Sital Ruparelia

During last week, I published 7 daily posts to answer 7 common questions I’m asked about using the professional networking site LinkedIn.com

In case you missed any of the posts, below is a quick summary. Just click through to read the post.

1.  The Number One Rule For LinkedIn Users

2.  Increasing The Number of Connections On LinkedIn

3.  How Well Must You Know Someone Before Connecting?

4.  Three Rules For Connecting With People You Don’t Know

5.  How To Get High Quality Recommendations On LinkedIn

6. Tips On What To Write In Your Status Updates

7.  What To Write In Your LinkedIn Profile When Job Searching

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A few months back I began working with a bright, talented lawyer shortly after he was made redundant. Like every client I work with in this market, from the outset I explained the importance of focussing his job search campaign via networking and contacts much more than targeting recruiters and jobsites.

Not because the other search channels were ineffective – but because in a tight job market a much larger proportion of roles are being filled by employee referral programmes and direct hiring from firms rather than recruiters and job sites. An abundance of candidates, smaller recruitment budgets and slimmed down HR teams (who manage and process applicants) being the main reasons.

Over the last few months he has made some progress – but hasn’t secured a job offer despite is impressive resume / CV. This is largely (in my opinion) due to the fact that he has been searching mainly via recruiters and job sites (i.e. the complete opposite to what I suggested) and so faces huge competition for a smaller pool of positions.

When we met 4 months into his search, I suggested he changed his approach to focus much more time and energy on networking and less time and energy applying to the same recruiters and job adverts that every other lawyer in town is applying to.

He told me that I was wrong.

Click here to read the rest…

Questions: If I’m job searching, what should I put in my LinkedIn profile?

Answer: Here are 10 tips:

1. If you’ve been made redundant, don’t write “looking for a job.” Factually it may be true, but it smacks of desperation and isn’t the first impression you want to give to recruiters and contacts coming to your page.

Focus instead on telling the reader what you can do, what you can offer and who you can help by following the 9 tips below:

2. Don’t define yourself simply by your previous job titles (it limits the potential opportunities)

3. Define the target sectors, the kind of problems you can solve and the value and benefits you’ve a track record of delivering (it will open you up to different possibilities)

4. Make sure you state job titles (recruiters search using titles and so to come up on searches quote the type of key words and titles you think they’d put into search)

5. Notice how this list is full of contradictions (there’s no hard and fast rules. I’m simply sharing my experience and opinions – so make up your own rules and test them)

6. Test, try, edit, evaluate (now rinse and repeat)

7. Make the profile more than two lines please

8. But don’t tell me your life story

9. Make it slightly different or quirky from what everyone else writes on their profile (take a look at my own LinkedIn profile)

10. Be yourself. Don’t try and be different or clever by copying what everyone else writes.

Do you agree or have I got it all wrong? Feel free to share ideas or suggestions in the comments section below.

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FREE TELESEMINAR

“Rethink, Reposition and Thrive In 2010″

Saturday 6th February 2010

3pm UK Time

4pm Central Europe, 10am Eastern Standard Time

Learn more and book your spot now

=====================================

During this 75 minute call, you’ll discover:

• 3 big shifts we’re beginning to see within the workplace during 2010 which will accelerate by the end of this year and into 2011

• Key predictions I’m making for the employment market in 2010

• 3 biggest challenges every employee and freelancer will have to adapt to this year

• One big mindset shift you must make in order to thrive in the coming year

• The 5 key steps you will need to take to reposition yourself and ensure you’re one of the winners who thrive in 2010. Which means you’ll learn:

• How to reinvent yourself without having to change job or careers

• The 2 keys to standing out in what is still a very challenging job market

• 3 ways to increase your income this year (even if salary budgets are capped)

• The key to finding meaningful work (without taking a pay cut and making a huge change)

• The 2 time-tested principles you must follow in order to achieve that elusive work-life balance you’re searching for

=====================================

Whether you’re working in a permanent role, consulting, freelancing or looking for a new job or career – this is a must-attend free teleseminar. I’ll demystify all the changes going on this year and ensure you thrive in 2010.

Don’t miss it!

Click here to learn more and reserve your space on the complimentary call.

FREE TELESEMINAR

“Rethink, Reposition and Thrive In 2010″

Saturday 6th February 2010

3pm UK Time

4pm Central Europe, 10am Eastern Standard Time

Learn more and book your spot now

During this 75 minute call, you’ll discover:

* 3 big shifts we’re beginning to see within the workplace during 2010 which will accelerate by the end of this year and into 2011

* Key predictions I’m making for the employment market in 2010

* 3 biggest challenges every employee and freelancer will have to adapt to this year

* One big mindset shift you must make in order to thrive in the coming year

* The 5 key steps you will need to take to reposition yourself and ensure you’re one of the winners who thrive in 2010. Which means you’ll learn:

* How to reinvent yourself without having to change job or careers

* The 2 keys to standing out in what is still a very challenging job market

* 3 ways to increase your income this year (even if salary budgets are capped)

* The key to finding meaningful work (without taking a pay cut and making a huge change)

* The 2 time-tested principles you must follow in order to achieve that elusive work-life balance you’re searching for

=====================================

Whether you’re working in a permanent role, consulting, freelancing or looking for a new job or career – this is a must-attend free teleseminar. I’ll demystify all the changes going on this year and ensure you thrive in 2010.

Don’t miss it!

Click here to learn more and reserve your space on the complimentary call.

Fitness Headlines

“Become A Perfect Size 10″

“Create A Dream Six Pack in 6 days”

“Lose 10 pounds in 10 Days”

Career Headlines

“Find Your Ideal Career”

“Find The Perfect Job”

“Find Your Dream Career”

What Have the Two Sets of Headlines Got in Common?

Click here to read the rest…

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Reinhold Niebuhr

You’re employer is going through a major restructuring process and you don’t quite know what will happen to you or your job.

You’re department has reorganised and you’ve ended up in a make-shift role that is unclear.

You’ve been given (what seems like) a pointless project to work on. You get the distinct impression that you’re being ‘frozen out.’

Your firm is cutting costs and you feel vulnerable

Sound familiar?

Click here to read the rest…

When I’m working with clients who want to make a career move, I usually ask what they want to do in terms of a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C.

What’s Plan A?

- The answer is often similar to what they were doing before – give or take 10%.

What’s Plan B?

- Is often something slightly different. Maybe a similar role in another sector. Maybe a slight variation of a role they’ve done in the past.

What’s Plan C?

- Is *that thing* you really want to do.

Click here to read the rest…