war stories.” Clearly, we are warriors. I knew I was choosing a warrior career over 20 years ago when I started working at the firm where I am now a partner. And I was ready. But I had to find a way to be an Elegant Warrior. Because I didn’t want to use the fact that my job entailed aggression, fighting and zero sum games to rationalize becoming mean, nasty or losing my compassion. I had to find a combination. Elegance Defined In my book, The Elegant Warrior-How to Win Life’s Trial Without Losing Yourself, I share my definition of elegance. For me, elegance is “the ability to be true to yourself, both who you are and who you feel destined to be, no matter what inner and outer wars you face”. And in my job as a trial lawyer I’ve faced some inner and outer wars. The outer wars were usually my trials. I’d step into the courtroom on the first day of trial knowing that when the case was over one side would win and one side would lose. I desperately wanted to be the one left standing, victorious. That led to my inner warwhat was I willing to do to make that happen? At first, I’d falter. There were times when I’d lean towards the warrior me, and feel terrible about myself even if I won. There were other times I’d lean towards my elegance and wonder whether it impacted my client. But after many years and some missteps, I think I’ve found the balance between the Elegant and the Warrior. My inner Elegant Warrior fights with everything she has for her client, her story, and her truth. Stepping into the courtroom I know I’m armed and ready to wrestle the other side’s version of the truth from them. But I won’t take their dignity. I’ll attack their story, but not their worth. And I will use evidence, credibility and persuasion to advocate for my client without ever resorting to lies, cheating or stealing. Who is Your Elegant Warrior? I can’t tell you who your elegant warrior is or what she looks like. I can tell you that she’s there, inside of you, and has always been. The more you check in with her, especially during times of trial, the louder and stronger she gets. Listen to herbecause she knows how to win. This guest post was authored by Heather Hansen HEATHER HANSEN is a trial lawyer, consultant and professional speaker. She has defended medical malpractice cases for over twenty years.   Heather was recently inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers and is consistently named one of the Top 50 Female Attorneys in the state of Pennsylvania. Heather works as a communication consultant, combining her courtroom experience with her psychology degree and her training as a mediator to help her clients ask better questions, master objections, and use credible persuasion to succeed. She has appeared on CNN, NBC, Fox News Channel, and many others. Heather lives in New York City.  Connect with Heather Hansen on Facebook @HeatherHansenPresents, Twitter @ImHeatherHansen, Instagram @ImHeatherHansen, LinkedIn @HeatherHansen, YouTube, and visit www.heatherhansenpresent.com. The Elegant Warrior: How to Win Life’s Trials Without Losing Yourself is available on Amazon and other fine booksellers.

Career Changers - Creating a Resume for a New Career

Career Changers - Creating a Resume for a New Career Even when you are a seasoned professional, securing a job with an impressive resume is tough in a competitive job market.It’s a bigger concern when you are changing directions in your career.One way to start your new journey is with a remarkable resume.Your resume should:Exhibit the passion for your new chosen path Revealyour abundant potential Showcase current skills that you already possessThe following five recommendations should help you get started.It Begins With the Cover LetterAs you begin your journey to start your new career, your first task is convincing hiring managers of your newfound passion.The purpose of a cover letter is not only persuading the hiring manager to read your resume but explaining to them why you want to change careers.A great cover letter will:Convince the hiring manager about your desire to pursue this new field Explain how your interest and skills can be beneficial to the companyYou do this by explaining how your transferable skills and accomplishmen ts will support the position and organization you are applying for.Your cover letter should be convincing enough for them to review your resume and contact you for an interview.(For more, seeHow To Write An Amazing Cover Letter With Examples.)Use the Right Resume FormatMost individuals use the traditional chronological resume.However, a functional resume has proven to be more useful for career changers.This resume format draws more attention to your transferable skills and accomplishments than your work history.Always start your resume with a professional summary Include your career goals and a synopsis of your qualifications After the career summary, list accomplishments and transferable skillsThese will give hiring managers a look at the most relevant experience to keep them interested.(For more on how to format your resume, readProfessional Resume Style - Headers, Fonts, Themes.)Identify Your Transferable SkillsTransferable skills are skills you've obtained in previous work hist ory that can also have an impact on your new career.These skills can be valuable to any profession or organization.Taking inventory of your skills can be used to your advantage in a resumeList transferable skillssuch as:Manage multiple projects simultaneouslyThis shows that you have the ability to multitask and can take on more than one project at a time.Communicate effectively with clients/customersThis highlights your relationship-building skills and how well you communicate with individuals at various levels.It is important to remember that all new positions will have a learning curve.However, these transferable skills show hiring managers what you have to offer despite your lack of professional experience.Quantify Your AccomplishmentsAccomplishments can prove to be a tremendous asset to your resume.Thisespecially comes into play if you are changing professions.Quantifiable achievements show that you know how to make effective changes within an organization.Achievements should be very specific and include details such as these:Did you improve any current processes by increasing productivity? How did you help save the organization money on a project? Did you lead any projects or task force?Positive accomplishments show your ability to lead, manage, and solve problems.It is also good to add numbers to your achievements... especially if it includes employees, budgets, and money.Showing percentages and dollar amounts help the hiring manager visually see your efforts.Reinvent YourselfAs you begin to reinvent yourself in your new profession, look into finding ways to gain more experience in your desired field.This experience shows hiring managers that you have a real passion for your new field and have a vested interest in developing new skills.For example, if your new career is in accounting, you may want to ...Join a professional accounting association Take additional classes at a local community college Volunteer your time bookkeeping for a non-profit organiza tionThese are great ways to expand your knowledge and gain reliable references.Regardless of where you gain the experience, it still counts as experience.Therefore, it adds to your value in the eyes of prospective employers.(You will also want to include this information in the professional summary of your resume.)Closing Thoughts on Creating a Resume for a New CareerChanging directions in your career is possible in the current job market.Most individuals who change careers take advantage of industry changes that have resulted in the lack of employment in some areas.As you embark on your career-change journey, the most important thing is to focus!Focus on your passion Focus on skills you already possessFocusing on your skills, desire, and potential will showcase your enthusiasm, which will lead you to an interview.(For more on resumesdon't miss theTop 5 Resume Sections You Can't Go Without.)

Job-Seeking Tips - How to Structure a Resume

Job-Seeking Tips - How to Structure a ResumeWhen hiring a new employee to work for you in your Westfield, MA office, there are several things you need to consider when you are considering a resume. Knowing how to create a resume can give you the power to have someone read your resume and immediately pick up on the points that need to be emphasized. There are also several mistakes that you should avoid when creating a resume.One of the most important aspects of the resume is the heading. Your heading should make it easy for an employer to glance at the rest of the resume. Also, you want to include a picture of yourself so your potential employer can see who you are. The image of your face on the cover of your resume should be just the right size and not too big or too small. The placement of your picture may be the deciding factor in the decision to hire you.Next, you want to include your cover letter with your resume. Include the following information: your full name, your current ad dress, and your contact information including phone number and email address. This letter is where you introduce yourself and your work history. The best use of your time when writing your cover letter is to write it completely from the heart. You can include some humor and sentiment, but do not try to be funny, sincere, or even heartfelt too often.Describe what your ideal candidate will accomplish as a part of the company and describe how you will fit into the person's vision of the organization. You also want to include how you can help the person achieve the goals. People love to feel they are making a difference, but also want to be able to do a little to help make the world a better place.You need to stress that you are a self-starter. In other words, you are the kind of person who is capable of starting something and being responsible for all of the requirements before the project begins. It is your job to keep the project on track and make sure it has enough time to reach its goal.As you can see, your resume does not end after the cover letter and resume. You want to include the paragraphs that will make a positive impression on the employer and then list your responsibilities in your last paragraph.If you have questions about how to structure your resume, and you feel that your resume needs improvement, you can contact resume writing services in Westfield, MA. They will work with you to craft a well-written resume that is perfect for the job. When you are working with a professional resume writing service, you will know exactly what is expected.There are many local companies that offer a variety of resume writing services. Use the Internet to find a company near you.

Revealing the hidden job market - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Revealing the hidden job market The hidden job market is one of the biggest of buzz phrases for job seekers. Many experts argue that up to 80 percent of the available jobs are hidden, although absolute documentation is hard to come by. So where are all these jobs, and how can you access them? Typically, people think of the hidden job market as all the jobs which arent publicly viewable on a companys website, job boards, or elsewhere. Some jobs will become public, but just arent there yet. Others are hidden and arent ever made public. Timing Before a job becomes public, several people are likely to know about it: the hiring manager; the managers boss who has to approve the addition to head count; members of the department who know that a job is being created or that someone has left or will vacate a position; an HR generalist who will work with the hiring manager to formulate the job description; HR staffing personnel charged with listing the position and recruiting for itâ€"but havent yet made it public. When you put it all together, you can imagine 10, 20, or more people in different areas of a company knowing about a job to be filled before it becomes public. Intention There are several legitimate reasons why an employer may decide not to publish a position at all. Many employers simply dont want to be deluged by large numbers of resumes they know that they would receive if they advertised the position. Often in a small or family-owned business the employer will approach his/her own network to see if someone knows anyone who is good at whatever. Sometimes a stealth search is undertaken for other business reasons, such as not tipping off the competition about what is going on, or even to replace an under-performing worker who is still on the job and doesnt yet know of the employers intention to let him go. The list of reasons can go on and on. You never know in advance who might be in that select group who has advance knowledge of a job opening, or be looking for someone without advertising it. But by getting out there, interacting with others in a whole range of activities, and more formal networking, you will increase your chances of finding that hidden opportunity. Pursue Serendipity The most important thing that a job hunter can do after creating a dynamic, achievement-based resume is to go about talking to as many people as possible. By engaging with other people in all aspects of your life, you can often make serendipity happen. A classic example is an unemployed man who was cheering his son on in an inter-school soccer game. He struck up a conversation with the man standing next to him who, it turned out, was the father of one of the opposing teams members. With a little small talk he found out that the man happened to own a company in the same field. In the course of conversation, they asked about each others employment. Within a larger context, the job hunter offered his well-honed personal branding statement and let it be known that he was pursuing new opportunities. The other man replied, Ive been thinking about hiring someone with just your background for my company. How about coming in on Monday morning so we can get to know each other better? Two weeks later, the unemployed man started his new job. Network and Seek Out Decision Makers Research your target companies through business publications, search engines, and social media like LinkedIn. When you see someones achievements written up, send a note of congratulations. Ask if you can have a few minutes of his/her time to learn more about what theyre doing, their innovation, expansion, or business initiative. Make certain to convey that you are not asking for a job, and are interested to find out more about the other person. When you are successful in networking, you can then demonstrate your knowledge of and interest in the field. In this context you can ask, Who are the other key people you think I could learn more from? Turn a bit of information into a personal encounter. Turn the encounter into an informational interview. And turn one informational interview into a series of others. As the process goes on, at a minimum you will learn a great deal, and over time you will likely meet someone who is looking for you but just didnt know it. The hidden job will then become revealed, and you will be at the head of the line to be considered. Happy hunting! Arnie Fertig is the head coach of JOBHUNTERCOACH.COM, where he utilizes his extensive background in HR Staffing and as owner of a recruiting company to help mid-career job-hunters land their next job. Arnie provides one-to-one coaching services to individuals throughout the U.S. in all aspects of the job hunt, including: resume writing, personal branding, utilizing social media, enhancing networking skills, preparing for interviews, and negotiating compensation.

Interview Etiquette - When to Ask About Salary

Interview Etiquette - When to Ask About Salary Recently I was interviewed on Headline News about a viral news story about a woman who was dropped from an interview process because she asked about salary.   Listen to what I shared on HLN about the story via the audio clip in the second half of the podcast below (and view the video clip here). Money is one of the 9 areas I help people gain clarity about when I take them through my Soul Search, Research and Job Search process.   Money is a motivator but its not the only one and if youve only been thinking show me the money when it comes to jobs, youre missing out on being fulfilled by your work.Feeling the love from our work is crucial. And in the podcast above youll also hear from a real person who gets more than just money rewards at work, she feels the love too.   She gets to work at a place where coworkers feel like family, where they genuinely appreciate and value one another and where theyre experiencing great success.   Sound like a dream?   Its not.   Its reality Ronna Vi gil shares the ways shes created the loving environment in which shes worked for the past 10 yrs.   Listen in and find the love in your work today!Check out Ronnas book Pen It Forward:Use Your Words to Spread Love and Joy in a Handwritten Letter. Check out this episode!