How Talent Connect Attendees Use LinkedIn [STUDY]

How Talent Connect Attendees Use LinkedIn [STUDY] This year, Link Humans partnered with LinkedIn to run the Profile Makeover booth at the annual Talent Connect Europe 2012 event. The three of us (Laurence, Jorgen and Laurent over from Paris especially), had over a hundred  people coming for profile makeovers, including some of the keynote speakers. Almost all of our attendees were part of their company’s HR community and as such they are ambassadors of their employer on social media and LinkedIn. We feel that it’s important to lead by example on LinkedIn, by having a strong profile that promotes both the individual and the company it can inspire other employees to do the same. As we only had about 5 minutes for each person, in the slide deck you will find the top five recommendations we gave our attendees. We also ran a short poll during the day on the attendees LinkedIn activity, and here are the results. Please note:  In total we had 41 respondents to these questions, so this is not a highly scientific study! When did you join LinkedIn? The majority of respondents joined LinkedIn between 2007 and 2010, with the mode being 2008. Only one person who answered the survey joined in 2012. How many LinkedIn connections do you have? Half the people who answered our poll had 500+ connections on LinkedIn showing a strong network procedure on the site. 7 people specifically stated a figure over 1,000, with one person having over 11,000 connections (they joined LinkedIn in 2003, so have had time to build up their network). How many groups are you a member of? There is a limit on being a member of 50 groups when you join LinkedIn. The majority of people were a member of between 1 and 20 groups   a reasonable amount, as it is not too few and not too many. How could LinkedIn improve their profiles? There was a variety of answers to this question, with our top 5 responses being: Allowing attachments on profiles, on InMails and messages Better content Direct networking Improve mobile app Easier group management You can see all our poll results in the interactive infographic below hover over the images to see the figures. Thank you to all our respondents, hopefully see you next year!

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Tips for Saving a Project in Trouble

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Tips for Saving a Project in Trouble Projects run into trouble every day, but when its your project, your job and your reputation on the line, it can seem like a very big deal. So what action should you take, and when? Todd C. Williams, author of Rescue the Problem Project, recently spoke with Anita Bruzzese about how to save a project that appears headed for disaster. AB: In your experience, whats the most common way a project runs into trouble? TCW:The biggest issue is lack of alignment to the strategic goals of the organization. This can take many forms. For instance, the most common form is a project trying to add some new capability or product for a company, but they are trying to build everything into the deliveryboiling the ocean, so to speak. They will run out of allotted time. Project proponents argue that the project is critical to the strategy, but they ignore the actual goals. If you have extra scope functions and features that are non-essential to the delivery therisk in the project increasesand it will overrun its budget and delivery date. The project should be trimmed to the essential deliverables. Projects also can be misaligned if they are someones pet project and were part of the strategy at one time, but then the company was bought by another company. Or business conditions change, obviating the need for the project. It is really the responsibility of management to see and correct this. When they dont, the problems get out of hand. Someone needs to make sure projects are focused on what is critical. Once you start adding a little thing here and a little thing there, you are stealing resources from other projects. It slowly amplifies and the scope is out of control, hurting the entire organization. AB: Why does it seem that projects get into such serious trouble before anyone reacts? TCW: There are two primary causes for this phenomena: 1) project team members are slow to report issues, usually because they think they can fix it or they fear reprimand; and 2) executives wait too long to declare the project in trouble, (read more here)

Excuses to Skip Work for a Job Interview

Excuses to Skip Work for a Job Interview The content in this post presents excuses to skip work for a job interview. The opinions on whether this behavior is ethical or not will always be subject to debate. The reality is whether you love a job or not when it is time to leave, we try to protect the feelings of those we respect and/or choose to protect ourselves.This behavior still exists below because there is a level of transparency which does not yet exist in the workplace. Most companies do not take likely to a worker interviewing at another company while employed elsewhere. It seems to be an unwritten rule that, if such information is revealed, you will be let go from a company.If you are looking for a new job and would like some assistance, Find My Profession can help you look for work while staying employed.Excuses to Skip Work for a Job Interview1. Take a longer than normal lunchTell the boss you have a doctor’s appointment and you will combine that lunch with a business appointment. You may miss half the day at wo rk, but it could be worth it in the long run. This excuses to skip work2. Take a personal day or vacation dayNo one needs to know your goals or the reasons why you need the day off. Instead of showing your face at work, only to unexpectedly leave, take the whole day off. Some excuses to skip work are given to you by the company when you are hired.3. Use one from this list of excuses for not going to workUnfortunately, being too transparent can make people nervous in the workplace. It sounds wrong to say, but the truth is most businesses cannot handle knowing an employee is using excuses to skip work on company time for a job interview.Some businesses even have a reputation for immediately firing people while most businesses will just never trust or promote the person. Only a rare few small businesses will fully accept that someone is looking for work elsewhere.Because You Never KnowYou simply never know how people react to the news that an employee is interviewing elsewhere. So, try one of these basic ways to leave work for an interview:“I'm taking a couple of hours of personal time.” “I'm picking a friend up from the airport.” “I need to go to the bank.” “I am not feeling well.” “I have a sick (any family member).” “I have to attend a funeral.” “I have a doctor’s appointment.” “I have a dentist’s appointment.” “You have a migraine and need to go home.” “You have a business meeting.” “You have an appointment with a financial planner.”No one said breaking up with a job is easy and having a guilty conscience makes you human!In the meantime, if you ever need someone to apply for jobs on your behalf,please contact us.

How To Work With An Executive Recruiter To Find Your Next Job - VocationVillage

How To Work With An Executive Recruiter To Find Your Next Job - VocationVillage Do you know how to partner with executive recruiters to find the best next job for you? An essential career advancement skill is the ability to work well with a recruitment professional to ensure a win/win outcome for yourself, the recruiter, and your future employer. Dr. Dora Summers-Ewing is a management psychologist and former partner at Korn/Ferry International, one of the worlds premier providers of executive talent management solutions. Dr. Summers-Ewing knows the recruiting process inside and out. She shares with us how to work effectively with recruiters:Many executive job searchers would love to enlist the assistance of a recruiter to help them find a new job but they arent sure how executive recruiters can help. What exactly does a recruiter do?The short answer is that executive recruiters are employed by organizations to find the right talent for a given job role in a particular company. The long answer is that executive recruiters are experts at using their experience and industry backgrounds to match people to senior leadership roles, which include Directors, VPs, C-suite executives and Directors for Boards. They seek to understand the companys strategy, business needs, and challenges and then create a Job Specification which captures all of this while detailing the role responsibilities and needed qualifications. Then they seek out talented people who fit this profile to see if they are interested in being considered for the given position.How do executive recruiters find candidates?Various sources. For example, the sources we use at Korn/Ferry are:1. An internal Korn/Ferry database (ekornferry) which holds the resumes/files of people who have previously expressed interest in being considered for roles that match their qualifications2. Korn/Ferrys proprietary knowledge management system which searches for people in like positions to the one being recruited for and obtains their contact information3. Referrals from other recruiters4. Self-referrals from candidates5. Referrals from other contactsThese are the most common sources for the major search firms (e.g., Korn/Ferry, Spencer Stuart, Russell Reynolds, and Heidrick Struggles) but smaller recruiting companies dont have sophisticated databases so they also place ads in online forums like Indeed.com or Monster.com, and in newspapers. For highly specialized roles, they will also advertise in industry journals and through professional associations. (Note from VocationVillage.com: Since this interview was completed, LinkedIn.com has also become a major source of leads for recruiters seeking talent.)What are the biggest mistakes you see executives make when they attempt to partner effectively with a recruiter?Often, execs cannot articulate exactly what they want in their next job role. If they dont know, how will a recruiter know? For executives who want to connect with a recruiter for job search purposes, make it as easy and clear as possible for recruiters to understand what your background and experience are and what you are looking for in your next position. The second biggest mistake is a poorly written or out of date resume that doesnt reflect well on the executive candidates qualifications, experience and most importantly, their accomplishments. Your resume has to market you effectively because this is the document that the employer reviews. Next, you should be able to do the 30-second elevator speech which introduces who and what you are to another person. Think of this as your promotional announcement or mission statement. Finally, dont give up on a recruiter just because they dont call you back right away. Recruiters are very busy folks who travel quite often, so try, try again! They will also admire your persistence and motivation. (Note from VocationVillage.com: I recommend that job seekers find a mutual acquaintance and be introduced rather than persist in contacting an unresponsive recruiter.)Any other advice youd like to give executives con templating a career move?If you plan to move into a substantially different industry or role than the one you are in today, then be certain you have done your homework. By this I mean, make sure you have done many informational interviews to understand the pros and cons of the given role/company/industry you are considering and have a realistic job preview of what to expect. Next, make sure your resume accurately and vividly describes who you are and what you can bring to the party. If your career spans more than 20 years, focus on the most recent 10-15 years and be sure to describe your job roles, key accomplishments, and ability to learn quickly and incorporate this learning on a continual basis. You should also create tailored resumes to fit different situations, and youll likely need a bio as well. Always present yourself as the professional you are already or want to be! One more thing..ask trusted and respected colleagues and friends for a referral to an executive recruiter.Th is is such helpful, detailed career advice. Thank you!.Dr. Summers-Ewing specializes in leadership assessment and executive coaching. She has assessed thousands of executives for specific searches and she has seen the entire recruiting process unfold from start to finish. Prior to joining Korn/Ferry, Dr. Summers-Ewing was the Director of a University Career Center and she says that her first passion remains career counseling.

Tips For Hiring Resume Writing Services

Tips For Hiring Resume Writing ServicesIf you are seeking professional resume writing services, whether it is for yourself or for a potential new hire, you will find many sources in which to seek the services of a professional. Your local newspaper, the Internet, and even other businesses offering these services are just a few places where you will be able to find these writers.One thing that you should not do is use only your resume for all of your business purposes. When you are looking at the services of a writer, they will be able to help you with your resume for other purposes. For example, if you are looking to get into the field of education, you will find writers who specialize in this area of the business.If you are looking to work in the field of finance, you will be able to find a resume writer who has experience in this field. When looking for a resume writer, make sure that you know how they will be able to produce a well-written resume. You will be able to find out a li ttle bit about their past by looking at their client's resumes.What is important for you to know is that the resume writer has experience in the field that you are seeking. For example, if you are interested in working in sales, you will not be able to find a resume writer who can help you with this endeavor. However, if you are looking for someone who can help you with this task, you will be able to find people who can.Another thing that you should be aware of is that you need to know what your resume should look like. You will find that some resumes will require that you use certain fonts and certain formats. The better resume writers will be able to understand what you want your resume to look like before they begin their work. They will be able to help you with the things that you are looking for, and can also tell you what types of professional resumes you can expect.In order to get the best out of the services of a resume writer, you should be sure that you check the credentia ls of the person. You will want to make sure that they have experience as a professional in the type of services that you are seeking. When you do this, you will be sure that you are going to be able to get the best results possible from your job search.It is important to remember that your resume writing services will offer different things. You will be able to find writers who specialize in a particular field, as well as writers who specialize in all of the forms of communication. When you are trying to choose between these forms of services, you will want to be sure that you consider the person's experience in each field.If you are looking for a resume writer, you should be sure that you choose one that has worked with you before. This way, you will be able to get the most out of the service and use it to its full potential. You will be able to look great on your first day on the job and to get hired by the employer without having to go through a long interview process.

The Things That You Can Start Doing Today To Improve Your Online Business

The Things That You Can Start Doing Today To Improve Your Online Business If you have an online business then it is so important to make sure that you are taking steps all of the time to improve it. The reason being, is that there are so many competitors out there. And with the rate that things like the internet is changing, there are changes and updates that are going to make a big difference to your business if you’re not keeping up. So without further ado, here are some of the things that you can be doing to make sure that your online business can keep growing and keep being competitive. Evaluate Your Goals When it comes to your business, you can get stuck in the routine of just doing normal things that you might forget what you need to do or even why you’re doing it. So being able to remember what you are doing or what you’re not doing, then you can re-evaluate the things that you’re doing. This could even help you to see the things that you need to do, how things need to be done a little differently, and the plan to get to them. Check Your Website One thing that you need to do is to see things with fresh new eyes. One of those things to do is to look at your website as if you were looking at it for the first time; can you see everything there that you need? Go to your homepage and then think about what you first notice. From there, ask yourself if the layout is clear and if everything can be seen without scrolling through or clicking to other pages. Then when it comes to clicking through other pages, is the whole sie easy to navigate through? Does anything seem to be missing from the site? By quickly answering questions like these, you can then easily see what needs to happen in order to improve your website. For an online business, this is clearly a must. Your business won’t work if your business doesn’t. Grade Your Website An even more thorough way to check of things the health of your website could be to get your site graded through free online websites. This could be especially true if you aren’t outsourcing something like IT consulting for your digital needs. These kinds of websites can give you a report over things that you need to do to make it better. You should also check your RSS feed, your social media presence, image tags, and all of the other aspects to how you can optimize your website. Call to ActionOn your website, it is really important to have a call to action so that you can keep the potential customers on your site, or at least in touch with your business. It could be through a newsletter email sign-up, or perhaps a download for a freebie. Once you have their email address, then it can be a good idea to use it wisely to try to turn that into a potential sale, rather than them just clicking off.

Looking After Your Soul Personal Development As A Solopreneur

Looking After Your Soul Personal Development As A Solopreneur Many Americans are self-employed, and as the Small Business Administration has found, there are  over two million people  working as solopreneurs here in California alone. With flexible working patterns, the chance to build something long lasting and rewarding for yourself, and that amazing feeling of being free from the grind of a  dead end 9 to 5 job   all on offer, it’s no wonder that self-employment is so popular. But there are some downsides to not working in a team, too, and that means you need to take the time for your own personal development. Get learning When you work in a traditional team or office environment, opportunities for learning and continuing professional development are often handed to you on a plate. But when you’re working for yourself, you need to arrange learning for yourself. For that reason, it’s wise to hunt out courses which suit your needs, and this could cover anything from basic bookkeeping to improved networking skills. Your local small business networking group may be able to help you find providers, while a nearby college may run courses perfect for your needs. Become spiritual Whether you’re religious or not, it’s a good idea to spend some time becoming more spiritual. Being spiritual encompasses everything from feeling more purposeful to having to the mental tools to process business events more quickly and efficiently, and as a result of this increased self-reflection, youre likely to get through more tasks and save company time. Spirituality can be a way to do everything from reflecting on how well you are running your business to  managing stress in the workplace,  and as Inc.com reports, it’s  endorsed by leading lights  like Stanford business professor Scotty McLennan so you’re in good company! Speak to others The clue is in the name: personal development is something that you largely do by yourself. But that doesn’t mean you can’t speak to others to help develop your own self, and sometimes it’s vital to do this to make sure you get it right. By  reaching out to other entrepreneurs  in your network, you can swap tips on how you can build yourselves up mentally. That way, you can use your peers to filter out ineffective or useless personal development ideas. As an entrepreneur, spending time working on yourself and improving your sense of self-worth is vital. By investing time in making yourself into a better person, you will find yourself increasingly knowledgeable about yourself and more able to manage life’s issues. No matter how much personal development you’ve done before, it’s definitely worth starting today.