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7 Reasons LinkedIn Can Be a Game Changer

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game97% of companies hire from LinkedIn. That alone is the best reason to be on the site, but also to build a solid profile. These are seven additional reasons why you should be on the social networking site.

Because That’s Where The People Are. LinkedIn is the number one social network for professionals — and, arguably, the most important website for job seekers — with more than 347 million members worldwide. Not only are people you know already on the site, but so are people you should get to know — recruiters, hiring managers, and your future co-workers.

To “Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty.” In his book of the same name, author Harvey Mackay advocates building your network before you need it — and joining LinkedIn now gives you time to build your network of connections.

To Strengthen Your Offline Network. LinkedIn helps you keep track of people you know “in real life” — what they are doing, where they work now, and who they know.

To Reconnect With Former Co-Workers. Sometimes it’s hard to stay in touch with the people you used to work with — making it difficult to find them when you need them (say, to use as a reference in your job search). LinkedIn allows you to search contacts by employer, so anyone who listed that company in their profile will be found in the search.

Because You Can Establish Yourself as an Expert. One of the ways to be seen as a thought leader in your industry is to increase your visibility. One way to do this is to actively participate in Groups related to your job, and also to write articles for LinkedIn’s Publishing Platform. Anytime you post in Groups or post articles; these updates will be available in your profile, so people looking for you can see that you are actively engaged in this online community.

To Be Found as a Passive Candidate. Having a robust LinkedIn profile — filled with your accomplishments and strong keywords — will lead prospective employers to you, even if you are not actively looking for a job. Recruiters especially are always searching LinkedIn to find candidates to match their search assignments.

Because Your Presence on LinkedIn Can Help, You Be Found Elsewhere Online. It’s common practice for hiring managers and recruiters to “Google” job candidates, and your LinkedIn profile will likely appear high up in their Google search results. A strong LinkedIn profile can enhance your candidacy, especially if you have a solid network of contacts, at least, a few Recommendations, and you’ve supplemented the basic profile information with things like lists of your certifications, languages you speak, SlideShare presentations, honors and awards, and/or your professional portfolio.

Underpaid? Get the Salary You Deserve

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increasing income70% of Americans are unhappy with their job, and more than half are underpaid. Whether we like it or not, money affects every area of our life.

Money is usually the most sensitive issue in the hiring process. Discussing compensation often causes anxiety for both employee and employer.

Money may seem like the biggest factor in accepting a job, but it can often cloud your decision-making process. Don’t accept a job that you’re not enthusiastic about simply because the starting salary is a few thousand dollars higher than what you’re currently making. It’s probably more important to find a job that lets you do something you enjoy. Ask yourself whether the position presents a career path with an upward movement and long-range income potential.

Confidence is important in negotiations. You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Negotiate from a position of strength.” Strength comes from confidence. Confidence comes from being prepared (doing your homework), reaching the right decision-maker, having the right timing, and knowing what you want out of the negotiation. One of the best things you can do to boost your confidence is to practice (role play) your salary negotiation with someone. Ideally, practice with someone who has negotiation experience — for example, a friend or neighbor who is in sales, or who is a lawyer.

Even in a “bad” economy, it is worthwhile to negotiate your salary. In fact, in a 2012 survey conducted by Robert Half International, a global staffing firm, more than one-third of executives interviewed said they are more willing to negotiate salary with top candidates than they were a year ago. In a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, four out of five employers (80 percent!) said they are willing to negotiate compensation.

If you’re getting a job offer — and salary discussions usually don’t happen unless you’re a serious candidate — negotiation is an expected part of the process.

What’s the worst that can happen? You may not get all that you’re asking for. You may only get some — but that’s more than you started with. It’s rare (extremely rare!) that a job offer would be rescinded simply because you ask for more money.

Have a positive attitude about salary negotiations. Negotiation is basically a process which could benefit both parties. Understand your needs and those of the company. It is possible to reach a win/win solution. Don’t be aggressive or demanding when negotiating salary or a raise. Keep your tone friendly, civil and respectful.

Negotiating a higher starting offer initially can make a big difference in your pay over the long-term. In addition to getting more cash up front, your annual raises will also be based off a higher starting salary.

To find out more download my free EBook concerning salary negotiation atwww.onbproresume.com!

How In the World Do I Quantify My Accomplishments?

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helping-handOne of the biggest things I help clients identify is their accomplishments. Without these on your resume, you’re not going to stand out against other applicants. However, some people feel as though they do the same thing every day so how do you identify your achievements? Here are a few tips to think about:

  • Accomplishments demonstrate your skills and experience. It’s one thing to claim you can do something — it’s another to prove you’ve done it.
  • When collecting accomplishments for a job search, consider the key areas of competency required for success in the position you are seeking. What are the key components of your job? You should be able to identify accomplishments directly related to this expertise.
  • To come up with accomplishments, take a look at your past performance reviews and think about any awards or recognition you’ve received.
  • The most important part of the accomplishment is outlining your results. To be most effective, however, you also need to provide context for your accomplishment. There are several different
  • Quantifying your accomplishments also helps you stand out from others who do the work you do — whether you’re using the information for a raise or promotion request, or when seeking a new job opportunity.

If you’re located in the U.S. or Canada, click here to schedule your free strategy session today!  

Jennifer Owenby offers her combined expertise as a recruiter along with training as a professional resume writer. Please visit ONB Professional Resumes and LinkedIn Services for additional information and scheduling an appointment.

How to Know When It’s Time to Make a Job or Career Change

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changeThere’s a saying in the careers industry that you’ll know it’s time to make a job or career change when you start asking yourself if it’s time to make a change.

While there is truth to that, there’s more to making your decision. This guide will help you identify some of the reasons why you may want to make a job or career change and give you practical strategies and tips to help you with your decision.

What May Make You Want to Make a Change?

The first step is to assess the reason — or reasons — why you may want to make a change. Change can be difficult — it usually is — so you want to make sure that the reason you are considering a switch isn’t something temporary that will fix itself if given enough time.

Some of the reasons why you may be considering a job or career change are internal reasons. These can include:

  • How you feel about going to work. Do you dread getting up and going to work on Monday? Does that dread spread its way into your weekend? Do you start feeling anxious or depressed on Sunday afternoon as you anticipate the upcoming workweek? Do you find yourself complaining about your job to others?
  • You feel physically or emotionally threatened at work. If you are in danger physically or psychologically at work, you should start developing your exit strategy.
  • Your skills are becoming obsolete. Technology has had a dramatic impact on almost every industry, and if it’s affecting your job, you may find you have a gap in the skills you need to be successful in doing your work.
  • You are overwhelmed by your job. If you find yourself constantly worried at work because you can’t handle the responsibilities of the role, or you didn’t get enough training to help you master critical tasks, that can make it very difficult to enjoy your work. You may not have articulated it, but you’re overwhelmed.
  • You’re bored at work. Maybe you’ve been in your position for several years, and you’re just not excited anymore about the work you’re doing. If you’re not growing in your job, it’s easy to start thinking about doing something else.
  • There is little to no room for advancement in your current job. Maybe you’ve worked your way up to the top spot you can get in the company. This is especially true in smaller companies, where a limited number of management positions are available.
  • How you feel about your co-workers and/or boss. Do you like the people you work with? Are you appreciated for the work you do? (This can be expressed in either a “thank you” or in your financial compensation.)
  • Company politics are affecting your work. For example, you work for a family-owned business, and there is animosity among the family members.
  • If your job requires you to do something that you no longer enjoy doing. For example, traveling four out of five days of the week might have been fine when you were in your 20s, but it’s wearing on you now that you’re in your 30s and have a family. Or you take customer service phone calls, but you’re tired of being beat up by unhappy customers.
  • You researched competitive salaries for your type of job and discovered that your company pays less than the industry average. If you’ve previously asked for a raise and were turned down, you may be motivated to seek out better compensation elsewhere.
  • There is little or no opportunity for increasing your salary significantly in your current position. How are raises or requests for salary increases handled at the company? Is there a regular performance review process? Are there opportunities to increase your salary much beyond 2-5% annually?
  • You realize you’re not getting any younger. If the thought of working for this company for another year — or five years — makes you feel your mortality, it may be time to make a change to a different path.
  • What you’re doing now isn’t your passion. Is there an opportunity for you to turn something you’re doing as a hobby into a full-time job? Or could you start a business of your own — either doing something related to your current work, or a current hobby or interest?
  • You have a different plan for yourself. Maybe you didn’t see yourself staying at this job, or in this career, for this amount of time. If your long-term goals aren’t aligned with what you’re doing now, it may be time for a change.

Download this free EBook and learn how to negotiate your salary!

If you’re located in the U.S. or Canada, click here to schedule your free strategy session today!  

 

Are You An Exceptional Employee? How To Let Hiring Managers Know Without Sounding Egotistical

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value 2Recruiters and hiring managers need help knowing what kind of position you’re focused on. It’s harder to find a job when you don’t know what kind of job you want. Conversely, it is easier to find a job if you know what kind of job you want.

There are fewer opportunities for average performers to be found in the hiring process, but there are tremendous opportunities for stars. Positioning helps you identify where you can be a star performer and then make the case (through your work and your career communication documents) to support this claim.

The next step is to align your job search with your positioning. Make sure your résumé and interview preparation supports this and makes your case.

Build Your Personal Position Before You Start Looking for a Job

Many job seekers develop their personal positioning when they are looking for a new job. But personal positioning can help you be more effective — and visible — in your current job.

In your current job, get attention for the work you’re already doing:

  • Offer to do a presentation showing your (or your group’s) accomplishments for the quarter.
  • Contact your company’s communications department to see if they are interested in doing an article for the company newsletter on a recent project.
  • Make sure you are keeping an “Accomplishments Journal” documenting your current career successes.

Develop your own communications plan in your current position. Increase your personal visibility by speaking, writing, and participating in social media. Once you’ve identified your personal positioning, see how you can incorporate it into your everyday work life. This will make you worth more to your current employer (remember, superstars stand out!) and make you more attractive as a job candidate when it is time for you to look for a new position.

Click here to download my free EBook concerning salary negotiation today!

If you’re ready to move forward and make changes in your life contact me today for your free strategy session. Click here to schedule your free strategy session today if you’re located in the U.S. or Canada.

Jennifer Owenby offers her combined expertise as a recruiter along with training as a professional resume writer. Please visit ONB Professional Resumes and LinkedIn Services for additional information and scheduling an appointment.

About Jennifer

Hi, I'm Jennifer Owenby and I'm the founder of ONB Professional Resume Services. A few years ago I was introduced to Dr. Sheri Kay Hoff, a life coach. She continually talked about finding your passion and loving what you do. If you love your work, you're full of passion for life, more energetic and Continue Reading »

F.A.Q.

FAQ's Why do I see a difference in resume prices? Lower cost resume services often outsource your resume and all of your personal information to ghost writers overseas. Unfortunately, the resume results include verbiage that is not consistent with our standard English. The final resumes are cluttered with incorrect words, misspellings, and Continue Reading »

Free Resources

FREE! Get my best-selling EBook concerning salary negotiation FREE! This guide gives you insider information concerning how to answer that pesky salary question "What is your current salary?", how to ask for a raise and get results and much more. Don't back yourself into a corner for lower pay than Continue Reading »