Job Seekers: Why You Should Include Your LinkedIn Profile Link in Your Email Signature

A reader recently asked if it was really beneficial to include her LinkedIn profile public profile link in her email signature. I responded that I have found it very beneficial in two measurable ways:

1) I click the "Who's viewed my profile" link on my LinkedIn home page to determine if someone from a target company has viewed my profile. Since I've included it in my email signature, I definitely get more LinkedIn profile views (although LinkedIn does not allow you to view them all unless you pay to upgrade your account).

2) I added my resume (without my home address for security reasons) and list of recommendations to my profile using the free Box.net application and presentations to my profile using the SlideShare application ... so every time someone downloads these documents from my profile ... I get an email notice. This notice doesn't always tell me who downloaded the document, but by reviewing "Who's viewed my profile" during that time frame, I can usually narrow down which company accessed this information about me. Having that foreknowledge is sort of exciting because if your profile is good and your support materials are solid ... you'll probably get a call soon after from that company!

Most importantly, showing that you are on LinkedIn and that you know how to include your public profile link on your email signature shows people you "get" social networking ... and that knowledge is a necessity in this day and age.

How to add your LinkedIn profile hyperlink to your email signature:

1) In your email program, open the email signature editor window (it can usually be found within Options, then Email or Mail Options). Type the words My LinkedIn profile in the signature editor box under your name, phone number, and email address.

2) Open LinkedIn, and then click on your profile.

3) Click the url from the middle of your profile box where it says "Public Profile". When your public profile comes up, highlight and then copy the url from the browser window. (Control c)

4) Highlight My LinkedIn profile in your email signature. Click the hyperlink button. When the hyperlink box pops up, paste your profile link (url) into the box (Control v). Click save. You may have to temporarily allow pop-ups (by right clicking the yellow box at the top of your web browser) to complete this process.

5) Save your email signature changes. Your my Linked profile link should now appear in your email signature whenever you send a message.

How to ask a LinkedIn connection to introduce you to a hiring company. Tip #1: DON’T just send an introduction request

The LinkedIn introduction feature is a great weapon in your job search arsenal, but like any weapon, it should be handled carefully lest it backfire.

How LinkedIn introductions work
Through the LinkedIn introduction feature, you can send a request to a LinkedIn friend (connection) to ask him or her to introduce you to one of his/her LinkedIn friends (a 2nd degree connection from you), or even to be introduced to a friend of that person’s friend (a 3rd degree connection from you). This can be a great way to make contact with a person within a target company where you want to work, but should be done strategically and diplomatically.

First, do your homework
1) Look through all of your LinkedIn connections. Click on their connections link and scan their connections. Observe if they are connected to people who work in companies where you would like to work. While you are doing this research, invite connections of theirs (who are mutual friends of yours) to connect on LinkedIn to build your network.

2) Type the name of the company in the “Search People” box to learn of people who either work at the company now or who used to work for the company. Note what degree connection they are to you and/or whether they are members of the same LinkedIn group as you.

3) Determine which people have titles that could be most relevant to the position you seek. For example, you may want to be introduced to the person who is the likely hiring manager for the position, or to a recruiter or HR professional. Frankly, I had better luck connecting with executives or hiring managers than to recruiters (who are often jaded to all job seeker tricks), but you may have a different experience.

4) After you determine what person you want to reach, consider who your first degree contact is who can introduce you to the person. For example, if you want to be introduced to a 2nd degree connection, say, Becky Barnes, HR Manager at Mega Corp., consider if your 1st person connection, Lester Milktoast, is the right person to make the introduction. Is he a reputable, respected person? Is he someone who will follow through with such a request? Does he believe in your abilities enough to recommend you as he passes on your introduction?

5) If you are in a LinkedIn group with the person to whom you want to be introduced, you don’t have to go through a first degree connection to make his or her acquaintance. Just click on 'Send a message' from their profile and contact them directly.

Prepare your first degree connection
If you have many first degree connections like I do, you may not know them well enough to feel comfortable asking them to introduce you to another complete stranger. In this instance, don’t give up, but do think smart. Before you send the introduction request, send a LinkedIn message to prepare your first degree connection and/or to get his/her valuable insight.

Write something like, Lester, I notice you are a first degree connection to Becky Barnes at Mega Corp. I really want to work there. Would you be comfortable if I were to send you a request to be introduced to her? Any information you can pass along about Becky or Mega Corp., or any good word you can put in for me to Becky or other people who might be hiring, would be greatly appreciated. I am looking for a position as a (TITLE). If you know of any leads in my field, I’d be so thankful! If you’d like, I can email you my resume so you can speak knowledgeably about me to Becky. Let me know your email address so I can send it to you. Thanks for your help. 

Don’t abuse your relationship with your first degree connections by sending them too many introduction requests. Rather establish a relationship with them where you can be of help to them in some way. Let them know how their help benefitted you and thank them for their assistance.

Third degree might be a degree too far
If the person you want to reach is a 2nd degree connection from your LinkedIn friend (your 3rd degree connection), realize that your friend likely does not know that person any better than you do (the person is their friend’s friend, not his/hers). So while it’s possible to do a 3rd degree introduction, it may not be an effective interaction. In this scenario, it might be better to reach out to the targeted person directly through a LinkedIn group or by trying to find their email address on Google and sending them a direct message.

Get introduced
Once you have established that it is all right to send an introduction request to a connection, follow LinkedIn’s instructions to send an introduction.

While it pays to be cautious about sending LinkedIn introductions, it can be a great way to become acquainted with a hiring company … and that can help you Get a Job! 

How to survive for introvert people

For shy people, the mere thought of having to make small talk with total strangers at a large business event is often enough to bring on heart palpitations. But if you’re really serious about finding referrals, getting job leads or advancing your career goals, you know there’s no way out of attending such gatherings. And while you may never become a social butterfly or the life of the party, you don’t have to be the perennial square peg or wallflower either. What’s more, even if it will always be more chore than cheer for you, the results of working the crowd will definitely make it worth your while. Yes, it’s not mission impossible to acquire networking skills-you may even find yourself starting to enjoy socializing once you finally get the hang of it. Ready to network?

1. Before the event, volunteer to join a committee that will force you to actively deal with people, such as manning the reception desk or ushering conference participants.
2. Practice holding conversations, whether with a friend or before the mirror. When you’re actually there, your rehearsals will make it easier to recall what you had planned to say.
3. Wear your nametag where it can be clearly viewed. People will find it easier to connect with you when they can see who they are talking to.
4. To ease your jitters, see if you can attend a conference or business function with a more outgoing colleague to introduce you around.
5. To maximize your dialog time, give yourself a goal beyond engaging in chitchat. Strive, for instance, to meet five new associates who might be helpful in your job search.
6. Bring along enough business cards to hand out freely. And get business cards in return, asking the owners if you can follow up in the next few days by sending your resume or making a business call.
7. If you recognize some people, stand near their circle, within sight of your acquaintances. This is a common signal to them to introduce you and invite you into the group.
8. Stand near the registration table and exchange pleasantries with the registrants. Start off with friendly chatter such as, "Seems to be a well-attended affair, isn’t it?"
9. Or stand near the buffet table and strike up a conversation with those lining up. For instance, you might comment, "Um, that steak looks delicious!"
10. But don’t cling to your new best pal either. After some time, make your exit using the three B’s of graceful leave-taking: bathroom, bar and buffet excuses: "Would you know where the restrooms are?" "I think I’m going to get more juice." "I'm hungry. Mind if I get something to eat?”
11. If your friend decides to tag along, you can introduce him or her to colleagues who have similar interests. This matchmaking will keep you actively mixing and moving around as planned.
12. Learn the art of asking others feel-good questions such as, "Can you tell me more about your business?" or "What do you enjoy most about what you do?" to draw them out. This way, you won’t need to speak so much if you’re tongue-tied, and you’ll impress others more than if you talked about your lack of job or need to close more sales.

Good habits while searching job

Believe it or not, you can get more mileage from your everyday habits with a little more effort and forethought. For instance, if you like to read the papers, get out of the house, talk to people and log on to the Internet, then focus those seemingly disconnected activities to get more out of them-like finding a job, for one. Here’s how.

• If you love to read the news with your morning coffee, remember to note down announcements about job fairs and recruitment events as well.
• For a change of pace, interrupt your routine of going to malls or vegging in front of the TV to contact an employment or staffing agency about positions that may be suitable for you. Send your well-written resume so they can call you if anything interesting comes up.
• If you spend hours emailing friends or lingering in chat rooms, spare a few moments to post your CV to online job centers or company websites.
• And if you’re a social animal, then don’t waste those face times with friends, relatives, former officemates, neighbors, godparents and acquaintances from clubs and sporting events. It won’t hurt mentioning to everyone you know that you’re on the hunt. Who knows? One or two of them may be able to set you up for an interview or refer you to a prospective employer.
• And while you’re at it, inform your former teachers and classmates at class reunions that you’re on the market. While reminiscing in the hallways, visit the university placement office to see the latest work listings, or check for on-campus recruitment activities scheduled in the near future.

Of course, nothing beats looking for work full time. But no one says you have to limit your search boundaries to formal hunting occasions. By staying sharp always, you’ll find that opportunities lurk even in what seem to be the most mundane situations or unrelated events.

Keep yourself while hunting proficient job

One of the hardest things to swallow while job-hunting is getting rejected, yet rejections are part and parcel of the job search and happen more often than you think. So, what to do when your search has stretched for what seems like an eternity and your confidence has taken a thorough beating? Here, expert suggestions for keeping sunshiny when the going gets rough.

1. Accept that rejection is a normal part of life. Instead of giving in to defeat, seek out the lessons from your experience (including any mistakes you might have made) and use them to make yourself a stronger, better person.
2. The rejection does not reflect who you are. Even the best candidates have experienced being turned down, sometimes for the most inexplicable or flimsy reasons. If you’ve done your best, there is no need to be ashamed of your job-search scars.
3. Be realistic. Expect that your job search won’t be a walk in the park. On average, job searches can take from four months to one year.
4. Don’t quit. It’s so compelling to give up and slink into some dark corner after a major letdown. But to produce results, it’s better to lose yourself in positive action than wallow in self-pity.
5. Say thanks. No matter how miserable you feel, send a gracious thank-you note to the employer. Who knows? A new opportunity may just come up for you with the same company in the future.
6. Take care of yourself. Fight the urge to punish yourself for your “failure.” Instead, make an effort to look good, to exercise, to eat well and to have adequate rest. You need to be in tip-top shape for what lies ahead.
7. Get a volunteer or part-time job. This will accomplish three things: Keep you busy, sharpen your skills and widen your network. With part-time work, you’ll have some earnings to help tide you over till you find a real job.
8. Be frugal. Don’t go through your savings as though you’re sure to find a job tomorrow. Brace yourself for the possibility of an extended period of unemployment by cutting your expenses, gimiks-even the number of credit cards you have.
9. Avoid negative people. Choose friends who are optimistic, forward-looking and supportive to inspire and encourage you. Negative people will only reinforce and affirm your greatest fears.
10. Count your blessings. Look at the positive side of life. List down all the things you should be grateful for-from good health to a supportive partner. Focus on your blessings and you’re sure to shake those blues away.

Self confidence during job search

One of the hardest things you will have to do in your adult life is to find work. Lucky you if you get an offer on your first try; for most us, however, it will take more than one, two, three or more tries before we finally nail that job. Meantime, as your search lingers, something strange starts to happen to you-with each unsuccessful try, you lose a little of that sparkle in your eye, that swing in your arms, that bounce in your step.

Indeed, staying optimistic with job debacle after job debacle can be your greatest challenge-and losing that fight your greatest undoing. Once you lose your self-confidence, you’ll lose the ability to think straight, plan ahead and act with purpose. To ensure you remain upbeat while on the prowl, follow these resilience rules:

1. Have a structured day. Just because you’re jobless doesn’t give you reason to sleep in late, watch TV in your pajamas until lunchtime then go malling the entire afternoon. You’ll feel even more depressed wasting a perfectly great day. Instead, make finding work your full-time job by following a structured routine of productive activities.
2. Set realistic goals. Accomplishment is a great motivator. Conversely, failure can deflate your already fragile ego. So shoot for goals that are realistic and feasible. Take small but steady steps forward so you’ll have the confidence to continue with your search.
3. Be good to yourself. Do something for yourself that’s fun yet inexpensive. Buy a riveting thriller on sale to entertain yourself at day’s end. Play with your dog or tend your garden. Get a new haircut-you’ll not only feel better, you’ll make a good impression with the interviewer. Don’t fall into the trap of punishing yourself for being jobless for so long.
4. Find motivation. It’s so easy to become bleak when you’re on forced work hiatus, so buoy your spirits by finding motivation where you can get it. Listen to some inspiring CDs on marketing yourself as you drive. Meet up with a caring friend who can give you a listening ear and encouraging words. Seek inspiration from the success stories of people who’ve beaten overwhelming odds in their fight against illness, business failure or unemployment. What to avoid like the plague: Naysayers and pessimists who will only drag your spirits down.
5. Have faith. Do everything you can, but remember that everything takes place at its own time. When you feel the blues coming on, calling on a higher power can give you that extra energy you need to get over the setbacks you encounter. When you believe that Someone is watching over you, you will no longer feel so alone and helpless.

How to hunt and search wanted job

Hunting a wanted job

1. Get into the right frame of mind. Know that job hunting is, more than anything else, a mind game. You have to psyche yourself up for the realities of the market. Only by having realistic expectations can you overcome the seemingly endless wait, the nonexistent interview calls and the outright rejection slips that will come your way. Give it your best, but understand that some things are simply beyond your control. Be optimistic.
2. Trade places with the interviewer. If you could switch places with the employer, you’d find yourself faced with hundreds of resumes to process. The only way to trim that mountain of files before the clock strikes five is to work smart: Eliminate the “nuisance candidates” from the list. Your task as job hunter is to make sure your resume survives the “massacre.”
3. Remember the 20-second scan. According to an HR director, he spends about 20 seconds at most reviewing a resume. That tells a lot about how you should handle yours. Here are some suggestions:
   • Pepper your resume with industry buzzwords that highlight your skills.
   • Use active verbs that indicate you make things happen.
   • Tailor your resume to match each position.
   
   
4. Make it easy on yourself. Job-hunting is hard enough; launching a frantic search for missing documents is a killer. Create a career portfolio that contains all you need: resumes, cover letters, thank-you letters, school transcripts, diplomas and degrees, awards, business cards, etc. You may have to make some revisions to suit the position, but using templates rather than working from scratch each time is a great comfort.
5. Get around. Now’s your chance to chat up people and not feel guilty that you’re idling your time away. Networking and getting personal really pay off, so here are ways to let everyone know you’re available:
   • Join industry associations and events. Be sure to bring lots of cards and resumes with you. You’ll never know when an opportunity will come knocking.
   • Practice a brief introductory speech. Be prepared with a short description of your work experience and skills so you don’t grope for words when you’re ask what you do.
   • Make technology your ally. Use the e-mail or cell phone to keep up with friends, relatives and past co-workers. They’ll remember you-and know where to reach you-if a lead does come up. Use job sites and avail of their services like free job alerts to keep you ahead of the pack.

Get your dream job

Job satisfaction is a hot topic at the moment and according to recruiting experts Hays there are many people now actively looking for their dream job.

“Over the years I’ve heard many people talking about finding their dream job. Most candidates however have no idea what their dream job is, let alone how to find it,” says Chris Mead, General Manager of Hays in Singapore.

Chris says there are no quick or easy answers but there are a few things you can do to help you find your way.

List your skills: “You need to think of the big picture and consider not only what professional experience you have, but also your talents and your hobbies. List the things you are good at and highlight those you enjoy doing.”

Describe your personality: “To help you determine what type of career you are best suited for, think about your personality traits. Are you meticulous with an eye for detail or are you strategic with a big picture view? Do you enjoy working in a team or do you prefer to work on your own?”

List your priorities: “List what is most important to you in your career and your values. For example, are you looking for a career that challenges and rewards you? Should it be something you are passionate about and inspired by? Is money more important to you than work/life balance?”

Identify what your dream job isn’t: “Here you should not only think about what type of roles but also what things you are not willing to compromise on, such as hours worked, pay and location. Consider also your values in this context; for example your dream job wouldn’t undermine your values or take you away from the things that are important to you in life.”

Define your dream job: “The next step is to develop a loose description of your dream job.” Chris suggests you start by asking yourself these questions:

1. Who/what would you like to work with?
   
2. Where do you want to work?
   
3. What type of tasks do you want to work on?
   
4. What type of work will make you truly happy? This could be anything from working with animals to working with computers.
   

“Collating this information will provide you with a synopsis of who you are and will help you determine your dream job.”

Plan to snag your dream job: “Once you know what your dream job is, you just need to develop a plan to get it,” says Chris. He suggests you:

• Research the industry as well as the knowledge and skills you will need.
  
• Network and get to know people in the industry. Not only will this help you get a better understanding of the industry and if you like it, but it will put you in contact with potential employers.
  
• Take action. If you don’t already have the skills, how do you get them? Will you need training? Maybe you just need to update your resume to highlight a different skill set you already have.
  

Chris knows the value of snagging your dream job. “At Hays we work with thousands of people every day to connect them with the right job, which can transform their life for the better.”