Executive Job Search and LinkedIn: Do I Need a Photo on My Profile? is a post from: Executive Resume Branding

Whether or not to include a photo on LinkedIn and other online profiles continues to be debated among career professionals.

My c-suite executive clients are typically over 50. They’re understandably concerned about ageism. A photo could indicate age and leave them open to discrimination.

Often, posting a fully completed LinkedIn profile is their first foray into online job search and career marketing . . . the first time they have considered putting a photo of themselves “out there” and exposing their image to the world.

If you’re like many of them, you worry that your LinkedIn photo may red-flag you for discrimination – age, weight, ethnic background, etc.

But think about this. NOT having a photo can be a red flag, too.

You may have reasons not to include a photo, but I encourage you to include one. The benefits far outweigh the pitfalls.

Find out why HAVING a photo on LinkedIn is important, in the post on my Executive Career Brand site, Does My LinkedIn Profile Really Need a Photo?

Related posts:

LinkedIn Guide for Executive Branding and Job Search

My free e-book: Executive Branding and Your LinkedIn Profile: How to Transform Your Executive Brand, Resume, and Career Biography Into a Winning LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn: Best Tactic for Undercover Executive Job Search

29 Biggest LinkedIn Mistakes

photo by nan palmero

C-level Executive Networking: What NOT To Do is a post from: Executive Resume Branding

Every job seeker should know by now that networking is the best way to land a job. If you don’t know and embrace this, and you’re in a job search, you’re probably looking at a protracted one.

If you do know this, then you’ve been working hard to expand your network toward the key decision makers at your target companies and those people who can help you in your job search.

But you may not be going about networking in the best possible way.

Many of my c-level executive clients have expressed annoyance that they’re constantly tapped for advice … a “few minutes” … a lead … or a favor by people they don’t know, or only know of through several degrees of separation.

They are the people who are at, or very near, the top of the totem pole at their companies – the key decision makers. The ones job seekers (and others) are trying to network their way towards. A few minutes of their time is like gold.

Because they’re in such demand, they often hesitate getting involved with social networking and building an online presence. A number of my clients have said that, although they know they have to be on LinkedIn, they don’t want to open themselves to more requests for their precious time.

Are you a c-level executive? One of these in-demand people that so many aggressive networkers want a piece of? Then you should understand more than anyone that, when you approach the top executives at your target companies, you need to gently network your way towards and around them.

I’m in a similar situation. I guess because I’ve been around for about 20 years in the careers industry, and have a fairly strong presence online and on various social media, people I don’t know personally, never spoke with or communicated with, or never heard of at all, reach out to me all the time.

All too often, they want something from me, so I’ve become selective about how I respond. In some instances I don’t respond at all … for some I’ll gently explain that I’m not able to respond to all the request I get … for some I’m all on board and eager to get to know the person, and help them if I can.

Don’t get me wrong. I have happily mentored many people over the years, just as I have been mentored. But I can’t mentor everyone who asks, or even give half an hour of my time to everyone who asks.

Here are the kinds of first approaches that completely turn me off:

With an invitation to connect on LinkedIn:

• I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn – using the thoughtless default message LinkedIn provides, and nothing else … no personal message.
• Will you take a look at my profile and let me know what you think of it?
• I’m looking for an XYZ position in the (fill in the blank) industry. Can you introduce me to anyone who can help me?

Direct emails from others in the careers industry with whom I’ve never communicated, or I may not know at all:

• Please help me promote my new book (or product)
• Can we set up a time to talk about how you built your business using social media?
• I’m just starting my own career services business. Can you tell me how you did it?

Where did they go wrong?

Their first communication was a request for a favor – to someone they don’t know at all, or just barely know. They didn’t practice “give to get” networking. They didn’t give me a reason for connecting with them.

Maybe they only wanted that one favor and weren’t interested in long term networking with me. But I could be setting myself up for an endless one-sided relationship, with someone constantly “picking my brain”, and offering me nothing in return.

What should they have done to make a positive connection?

Don’t just tell me how I can help you. Tell me how we can help each other.

Give me a reason to want to connect with you, get to know you and help you. Tell me how you know about me, why you want to connect with me and why cultivating a relationship with you might be beneficial for me, too.

When you reach out to me, or anyone you intend to ask a favor of, don’t make your first communication the request for that favor. Build the relationship a bit before you expect something in return. Healthy networking requires balance and reciprocity.

Related posts:

How to Build a Powerful Executive Network

Executive Job Search: The Old Way (Networking) Still Works Best

How To Write a LinkedIn Invitation to Connect

photo by ricki888c

What’s Your Executive Job Search Social Media ROI? is a post from: Executive Resume Branding

If you’ve spent some time on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or other social media channels, you’ve probably wondered if it’s worth the effort – whether you’ll get enough return on your time invested.

As I tell my c-level executive clients, it’s all about determining which platforms you like and are best suited to your needs, narrowing down to just a few, and working them well.

So many of us can easily get consumed and overwhelmed by dabbling in too much social media, and making an impact with none.

Check out my Executive Career Brand post for my social media of choice – the biggest pieces in my online brand communications plan – and a taste of the ROI value of each for me.

Related posts:

LinkedIn Guide for Executive Branding and Job Search

You’re a C-level Executive Job Seeker and You’re NOT Blogging?

Twitter Turbocharges Executive Job Search and Personal Brand Visibility

Twitter Executive Branding Strategy: The Beauty of a Retweet

photo by John-Morgan

Executive Job Search: Do You Know How Recruiters Find Candidates Like You? is a post from: Executive Resume Branding

When I first speak with prospective clients, we talk about the new world of job search. Many of them haven’t been in a search for many years. Many have never had to look for a job.

They often don’t understand that the best campaign to land a job today includes different strategies than it did even a few years ago.

Many of the new clients I speak with are surprised to learn that most recruiters and hiring authorities use LinkedIn and other social media to find and assess good-fit candidates more than any other method.

Yet some new executive job seekers are hesitant to put themselves out there, and include social media in their job search toolkit. By ignoring social media, they greatly decrease their chance of being found by the very people they’re trying to attract.

Jump over to my Executive Career Brand blog for a look at some statistics Jobvite compiled on recruiters’ use of social media to source candidates.

Related posts:

Executive Brand Online Reputation Management: Relevance, Quality, Diversity, Volume, Consistency

Does Your Online Presence Scream “DON’T Hire Me”?

LinkedIn Guide for Executive Branding and Job Search

Are Your Target Employers on Twitter?

image by 10ch

The Personal Branding LinkedIn Group is a post from: Executive Resume Branding

For about a year I’ve been managing the Personal Branding subgroup of the Job-Hunt Help Group.

Along with job seekers at all professional levels, membership includes many Reach Certified Personal Branding Strategists besides myself, and other esteemed careers industry professionals.

Come join us. It’s your opportunity to start, contribute to, and learn from the experts in discussions about branding to accelerate job search and healthy career management.

Membership is growing steadily, but we’re always up for new voices jumping in with questions and advice on best practices on all things personal branding.

I only ask that you keep your contributions free of self-promotional materials. We just want to stick to the topic – and not be bothered by pitches.

Related posts:

LinkedIn Guide for Executive Branding and Job Search

Power Your Executive Brand with LinkedIn Groups

29 Biggest LinkedIn Mistakes

How Recruiters and Employers Find Candidates on LinkedIn

Executive Branding & Job Search Ebook PRICE CUT! is a post from: Executive Resume Branding

Many people look forward to catching up on reading over the summer. Light novels and other diversions are popular.

But if you’re in a job search, or think you’re headed there, summer is a great time to strategize your search, do some career planning, and actually get a foothold and gain some traction.

Your target companies may be hiring this summer . . . and they may be looking for candidates like you.

To entice you to buy and read my ebook this summer — and learn some basics on how to navigate the complex world of today’s executive job search — I’ve reduced the price. Read about and purchase my ebook here.

The ebook will help you pull together all the pieces:

• Targeting
• Branding
• Career Communications — executive resume, biography, and other career documents
• Storytelling
• Online Identity
• Online Reputation Management
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Blogging
• Social Networking
• Social Media
• Networking
• Interviewing

Along with taking a little time to recharge from your job search efforts, devote some of your reading time this summer to accelerating your search by learning how to better manage it.

Happy reading! Happy summer!

Related posts:

Chapter 1 of My Ebook: 23 Ways You Sabotage Your Executive Job Search

Why I Wrote My Executive Branding and Job Search Ebook

10 Things I Learned Writing My Ebook

29 LinkedIn Mistakes That Can Impede Your Executive Job Search is a post from: Executive Resume Branding

More than a year ago, I wrote one of my most popular posts on this blog, The 20 Most Common LinkedIn Mistakes.

I’ve circled back to it, taken a second look, updated some items and added a few new ones to reflect new LinkedIn features, in a post on my Executive Career Brand blog, 29 Biggest LinkedIn Mistakes.

After only a few weeks, the new post has already been retweeted more than 100 times. New entries added to my original list of 20 mistakes include the following two:

•  Not using the Box.net Files application to add your resume and biography (and other career documents) to your profile. Once your documents are added, you can easily share the files with anyone.

•  Not adding a stand-alone section to highlight skills, publications, certifications, languages, or patents. Earlier this year, LinkedIn rolled out a new feature allowing you to better showcase specific accomplishments in movable blocks, so you can position them wherever you want. In “Edit profile” mode, click on “Add sections”, located right above your “summary” section.

Be sure you’re not missing out on opportunities because you’re making the other 27 mistakes.

Related posts:

LinkedIn Guide for Executive Branding and Job Search

10 Steps to an Authentic, Magnetic Personal Brand

Ebook – “23 Ways You Sabotage Your Executive Job Search and How Your Brand Will Help You Land”

16 Deadly Executive Job Search Mistakes

photo by Coletivo Mambembe

LinkedIn: Keep Your Network Informed With Status Updates is a post from: Executive Resume Branding

Get yourself into a regular routine (say, once a week or a few times a month) of posting status updates to your profile.

Your updates sit at the top of your profile, so will likely be one of the first things people see when reviewing your profile. Your LinkedIn network is notified of your updates, keeping you top of mind with them, if you set up this action in “Settings”.

Some ideas for updates:

• An online article, blog post, or white paper you’ve published
• An event or seminar you’re presenting
• A new project you’re working on
• A promotion, transfer or new assignment
• A comment you’ve made on a relevant blog that demonstrates your subject matter expertise
• Professional development, training or new certification
• A significant accomplishment or contribution to your company
• Activities with your networks or LinkedIn Groups
• An important seminar or event you’ll be attending or have attended
• A community project you’re working on

Remember to add a link to more about the update, if applicable. The “updates” spot on your profile represents another opportunity to brand your profile with relevant key words, so keep your brand and ROI value in mind when you post an update.

Related posts:

My free Ebook – Executive Branding and Your LinkedIn Profile: How to Transform Your Executive Brand, Resume, and Career Biography Into a Winning LinkedIn Profile

How Recruiters and Employers Find Candidates on LinkedIn

How to Get the Best LinkedIn Recommendations

LinkedIn: Best Tactic for Undercover Executive Job Search

Power Your Executive Brand with LinkedIn Groups

Stalled Executive Job Search? Get Busy on LinkedIn and Twitter

The 20 Most Common LinkedIn Mistakes

Executive Branding: Differentiate Yourself and Your ROI Value in 10 Seconds is a post from: Executive Resume Branding

Want to capture and hold the attention of your target employers in your executive resume, LinkedIn profile and all your career marketing materials? Hit them with your best shot above the fold. That is, the top third or half of the paper, digital or web page.

Recruiters and hiring decision makers are busy people, often overwhelmed with candidates and materials to assess. They will typically allow 10-15 seconds for an initial review. If you don’t draw them in that quickly, they may pass right over you.

Whatever lands in that first-to-be-seen spot has the most impact on the reader . . . it’s the most valuable real estate on any page.

That spot needs to stand on its own as your brand and career marketing calling card. It needs to tell enough of your story to compel readers to want to know more about you, and to want to talk to you.

For “above the fold” strategies for your documents and online profiles, see my Executive Career Brand post, Executive Brand Resume: Differentiate Your ROI Value Above the Fold.

Related posts:

4 Executive Job Search First Steps, Before You Write Your Resume

C-level Executive Resume Length: One, Two, or Three Pages?

What NOT To Put in Your C-level Executive Resume

Executive Branding and Your LinkedIn Profile

HOW TO: Use LinkedIn for Executive Branding and Job Search is a post from: Executive Resume Branding

Are you one of those executives who quickly put up a bare-bones LinkedIn profile a while ago and then forgot about it? You keep meaning to go back and fill in all the information, but you never seem to get to it.

And, because you don’t have a complete profile, you figure it doesn’t make sense to actually use any of the many features LinkedIn offers. You may not even know what LinkedIn can do for you.

Whether you’re in a job search, or could be in the near future, or want to increase your online visibility to hiring authorities who routinely search sites like LinkedIn for top talent, it’s time to get moving on LinkedIn.

Aside from job search, LinkedIn is one of the best places to reconnect with your network and build on it with new people.

LinkedIn offers so many benefits, even if you’re in a confidential search, that it just makes sense to take advantage of it.

For advice on leveraging the best LinkedIn has to offer, see my Executive Career Brand post, LinkedIn Guide for Executive Branding and Job Search.

Related posts:

How To Tap Into Hidden C-level Executive Jobs

LinkedIn: Best Tactic for Undercover Executive Job Search

LinkedIn Helps You Find the Right Twitter People to Follow

How to Build a Powerful Executive Network