I am currently spending time with friends and family in New York and often our conversation turns to the "good old days". We are reminiscing about people, places, and events and without failure, the converstation always leads to technology and how much we depend on it today. Even I think about how we coordinated meetups and scheduled parties without cell phones, Blackberries, and texting. Boy, how our world has changed!
For those of you deep in the trenches with your job search, you know that your voice cannot be heard without an adequate online presence. These days, if you want to reach someone, reconnect with someone, get a message to someone, it is primarily done through social media and smart technology devices.
So when you are trying to make a great impression with a recruiter, key contact, future employer or top hiring manager, what steps can you take to make sure your "online voice" is heard?
A) Wake Up Your Email Signature
Even if you are adverse to jumping on the bandwagon with every new technology tool, start off with a branded email signature. Ways to pump up your email signature include:
-- Adding your professional title, personal brand statement, phone number, LinkedIn and VisualCV url links.
-- Consider using a professional headshot to make a connection with your email recipients.
B) Create Personal Online Profiles
If you are serious about your job search, you should have a complete, branded profile with LinkedIn, Zoominfo, Ziggs, Google and Jigsaw.
Be diligent and make sure that these profiles have "meat" in them and display sufficient detail about your job responsibilities and at least one top achievement for each company. As your network expands, remember to add recommendations or third-party testimonials from former bosses and colleagues.
C) Develop An Online Portfolio / Personal Website
Give employers access to a web-based portfolio that would allow them to download your professional resume, career biography, case studies and other relevant career marketing documents.
Start off with a free portfolio at http://www.visualcv.com/ and purchase your own URL (in your personal name) if you want to upgrade to an actual website at a later point.
D) Get On LinkedIn & Get Active
With more than 40 million global members including top Fortune 500 executives and recruiters, a robust, branded LinkedIn profile is a strategic tool in helping you build and expand your professional network.
-- Use a branded headline/title header to attract new visitors and catch the eye of proactive recruiters and headhunters. Be specific in terms of profession, industry, expertise and geographic location.
-- Solicit and add recommendations from former colleagues, bosses, mentors and respected professionals in your field - third-party kudos can go a long way.
-- Develop a compelling summary on your LinkedIn profile from your existing elevator pitch - make sure you use relevant, acronyms and industry jargon related to your areas of expertise.
-- Get active by joining groups and contributing to ongoing discussions and forums.
E) Don't Overlook Twitter
Twitter can instantly connect you to trend setters and thought leaders in your target industry, but be a giver and receiver of information. Whenever you come across an interesting news article or blog post, don't be afraid to retweet as long as you give the original author full credit.
F) Maximize Niche Membership & Specialty Sites
Huge commercial career sites like Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com are great for entry-level to mid-level career opportunities, but if you are an executive or senior-level jobseekers, streamline your activities to online job boards that focus on a particular occupation, industry, job function or type of jobseeker like CEO, Sales Executives, MBAs etc.
Abby M. Locke (http://www.premierwriting.com/) is a career marketing strategist and leadership brand coach who partners with 6 figure executives and professional MBA women to help them achieve true career mastery and success through cutting-edge, career branded communications, innovative job search campaigns, and proactive career management tools.
For those of you deep in the trenches with your job search, you know that your voice cannot be heard without an adequate online presence. These days, if you want to reach someone, reconnect with someone, get a message to someone, it is primarily done through social media and smart technology devices.
So when you are trying to make a great impression with a recruiter, key contact, future employer or top hiring manager, what steps can you take to make sure your "online voice" is heard?
A) Wake Up Your Email Signature
Even if you are adverse to jumping on the bandwagon with every new technology tool, start off with a branded email signature. Ways to pump up your email signature include:
-- Adding your professional title, personal brand statement, phone number, LinkedIn and VisualCV url links.
-- Consider using a professional headshot to make a connection with your email recipients.
B) Create Personal Online Profiles
If you are serious about your job search, you should have a complete, branded profile with LinkedIn, Zoominfo, Ziggs, Google and Jigsaw.
Be diligent and make sure that these profiles have "meat" in them and display sufficient detail about your job responsibilities and at least one top achievement for each company. As your network expands, remember to add recommendations or third-party testimonials from former bosses and colleagues.
C) Develop An Online Portfolio / Personal Website
Give employers access to a web-based portfolio that would allow them to download your professional resume, career biography, case studies and other relevant career marketing documents.
Start off with a free portfolio at http://www.visualcv.com/ and purchase your own URL (in your personal name) if you want to upgrade to an actual website at a later point.
D) Get On LinkedIn & Get Active
With more than 40 million global members including top Fortune 500 executives and recruiters, a robust, branded LinkedIn profile is a strategic tool in helping you build and expand your professional network.
-- Use a branded headline/title header to attract new visitors and catch the eye of proactive recruiters and headhunters. Be specific in terms of profession, industry, expertise and geographic location.
-- Solicit and add recommendations from former colleagues, bosses, mentors and respected professionals in your field - third-party kudos can go a long way.
-- Develop a compelling summary on your LinkedIn profile from your existing elevator pitch - make sure you use relevant, acronyms and industry jargon related to your areas of expertise.
-- Get active by joining groups and contributing to ongoing discussions and forums.
E) Don't Overlook Twitter
Twitter can instantly connect you to trend setters and thought leaders in your target industry, but be a giver and receiver of information. Whenever you come across an interesting news article or blog post, don't be afraid to retweet as long as you give the original author full credit.
F) Maximize Niche Membership & Specialty Sites
Huge commercial career sites like Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com are great for entry-level to mid-level career opportunities, but if you are an executive or senior-level jobseekers, streamline your activities to online job boards that focus on a particular occupation, industry, job function or type of jobseeker like CEO, Sales Executives, MBAs etc.
Abby M. Locke (http://www.premierwriting.com/) is a career marketing strategist and leadership brand coach who partners with 6 figure executives and professional MBA women to help them achieve true career mastery and success through cutting-edge, career branded communications, innovative job search campaigns, and proactive career management tools.
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