LinkedIn Endorsements… Fact or fiction?

Let me first start by saying that I love LinkedIn, it is by far my favourite social media site, and that list includes Facebook and Twitter. Yes I call LinkedIn a social site, it’s the Facebook of Business.

Now LinkedIn has added the equivalent of “Likes” to its site by adding a feature called “Endorsements.”
OK it might not be as obvious as Likes… but it might as well be, it’s a forum for people, and I use the word “people” because it can be ANY connection that can endorse you, it does not have to be a colleague or someone that knows you well, just a connection, to endorse you for a skill listed on your profile, even though that person may never have witnessed you displaying that skill.

Now having said that, if someone “Endorses” you, based on knowing you are proficient at that skill… fantastic, BUT how can that be differentiated from someone’s endorsement for that same skill if they don’t really know you or have worked with you.

For the purpose of this blog I added a skill that I “source for” but do not actually have. I was surprised (ok maybe surprised is not the right word, because I was actually anticipating it) that people were giving me endorsements for a skill I have no right putting on my profile.

I would like to see an “opt out” for the endorsement feature or better yet the ability to allow the endorsement visible on your profile similar to recommendations.

I’d like to hear your opinion on this….

Hate to say I was right.... but....

It's been a while since my last post and I thought it was time for me to get back on this and start pouring out my brain... (It got a little full)

Since my last post "Start-ups in T.O." the market has exploded... So much so that our great town (city / metropolis) has become the fourth greatest city in 2 ways...

1 - Toronto has just squeaking past Chicago and is now the four largest city in North America!! Mexico City, NYC, LA and then Toronto...

2 - The other amazing fact about this great city is we are now 4 in the world for start-up tech companies. San Francisco, NYC, London (UK) then Toronto!
I thought that this was a great reason to get back in the writer's seat and tell the world (Ok world might be a bit ambitious - My readership is not that large) but tell whoever reads this just how proud I am of our great city and let the people know why Toronto is known as the greatest city for the tech community.

 

The job hunting process

The job hunting process: “The steps involved in landing the job of your dreams”

Now I may make it sound like an easy process, and well quite frankly that’s because it is...

Let’s start with the first step (a great place to start) finding a job posting, or better yet finding a recruiter that truly understands what you do and more importantly what you WANT to do.

Now if you are so bold as to find a job on your own, and best of luck, then finding a job IS a fulltime job... Don’t kid yourself in thinking that all you need to do is look on one of the many job posting websites and think that the job of your dreams is just waiting for you to apply.

80% of the good jobs / roles out there are in what we call the hidden market. These are jobs that fall into one of the following categories:

• Roles that companies have that are posted internally searching and using non “post and pray” methods
• Internal requirements not posted in the traditional methods
• Recruitment firms using the “Skills Marketing” approach (More on this in future posts)

So now that you are looking on the job boards for the remaining 20% of the roles out there, note that 100% of the people looking for that same type of role are also looking at that same posting. (It’s a tough market out there... wear a helmet and other protective gear)

How will you make yourself standout? How are you going to find the right person to talk to? (Most receptionists are trained in making sure that people that call in are directed to voicemail and not to a live person... in other words your message will be heard by someone that has heard at least 100 other messages that day if not that hour.

So if I haven’t convinced you yet that you should work with a recruiter - you should try Syd Ohayon I hear he is great at it... (Ok I promise that that will be one of a few self promotions on this Blog. Hopefully this Blog will speak for itself) So I will say it blatantly...
USE A RECRUITER!!!

Next step: The resume: Dynamic as you are.

Your resume needs to be dynamic and change with EVERY job posting I send you to... (See what I did there... I subconsciously have you using ME as your recruiter... and good for you for making such a wise decision.)

More on your resume in other posts.

Next step: The interview(s): Stay positive and do your homework.

Resource the company find out what value you can add... Stand-out from the crowd.

More on the interview in other posts.

Next step: Following up the right way

Following up is key... BUT the hiring manager does not want to hear from every single candidate that has passed by their office. Leave that to the recruiter that is what we are best at doing.

Final stage: The offer (Hopefully)

This may sound like a no brainer but make sure that you give ALL the details that you would want in the letter of offer and make sure that the recruiter is working hard to make sure that stuff appears. This way when the letter of offer arrives, there are no surprises, and it’s just a matter of getting your signature on it to make it official.

What to do when a hiring manager says “NO”

People who are currently looking for employment may get the dreaded “No” well maybe not so blatant, but even a fail to call back or a “Not a fit.” response is just as bad.
Why are people getting this type of “hide behind the Not a Fit” response?

It’s quite simple.  You didn’t have what they were looking for.  The fact still remains that there is someone out there who has what they are looking for... whether it be experience, education or they simply sold themselves better than you did.
We as recruiters often hear the word NO... and it may or not be so direct.  It could come in an email, a voicemail that was left after hours (knowing we would not be at our desk at that time) or just simply an avoidance of our calls and or emails. If we get a response that states “We are not moving forward” The reason for this type of “Sugar Coated” response is simple. They don’t want to be sued for telling the REAL reason.

So my suggestion to anyone getting this type of response is:
Take the hint and move on, I don’t want to sound cold and callas about it, but the fight for employment (and yes it is a fight) is short and quickest to the preverbal throat wins. Don’t mull over the past, move forward. I have said this before and I will say it again... in business the past is just that... THE PAST!!! By all means learn from your past but don’t sit in the passing lane and look in your rear-view mirror.

The information that you gather from a past interview should be used to build for the next, and so on... Practise makes perfect! If it takes 3 - 5 interviews to get it right... so be it... Most skilful candidates are what we call in the industry “Passive Candidates.” Candidates that are gainfully employed... and in some cases they haven’t been on an interview in years... Interviewing is a skill and just like any other skill it takes practise to get it perfect.
 Here are some tips to help you get over the dreaded “Not a fit”

Never speak badly or respond emotionally to negative news
Add the employer to a professional network E.g. LinkedIn – keep you finger on the pulse of that company and the people that work there

Remain positive.  Note: Every “NO” means you were not right for the job (no matter how much you believed you were) and in the long run that is the difference between being professional and letting emotion play a part in this

Take emotion out of the equation – Just because they said “NO” doesn’t mean you are not good enough for another role (With another company) it simply means you are not right for THAT role

Keep the momentum going – Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move forward. Forward momentum will get you the job of your dreams. Standing still and wondering “What could have been” will not let you move forward...
Remember to cannot steer a parked car... the car has to be in "drive" put yourself in drive and start moving forward!

Resume writing 101

Writing a resume is a simple task that should be kept.... well... "simple"
When writing a resume, follow these steps and it can be one of the simplest tasks in getting your dream job.
Remember that the only goal of the resume is to get the interview, not the job itself, I have been a search consultant for many years, and I have yet to see a hire that was placed based solely on the resume. You will need to be interviewed to get the job.

Do your homework:

First know the company you are applying to and make sure that you understand the “hot spots” that the company has. Follow the lead of the job description and take it to heart. Don’t expect the person reading the resume to “read between the lines” make it blatant. Bullet point the key elements that are in the job description and make sure they are listed in your resume, but DONT LIE!!!

Jack of all trades master of none:

If certain skills are not mentioned in the job description remove them from your resume, you don’t want to be considered a jack of all trades, or worse yet, over qualified for this role. Follow the mantra “Keep it simple” or “Less is more”

If you feel that these skills are worth mentioning, then do so during the interview. The resume is no place for “pie in the sky” skills. Its sole purpose is to get the interview.

Order of operations:

The layout can be in any order (Except the Objective – that must be first) but having said that, make sure that all of the following are in your resume.

• Name and Contact Information
• Objective (should be first)
• Skills Set
• Education
• Work experience (Relevant only)

We will now touch on each of these points, I hope to bring to light what each of these are meant to provide to the reader.

Objective:

The objective is welllll... just that, your “Objective” Its what you want your objective in getting that specific role / job.

Again look to the job description for assistance with this, if the company prides itself on being a fun, dynamic and casual place to work. Then put that in your objective. “I am looking to gain employment in a dynamic, casual and fun place to work.”  (See how I mixed it up a bit) I didn’t make it a complete “copy and paste” of the company profile, I used key elements and made it my own.

Continue to do this with all parts of the company profile found in almost every job description out there.

Skills Set:

The skills set should be a bullet point or matrix of the skills that the employer is looking for in a clean and easy to read format.

The skill, years of use, level of competence and if the skill is current or not

Keep the order of the skills needed in the job description and follow their lead.

Education:

Use chronological order for this and list all your education formal (academic) and company funded in-house training.

Work Experience:

In reverse chronological order, place your “relevant” experience in the most recent companies you worked for. DO NOT LIE!!! Remove all aspects of your roles that are not relevant or are not specifically required by the job description, you don’t want to sound over qualified and you don’t want to sound like you did it all. Because in reality you didn’t, it just might have felt that way.

Now last but certainly NOT least... Spelling... if you have checked your spelling, good for you... pat yourself on the back... and do it again. Bad spelling will get you passed over by recruiters and hiring managers more than any other skill. A person that has all the skills and the experience will be disqualified simply based on bad spelling

Update Your Technical Skills and Continue your Education

A few days ago I was watching a movie and the movie was not filmed that long ago... I think it was in the late 90’s (I won’t mention the movie, because I don’t want to pay the royalty fees... lol) but it got me thinking about the technology that was used in this film (cell phones, computers and faxes... faxes??? I mean come on... who still faxes... lol)
It has been said that technology doubles every 18 months... I think it is even quicker than that now.
So the reason for this Blog is to tell everyone to revisit their resume and take out any old technology and or verbiage that is not relevant anymore (Unless it is specifically mentioned in the job description) and update your skills with formal education.
Which brings me to this question: Is your resume up to date?
Is your resume in danger of becoming outdated, just like those once-popular technologies?
The simple answer is yes of course!
The moment you lose touch with what is going on in your profession you start to make your skill set less and less appealing.
This danger is a brutal reality and very real, but there are ways that you can overcome this perceived “out of date” resume.
Here are some tips to make sure your resume does not fall prey to this:

Update your resume:

Update your resume with EACH job description you apply to.

Take notes:

You should make notes as to the companies you are applying to and what types of technologies are important to that company. As a Professional Search Consultant, it is paramount that I stay current with the latest technology trends. Knowing what’s important to my clients helps me understand what is out there and what are the technologies that are expected in this field. I’d be happy to share this anyone who is looking to update their resume.

Stay Current:

It is very important that you follow trends, social media verticals, read Blogs (such as this one) and read, read and read MORE!!!

Keep current in your chosen field:

Keeping current on your chosen field can help you and your abilities to do your job right. Continuous education is very important and should be showcased in your resume.  Just because you were an expert 15 years ago doesn’t mean you are STILL that expert
Buy into technology early and keep up with the Jones:I am one of the first to buy the latest gadgets if a new technology (Cell phone, Program, Operating System) becomes available I jump all over it, now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a guy who will stand in line at the technology store and wait over night to buy the first one... but I will be there within a few weeks after the initial excitement has subsided and the lines are gone.

Get with it:

OMG!! Even that expression is dated... see??
The point being there is a lot of tech-speak that is sometimes used for a fleeting moment and then gone the way of the Dodo Bird. So? Does it make sense to have these terms in your resume? Well it WAS... BUT make sure you revisit your resume and REMOVE them when they are no longer used or “hip” (OK... I know “Hip” is not “Cool” anymore... come to think of it... I don’t think “Cool” is the word that kids are using now-a-days either...) You don’t have to be up to speed on everything that is currently being released... just the things that matter to your specific line of work.
Ok... I’m done... I’ll step off my “soapbox”... did that just show my age? lol

The Power of LinkedIn

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again and again “Searching for a job is a fulltime job”
In order to branch out you must work with social media websites. Don’t just rely on the typical avenues such as Workopolis, trade publications, CraigsList, networking family and friends Etc... These days, you need to use all the tools that are available to you, and one that many people don’t use to its fullest, is LinkedIn. But of course make sure you always connect yourself with a star recruiter.
Here is a link to one such “Star Recruiter” http://ca.linkedin.com/in/sydohayon
LinkedIn has tens of millions of members and has a market segment in almost every industry. This is not your typical social media site, but a site dedicated to business relationships. Executives are from all walks of the corporate ladder, from Fortune 500 companies, medium sized companies and of course small companies. The smaller companies may not have the budget or the setup to facilitate a HR Department or internal recruitment person or team. So LinkedIn may be one of the ways they reach out to people.
In the next 10 bullets I will try to share with you why I think LinkedIn can and should be used as an extension to your existing efforts in finding a job.
Reach out and tell someone: Tell your LinkedIn network that you’re looking.  The reach of LinkedIn is huge... Don’t miss out on the networking ability of LinkedIn and make sure that your profile states clearly that you are looking for a new role. The more people you tell that you are looking the better... you never know who will end up on your profile – recruiters, hiring managers, Etc...  LinkedIn has a “status updates” tool that dispatches your status to your network... so if you change your status to read that you are looking for work, everyone in your network will / should know.
Get LinkedIn recommendations: Ask for recommendations from anyone that will give you one... recommendations are your LinkedIn references.  A positive recommendation from your “report to” manager or a person that reported to you will highlight to your strengths and hopefully showcase that you were a valued employee. Recommendations from people that reported to you will also showcase your leadership qualities.
Source people with your specific skill or background: Find companies that employ people like you. Use the “advanced search” and look for people who have your skills. Look at their career path. See the companies they worked for in the past. These could be companies that need people just like you.
LinkedIn “Company Profiles” These company profiles show career paths of people that work there. This can be useful to figure out what companies are looking for in their new hires.  LinkedIn’s “Company Profiles” can also tell you where people go after they leave the company.
Check if a company is hiring: “Jobs” pages on LinkedIn can provide you with a list of Jobs for companies that you have just searched.
Get “Connected” to the hiring manager: LinkedIn’s job search engine allows you to search for the kind of job you want and more so shows you the person that has posted the job. Connect with this person. Another way to find companies that you have ties to is by looking at the “Companies in Your Network” section on LinkedIn’s Job Search page.
Connect with the HR person through “Get introduced through a connection.” The best way to get connected to someone is to ask someone (in your network) to “introduce you” to that person. If you have a solid “connection” with someone that can introduce you, let them help you get connected.
Find out the hidden job requirements: Job listings will provide you with the details of the skills required for that role but will rarely provide exactly what a hiring manager is looking for. Source a connection at the company who can get the information you need to see what really matters to that company or hiring manager.
Build your network: As a final tip, make sure you have a strong network. Don’t wait until you are looking for a job to start the process of finding a job. The key is to have a network and keep it strong. It’s not always who you know, but sometimes who knows YOU. Network gurus always seem to have the next job lined up before they are even start looking. Recruiters such as me have a database filled with people that I would call if and when a client is looking for a specific skill. It’s never a search from scratch. I always know (when speaking to a client about their needs) exactly who I could call to see if that person would be available, skilled enough or in the salary range my client is looking to pay. Just as importantly is what won’t work. So be honest when talking to people. If it’s NOT what you want... it will NOT work. Being honest with yourself is just as important.
Complete your Profile: Before trying these tips, make sure you’ve filled out your profile, look for the progress bar that lets you know what percentage your profile is at – if it’s not at 100% you are not ready. Then add at least twenty connections to your profile before you start any of the steps outlined above.
Best of luck and remember I am always looking for the next Super Star!!! I am an open networker and will connect with anyone that asks. http://ca.linkedin.com/in/sydohayon