Take these steps to grow your professional sphere from the ground up.

One word that makes professionals cringe is networking—especially now that we’re trying to network during a global pandemic. But a strong group of industry contacts is key to helping your professional development blossom. Granted, if you’re a newly minted college graduate hunting for a job, you have to build a network from scratch, which is no small feat. The bright spot: Learning how to network for a job is a science—if you combine the right ingredients, you’ll achieve a successful result.

Here are six steps to take to build your job search network.

Know how to make your pitch
A key part of effective networking is being clear about your job search goals and the value that you bring to an employer, which is where an elevator pitch comes in.
In a nutshell, an elevator pitch is a sound bite that explains to people who you are, what you do, and what kind of position you’re seeking. Why so short? “People are busy,” says Atlanta career coach Hallie Crawford. Recruiters don’t have time to hear your whole life’s story. So, keep your pitch to less than a minute.

Check out this well-crafted elevator speech from Monster Career Expert Vicki Salemi: “I’m Vicki Salemi, a career expert for Monster. Author, speaker, career coach, columnist, and former corporate recruiter, always interested in speaking with job seekers to help them find a better job—fast!”

Stay organized
As you build your sphere, make sure to keep detailed records of your networking activity: people’s names, where and when you met, and what topics you discussed. You’ll also need to develop a reliable follow-up system. “You need to stay in touch in order to stay on top of someone’s radar,” says Kelly Kennedy, director of career readiness at the University of Virginia Athletics. Keep those who are interested posted on the progress of your job search.

Leverage your alumni network
Your degree comes with a secret weapon: your college’s alumni network. In fact, many schools maintain a list of alumni who have expressed they want to help new grads with their job search. Still, you need to take a tactful approach when reaching out to alums, says Denise Rudolph, assistant director of employer relations and recruiting at James Madison University. “You can’t just send someone an email and expect the person to help you get a job,” she says.

Some guidelines: 1) introduce yourself and include your school year and major; 2) explain how you got the person’s contact information; 3) be specific with what you’re asking for from the person (e.g., “I’d love to hear more about what you do”); and 4) attach your resume.

Expand your horizons
When it comes to how to network for a job, you need to cast a wide net. Wider than you may think. In addition to alumni, you’ll want to tap every networking resource that’s at your disposal. Here’s a list of other sources for finding networking contacts:

• Community job clubs
• Fraternity or sorority groups
• Friends: Local and out-of-town
• High school and college classmates
• Hobby groups: softball team, running club, yoga group
• Managers and peers from your past internships
• Members of your church, temple, synagogue or mosque (some religious organizations also sponsor job search groups)
• Neighbors: Past and present
• Political groups
• Relatives: Local and out-of-town
• Service groups: Rotary, Kiwanis, Elks
• Volunteer groups

Build your circle remotely
In the age of social distancing, you may find you have fewer opportunities to network with people in person. Fortunately, social media can enable you to build relationships with people that you haven’t met—including recruiters at your target employers. (According to a survey of HR professionals by the Society for Human Resource Management, 84% of employers use social media to recruit talent.)

Specifically, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook can be powerful networking tools. You’ll have the most impact if you’re using social media on a regular basis—meaning you should be reaching out to new contacts and interacting with people in your network daily, not occasionally.

Rock informational interviews
The informational interview is an often-overlooked—and often misconstrued—form of networking, but going on informational interviews can be a great way to build your network.

The most important thing is to ask meaningful questions when you meet someone for an informational interview, says Jeff Neil, a New York City career coach and author of Informational Interview Handbook: Essential Strategies to Find the Right Career and a Great New Job. “You’re not there to ask for a job,” Neil says. “You’re there to establish a relationship and build rapport.” A good icebreaker: “How did you get started in the field?” “People like to talk about themselves,” Neil says.

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Going into your boss’s office can often be hot or cold: You could be getting a pat on the back for a job well done—or a tough dose of constructive criticism. Your boss may want to assign you an awesome new project—or ask you for the report that’s due today (wait, what report?). But how often do you stop by your manager’s office just to chat?

Turns out, there are several things you should be addressing with your boss on a regular basis. When you take the time to talk about these important issues, you’ll find that you’re happier with your career and better positioned in the eyes of your boss, your team, and the company as a whole. So, the next time you pass by your boss’s office, stop in and start talking about these five things.

1. Where You See Yourself in Five Years
Whether you hope to be in a different role or a different department, it’s OK—and it can actually be very beneficial—to talk to your current boss about your career goals. And yes, it can be intimidating to bring this up for the first time (especially if you’re hoping to make a big career switch at some point), but it can actually help create more opportunities for you in the long run.

Why would your boss be open to your ambition to move up or out of your current role? In many cases, he or she truly does want to see you achieve your goals. As a manager myself, I constantly ask my employees “Where do you see yourself in five years?”—because if there’s a way I can help them along, I’ll do it. Whether that means putting in a good word for them in a different department at my current company or assigning them specials projects that will help them build new skill sets for a different role, I want to help.

Of course, there’s definitely a right and wrong way to phrase your goals (i.e., you don’t want to blatantly announce to your boss that you’re hoping to jump ship ASAP or that you want to take over your boss’s position). Start small by mentioning where you see yourself eventually: “I’d love to move up to a management position someday.” If it’s received well, move on to specify how you can reach those goals—even if it would eventually require a move to a different department or company.

2. Your Ideas for the Company
When you’re entrenched in your work, it’s a common and familiar mumble: “This would be so much easier if we did it my way.” But, how often do you actually present that idea to your boss as a serious solution to a problem?

Discussing your ideas with your boss helps you in several ways. First, you’re showing him or her that you take initiative, that you’re committed to improving the company, and that you truly want to make contributions to the team. Second, you might actually get to see your idea put in action—and assuming it’s as effective and efficient as you think it is, that’s great news for you and your team.

To make the most out of the conversation, come prepared with a plan in mind. Try something like, “I’ve noticed that our new hires aren’t picking up on the new CRM program very easily. I’d love to put together some training documentation to help learn it a little quicker. Here’s a quick outline I threw together—what do you think?”

3. Advice for Tough Work Situations
When you view your boss only as the person who hands out assignments and performance reviews, you’ll miss out on some great advice. Remember, your boss is a boss for a reason—he or she has been around the block a time or two. So, take advantage of that to further your own career.

For example, before my boss was in his current position as a department manager, he was in my position—a team supervisor. So, whenever I come across a challenge that I haven’t faced before, I drop by his office to talk through the situation. Most times, he’s been through a similar situation and is able to give me valuable advice about how he handled it and what he learned to do (and not to do).

No, you shouldn’t lean on your boss for every problem that pops up, but if you can’t figure something out on your own, why not use the valuable resource right in front of you?

4. Company and Industry Insight
Of course, your boss has to manage your day-to-day tasks, but he or she can provide insight into a lot more than just your upcoming deadlines and company values—especially if he or she has been with the company or in the industry for several years.

This can range from unfamiliar company processes (“what’s the standard process to change a position title?”) to company history (“what it was like when the company was acquired by an equity firm a few years ago?”) to your overall industry (“how has the healthcare industry changed since you first entered it eight years ago?”).

Whether it stems from pure curiosity or strategizing for the future, don’t be afraid to ask questions about the inner workings of the company or industry as a whole. You’ll gain some valuable information—and prove that you’re there for more than just a paycheck.

5. Your Life Outside of Work
If your boss follows you on social media, you’d probably rather figure out a way for her to know less about your personal life. But, getting a little personal with your boss isn’t a bad thing—in fact, it can help solidify your professional relationship.

So, spill a few details about your family, your childhood, or even just what you did over the weekend—and ask questions about her life in return. You’ll likely find something you have in common, share a laugh, or at the very least relax for a few moments instead of worrying about the status of your current project.
You don’t have to go into any extreme details or spend hours telling each other your life stories, but connecting with your boss on a personal level can help you feel more comfortable coming to him or her about serious issues. You may never hang out outside of work, but that doesn’t mean you have to avoid any sort of personal connection.

It may not feel natural at first, but try striking up a conversation with your boss about these important issues. In the end (when you’re happier in your current job and that much closer to your career goals), I promise, it’ll be worth it.

The post 5 Things You Should be Talking to Your Boss About appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

8 CAREER RESOLUTIONS TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR

Everybody starts the year off with a list of New Year’s resolutions — which are nearly all abandoned or forgotten by February. This year, keep that January motivation fresh in your mind by adding your resolutions to your work calendar now. Here are some suggestions from career experts about what goals to set for this year.

Make a “greatest hits” list.
“Everyone should take time at the beginning of every year to take stock of what they accomplished the prior year… and put those into writing in a resume-like fashion,” says Monique A. Honaman, CEO and partner at ISHR Group. “It’s much easier to have all of this information ready to go when you need it as opposed to having to create a resume from scratch and remember what you have accomplished for the past 10 years.”

Establish one big goal.
“We frequently spend more time hammering out the daily demands of life such that we forget to focus on the big picture,” Honaman says.  “Everyone should set at least one goal of something major that they want to accomplish for their career each year.” Carve out time for yourself, just as you would for any other appointment, to work on your big-picture goal each week, she advises.

Seek out advice.
“Find a trusted mentor who can help guide you towards your goals with a dash of realism about how to navigate the waters ahead,” says Joseph Weintraub, a professor of management and director of the Babson Coaching for Leadership and Teamwork Program at Babson College. Even if you think you know the ropes, somebody more seasoned could give you advice about navigating your company’s higher-up office politics. Weintraub says this person can be someone at your company or someone highly-regarded in your industry who knows the unwritten as well as the written rules.

Set progress benchmarks.
“Set stretch goals but don’t bite off more than you can chew,” says Roy Cohen, career counselor, and executive coach. To keep your big idea manageable, come up with a few smaller goals that will help you accomplish your big achievement. Taking a class, earning a certification or writing an article for an industry publication could all be stops on the way to your final destination that will help build momentum towards it, Cohen says.

Do a quarterly check-up.
“As is the case with quarterly performance reviews in organizations, take the time to do the reflection of where you are in accomplishing your resolutions by doing your own internal audit in your scheduling calendar by setting up a look at your resolutions every three months,” Weintraub says.

Do a mid-year network check.
“Ask yourself at the mid-year point, who have I connected with this year?” Honaman says. You don’t want to be that guy or gal who gets a reputation for only getting in touch if you need a favor, she says. “Make the investment, and sustain your investment, by building a valuable network.  If and when you do need to reach out, the connection is not cold.”

Acquire new tech skills.
“Learn how to better use technology to support all aspects of your job search,” Cohen says. “The downtime around the holidays is great for coming up to speed on new technology applications or skills that need to be strengthened.” Figure out your weak spots, then find classes, books or tutorials where you can learn or brush up on the skills you need to move forward.

Take stock of your accomplishments.
At the end of the year, give yourself a personal performance review — and since you’re not sharing it with anyone, don’t dodge the mistakes and missteps you made during the year. “Be realistic in what you have done and not done towards moving towards your resolutions. Often failure along the way brings the biggest learning,” says Weintraub. “The key is to learn from past mistakes,” he says, by figuring out what you need to do differently the next time around.

The post 8 Career Solutions to Put On Your Calendar appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

It will be Christmas before too long and the kick-off of holiday networking. If you’re planning on using this time to maintain and grow your professional network (and you should), make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date. Here are 10 areas to check on your LinkedIn profile:

Photo: You don’t need a professional headshot, but you do want to look professional. Choose a close-up of your face. Don’t include pets, children, or busy backgrounds. People who you network with and then want to connect with on LinkedIn will better remember you when they see both your profile and your picture. You want your photo to look like you.

Headline: These are the words that appear under your name. When you create your profile, LinkedIn includes a default – typically your current title and company. But you can change that. If your title is generic and your company isn’t a household name, it might not be clear what you do and what your industry expertise is. You may want to instead choose a more descriptive headline (e.g., marketing professional, finance manager).

Summary: Directly below your photo and brief outline of your experience is space for a Summary. This is searchable, so be sure to include the keywords that you want to be found for – brand name companies, technical skills, functional and industry expertise. Look at other profiles for summaries that you like, and model yours after that.

Experience: If it’s been a while since you have updated your profile, your experience section might not reflect what you’re currently doing. Make sure your title and description of your role is current.

Extras: Don’t stop editing at just the main sections, like Education and Experience. There is a Publications section where you can mention if you have written something – a report for a trade newsletter, a guest blog. You can also add videos or PowerPoint to your Summary or Experience sections to showcase examples of your work. The Volunteer and Interests sections reflect another aspect of your background.

References: You can ask people to write a Testimonial about your work. As a former recruiter, I can confirm that this won’t at all replace actual reference checks, but it’s another way of showcasing your background. It’s also a great way to reconnect with the people from whom you request references. Endorsements are another way to show peer support of your skills (while Testimonials are written references, Endorsements are just checkmarks against specific skills that show someone in your network confirms you have that skill). Be sure to list the skills you want to receive endorsements for so these keywords accumulate on your profile.

Settings: If you haven’t checked your privacy settings in a while, do that while you’re updating everything else. When you make a lot of updates, you want to turn off the notification to your network of changes you make – you don’t want your connections to be bothered every time you make an edit. Then, be sure to turn the notification back on because for less frequent updates – when you post a status update, when you change your title – you do want your network to be made aware. Another setting to look at is regarding your browsing activity — “Select what others see when you’ve viewed their profile.” When you look at someone else’s profile, you can reveal who you are, stay semi-anonymous (LinkedIn shows no picture and just a generic industry or title) or anonymous. If you don’t want others to know you’re looking at their profiles, make this setting anonymous.

Connections: The connections that you have determine what kind of new connections you can see (because you are seeing their networks and their networks’ network). So as you update your own profile, think about what connections you’d like to make, and which connections you’ll accept going forward.

Groups: Groups are like-minded members drawn together by industry, role, shared background (e.g., company, alma mater) or shared interest. Groups are a great way of meeting people and staying current. The groups you are in also reflect your own experience and interest. So groups are another area to proactively update.

Contact info: Your email might have changed since you first set up your profile. If you want to know when people reach out to you on LinkedIn or get activity feeds or notices from your Groups, you need to make sure the email connected to your profile is something you check regularly. When I was recruiting, I regularly received very tardy responses from candidates I reached out to on LinkedIn with the sheepish excuse that they don’t check that platform so often. Have the notifications forward to an email that you do check often! Why be present on a platform known for its recruiting advantages if you’re not going to respond!

Don’t just network during the holidays. Plan to follow up and stay in touch. LinkedIn is an ideal platform to do this, so make sure your profile is ready now.

The post Refresh Your LinkedIn for Holiday Networking: a 10-Point Checklist appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Signed a huge client? Check. Trained six new employees? Check. Hit your monthly sales quota in a week? Done and done.

You might have a list of career accomplishments a mile long. But if you’re the only one with access to that list — and no one else understands the extent of your contributions or the impact they’re having on the organization — you’ll be standing behind the door when the raises are handed out.

That’s because when organizations assess talent and make decisions about raises, promotions, and plum projects, the people making the decisions are going through a mental highlight reel of your career — and what counts isn’t necessarily what you’ve done; it’s what they know about what you’ve done.

So if you’re watching others get the promotions, assignments, or recognition you believe you deserve, it might be because you’re not making your accomplishments known. To make sure your manager and the rest of the organization is well aware of your contributions, here are five tips for getting credit for your work.

1. Keep Your Manager Informed

Many of the clients I coach rarely speak with their managers. Sometimes, that avoidance stems from a strained employee-boss relationship; others, because full calendars don’t allow for easily coordinated conversations.

No matter your reason, this is a major career oversight. You can’t assume your manager knows what you’re doing, the great progress you’ve made, or the obstacles you’ve overcome unless you make it your mission to provide that information.

But if you wait until your annual review, most of your accomplishments will be old news. And, you’ll be competing to stand out among all the other reviews that are being conducted — and the co-workers who are pushing their own accomplishments.

Your Go-To Strategy

Get on your manager’s calendar bi-weekly (at least), and use that time to make sure he or she knows the status of each of your major projects. Also highlight how you’re leveraging relationships with other teams or colleagues and making him or her look good in the process (e.g., “Jack in marketing was confused about the pricing strategy, so I brought him up to speed based on the guidance you laid out. We’re both on track with the goals you set for margin”).

By having regular conversations, you’ll remind your manager of your value — and keep it in the front of his or her mind on an ongoing basis, instead of just once a year.

2. Focus on Results, Not Just Your Activities

As a manager, I found that during regular update meetings with my employees, they tended to focus on a list of activities they’d completed throughout the week, from making phone calls to holding meetings to creating slide decks.

However, while those types of activities are certainly necessary, and it probably feels good to validate the time and energy you spent on them, what your manager really wants to know is the impact those activities had on the organization.

Your Go-To Strategy

Instead of giving your manager a list of tasks you’ve accomplished, explain what those tasks mean in the bigger picture.

So, rather than: “Last week I met with 10 of our suppliers on rebidding the widget production, and then I had a conference call with the team to share our progress.”

Try this: “I met with 10 suppliers last week. Three are seriously hungry for the business, and I suspect we’ll be able to increase our projected savings by at least 5% based on those conversations. That’ll be worth $1.5 million in our run rate. I’ll get you the final number once we wrap up negotiations.”

3. Get Social Proof

When you do something awesome and your colleagues express appreciation, ask them to speak up on your behalf. (And if you work with customers, ask them to do the same. Managers love hearing from satisfied customers, and this is a great way to collect feedback on your performance!)

A brief note to your manager or team lead outlining how you helped get a desired result, overcome an obstacle, or move the project forward will generate visibility, reminding those higher-ups of your ability to achieve great things.

Your Go-To Strategy

When someone acknowledges your work, ask him or her to make it official: “Thanks for recognizing me in the project wrap-up meeting this morning. The results we got together were over the top. Would you be willing to send a note to my manager about my contributions to the project? She holds you in high regard, and it would be a tremendous professional validation coming from you.”

4. Get in Front of Decision Makers

The power of presenting your ideas and results well — and in front of the right audience — carries just as much sway in your career as actually doing the work When you have the opportunity to present, for example, to your boss’ boss, you’ll boost your visibility and, when done right, create a memorable impression. Soon, that manager will know your name, which will give you a boost when it comes to performance reviews and special projects.

So if you’re offered the opportunity to present an update on your project, make a recommendation for a specific decision, or provide commentary on the impact of your work, go for it.

Your Go-To Strategy

First, identify one of your strongest projects — one that you feel confident talking about; this will help you work from a position of strength. Then, tell your manager you’d like the chance to present the progress of the project to higher-ups. Suggest it as a good opportunity for you to stretch your speaking abilities and learn how to present to upper-level managers.

Then, work with your manager to make sure you know what’s important to that audience and how to present information in the most effective way, so that the presentation showcases you as a confident, decision-capable up-and-comer. Assure your manager you want to make her look great in the process. Then, do so!

5. Take Your Stolen Ideas Back

There will undoubtedly be a time in your career when you run an idea by someone to get some feedback, and he’ll love it! He’ll love it so much, in fact, that he’ll turn around and present it as his own idea.

This can be extremely frustrating, but you do have some options.

Your Go-To Strategy

Now, you’re not going to interrupt the meeting where the topic is being discussed and say, “Hey, that was my idea!” But you can present more details, numbers, and data to support your suggestion. In other words, take control of the conversation to direct the spotlight back to you.

For example, say you’re in a meeting and your co-worker, Gary, goes on and on about your idea of expanding in the nonprofit sector, as if he originated it. You can jump in and share the evidence that inspired you originally — which Gary doesn’t have: “Yes, the numbers show that sector is projected to grow by 12% next year. Also, I talked with the logistics team a couple of weeks ago about this, and they are ready to build more capacity into the system. Competitors haven’t ventured out there yet, so we’ll be ahead of the game.”

Boom. You now own it again. By supporting and expanding on the idea, it’s likely your original idea will emerge in bigger and better form — and you’ll end up with the credit.

Yes, we all need to be good team players. The old adage “It’s amazing what can be accomplished when it doesn’t matter who gets the credit” is a powerfully true statement on how work is done in organizations.

Also remember, however, that teams aren’t promoted; individuals are. So, your mission is to be a great team player, but to have a firm grasp of the impact you made and smart strategies to share it with those who need to know.

The post 5 Ways to Make Sure Your Boss Knows Just How Awesome You Are appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Social media can be dangerous to your career if not used wisely. We know it, employers know it – hell, even Mark Zuckerberg acknowledges it. Every day, we hear stories of people fired, people hired and people’s lives ruined because of a stupid tweet or thoughtless comment.

The problem is, the things a person shares online quickly become their personal brand – and this includes the bad as well as the good.

It’s a widely cited fact that most prospective employers Google candidates before taking their job applications to interview. But what are the red flags that scupper a hire? What are the cardinal sins of online etiquette? In short, what status updates will get you fired before you’re even hired?

A bad reference

On the web, everyone can hear you scream. In fact they can hear you scream forever and ever, down the digital ages. With tools like the Way-Back Machine allowing you to look at previous iterations of any internet site, plus the ubiquity of the phone screenshot function, literally everything online is recorded for posterity somewhere.

Thus, while Facebook might be a good way to keep all your drunken photos in one place, it also acts as a fantastic referencing system. According to Career Builder, the top no-nos online are inappropriate photos, drug references and discriminatory language. And you will be judged on your past online activity – because why should a recruiter go the trouble of contacting previous employers when they can just Google a candidate’s name?

Tempted to sign off for good? Unfortunately, the reference analogy goes further: if employers Google a candidate and find nothing – no Facebook, no Twitter, no LinkedIn – they are given just as much cause for doubt as otherwise. These days, it looks more suspicious not to be on social media than to misuse it.

TMI

Are you an over-sharer? ‘TMI’ – or ‘too much information’ – isn’t just a concern for teenage girls. Businesses are looking for employees who can separate the personal from the professional, both in the workplace and online. If your Twitter feed catalogues the entire daily grind of your previous role – or, worse, shares information that should be limited to a professional context – then you could be in hot water where both prospective and current employers are concerned.

Another issue to watch out for is volume of online interactions. If someone posts three, four, five updates a day, it’s easy for a hiring manager to question whether they should be working instead. To ensure you turn off no future employers, keep your social media to a maximum of a couple of posts a day and confine yourself to personal topics only.

Not sure what we mean? Read these horrendous, fireable updates and weep.

Defamatory remarks

Critical remarks or personal attacks are par for the course on social media platforms. But did you know that such insults can count as defamation? Whether a post is public or confined to a small group, a Facebook or Twitter update is deemed ‘published’ by a court of law. And published slander is defamatory; you could easily be sued.

Although it’s unlikely that anyone you provoke online will initiate genuine legal action against you, it’s not a good idea to taunt the beast. And do we really need to go through the reasons why patent racism, sexism or otherwise discriminatory remarks won’t boost your job prospects?

Companies that see you bandying insults online will be all too wary of turning that ire against themselves. Don’t give them a reason to fear you. Keep things clean.

Bad spelling

“U beta wotch ur speling,” said nobody ever. But spelling is a big deal, and not just on your resume. A recent YouGov survey of business decision makers revealed that a whopping 56% would reconsider a hire who employed bad grammar and/or spelling on social media.

The simple truth is that bad spelling makes you look at best lazy, at worst stupid. If you can’t be bothered to spell check your tweets, don’t put them out there. And that’s the harsh truth: on the web, you’re judged solely by what you choose to put out there. If that output is lacking, then no number of firm handshakes can help you.

The post Could These Social Media Gaffes Cost You Your Job Hunt? appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

LinkedIn has evolved to become one the most important and most prevalent resources for professional networking available. Used by more than 313 million people on an international scale, it’s no wonder why the social network has, for many professional networkers, replaced traditional forms of meeting and socializing.

Whether you network for job opportunities, sales prospects, or just overall experience, it’s true that LinkedIn can enhance your efforts — but it’s important to acknowledge a few considerations about the platform before you get too deep in your strategy.

1. Not Everyone on LinkedIn Wants to Network

This is a basic rule you’ll need to follow if you want to stay in the good graces of your current and potential connections. New LinkedIn users sometimes get excited about the notion of making new connections and start reaching out to people they haven’t met before. While some users also love the idea of meeting new people and connecting with strangers, others are offended by it and may feel as if their privacy has been disrespected if they receive such a request.

Obviously, you want to avoid such a scenario, as it could irritate a potential connection. Instead, focus on connecting with people you’ve already met or connections of people you’ve already met. Make sure to let each potential connection know how you found them and why you want to connect with them.

2. People Will Judge You Based on Your Profile

Your profile is the first thing your new connection will look at, and if you haven’t met in person before, it’s going to form their first impression of you. I don’t need to tell you how important first impressions are. Building out your profile is the best way to leave your new (and potential) connections with positive thoughts of you.

What exactly makes a good profile? There are dozens of rules and hundreds of nitpicky options you can look at, but the fundamentals are mostly intuitive:

• Customize your profile URL so it’s not just a series of random letters and numbers.
• Make sure your profile photo is a professional-looking headshot where you look your best.
• Fill out your profile with as much detailed information as you can without becoming long-winded and boastful.
• Include personal recommendations from others, if possible.

3. Your Personal Brand Should Be Treated Like a Brand

A brand is a created identity, and while yours should be based on your real personality, it should also be refined and treated like a professional company brand. As you network more on LinkedIn and engage in different discussions with different people, your audience and your network should all receive a consistent experience. That means your image, your personality, and even your language need to be in sync with each other.

Developing your personal brand will give people the consistent, desirable experience they want, and eventually, they’ll want to come back to you to repeat that experience. Connect your LinkedIn profile with your other social media profiles, and widen your audience while keeping your personal brand uniform. It’s good to show some of your unique personality, but do remember that LinkedIn isn’t a place to make emotional or personal updates — it’s a professional network, first and foremost. For more information on building a personal brand, see my article, “5 Steps to Building a Personal Brand (and Why You Need One).”

4. People Will Notice Spam and Advertising

Most connections, and most people in general, hate the idea of being advertised to. The second they understand that a message was specifically constructed to sell them on something, the authority and credibility of the message are immediately destroyed. If any of your messages or connection attempts are seen as spammy or as attempts to advertise your company or personal brand, your audience will immediately turn away from you.

Write specialized messages for your audience — in your profile, in your connection attempts, and in your discussion comments. Make sure people know that you aren’t just trying to reach out to them for artificial connection building or a blind attempt to get more business. Be yourself, and write unique messages with unique content to avoid seeming robotic or impersonal. No matter how good you think you are at subtly advertising, people will be able to detect it, and you’ll lose credibility when they do.

5. A Personal Touch Goes a Long Way

Just like in real life, people on LinkedIn crave personal acknowledgement, and if you give it to them, you’ll wind up in their good graces. You’ll want to start each possible connection on a note of personal interaction; when you request to connect with a new person, write them a message about why that connection is important to you, and include personal details so the other person knows you’re being sincere. Sending the default “Hi, I’d like to connect” message will make you seem distant and unapproachable.

Then, follow up with your connections on a regular basis. If you see it’s someone’s birthday, someone’s work anniversary, or someone’s new job or promotion, send them a congratulatory letter. Take every opportunity you can to build your relationship with tiny personal touches. Over time, your connection will grow much stronger.

6. There Is Real Power in Groups

Don’t just stick to personal profile updates and private messages with your connections. Use the power of groups to boost your potential network and reach people you’ve never met in a familiar setting. Sign up to be a part of as many groups as you deem appropriate. Learn the intentions and etiquette of each group, and get involved by starting discussions and responding to comment threads that are already in progress.

The real opportunity in groups is getting the chance to introduce yourself to new people without the breach of etiquette that comes in blindly reaching out to new connections. In a group setting, people will become familiar with your personality and authority, and it’s highly likely that you’ll attract new connections without any outbound effort. For more on using LinkedIn groups for marketing, see my article, “The Definitive Guide to LinkedIn Groups for Marketing.”

7. Face-to-Face Meetings Are Still Important

Interpersonal connections can’t thrive exclusively on social media. While the digital environment gives us a great platform to start new connections, and easily follow up with ones we’ve already made, face-to-face meetings are still important to build camaraderie and deepen those relationships. It’s not always possible due to geographical limitations and schedule restrictions, but whenever you can, try to schedule a lunch meeting or a cup of coffee with your most important — or your newest — connections.

You’d be surprised how much a face-to-face meeting can mean to a person, even in the digital age. It’s not a mandatory requirement for LinkedIn participation, of course, but LinkedIn members who do connect outside the platform tend to be more successful than members who operate exclusively in the online world.

Don’t let these truths scare you away from LinkedIn; when used correctly, it’s a great tool with few, if any, major drawbacks.

But the availability of such a powerful social network also warrants a new set of rules of etiquette. Once you become more familiar with the way LinkedIn works and the best ways to reach out to more connections, you’ll be able to build your network of professional relationships and take advantage of everything the platform has to offer.

The post 7 LinkedIn Rules That Will Make You an Online Networking Master appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

You’re ready to make a career move — maybe you’re looking for a new job, launching a side business, or eyeing a promotion. In all of these instances, boosting your personal brand can help you achieve your goal.

That’s because a strong personal brand is a carefully designed message that’s compelling and attracts the right people. It helps you stand out for who you are and what you do best.

You’re probably nodding along, because you already know all of this. You don’t need to be convinced how valuable personal branding is: What’s holding you back is the time commitment.

That’s why you have a LinkedIn Profile, even though you haven’t updated it since you set it up. After all, who can devote hours each week on top of working or job searching? Well, believe it or not, 30 minutes is all you need to take your efforts to the next level. Here’s how to spend them:

Minutes 1-10: Evaluate What Makes You Stand Out

The first thing you want to do is perform a self-assessment. This step is often overlooked, but it’ll be super helpful as you find your voice in a sea of professionals with similar experience.

This evaluation helps you have a clear vision of your USP, or “unique selling proposition,” which is just a fancy term for the value you offer to your target audience.

Here are some questions to get you started:

What are you passionate about? You want to think about what excites you, and what things you truly enjoy doing.

What are your core beliefs? This is important because it’s like a mission statement. It’ll help you relay your personal approach to getting things done.

What are your top four strengths? This’ll help you share what you do better than anyone else, to set you apart from the competition.

Are you a good leader or a good doer — or both? This is good to know because it’s a way to identify and highlight the kind of roles that complement your strengths.

What do others say about you? Ask around! You may have strengths you’re unaware of, or talents you need to put more emphasis on so people know they exist.

To be clear, I don’t expect you to answer these questions with witty taglines. This exercise is to help you target your branding efforts. So, answer the question(s) that inspire you by jotting down notes, and honestly writing what comes to mind.

Minutes 10-20: Compare That to What You Already Have

Now that you’ve done some reflection on what you want to say, it’s time to see how it stacks up against what’s already out there.

If someone were to read your LinkedIn profile, tweets, or personal website, would they see messaging that points them toward the answers you came up with?

You might be thinking: Wait, I only have 10 minutes, that’s not enough time to read my whole website or review my LinkedIn line by line. But, here’s the thing, people who click into one of your social profiles or visit your website are probably going to spend a fraction of that time looking at it.

So, you want to look for things that shout what you do. On LinkedIn, that means moving beyond filling out the basics and adding links to media, writing posts, and getting endorsements for skills. On your website, that might mean building a portfolio. On Twitter, it’s about not just following influencers, but composing tweets, too.

This step is about comparing what you want to highlight to what you have and asking yourself: What’s missing? What can I add?

Minutes 20-30: Create a Schedule

Truth talk: Personal branding isn’t a “set it and forget it” kind of thing. Once you’ve figured out what you want your message to be and how you can share it more effectively, you’re going to need to start posting — consistently.

A helpful way to be consistent is to set a schedule that you can use as a guide. It shouldn’t feel like a chore, but if you’re anything like me, if you don’t schedule it, it could get back-burnered. All I ask is that you give it 10 minutes a day!

Here’s an example of a schedule you can start with:

Monday: Make (or update) a list of people you’d like to engage with more (a former manager) or simply connect with (an industry influencer).

Tuesday: Reach out to someone from that list. If it’s someone you’re reconnecting with, try one of these ideas. If it’s a stranger, you can test out this Twitter trick, or, if you’re brave, just send a cold LinkedIn invite using these templates.

Wednesday: Spend time looking for industry-related articles in publications popular in your field and share one. Or, alternatively, comment on someone else’s post (or at a minimum, share it).

Thursday: Make (or update) your list of improvements you’d like to make to your online presence. Break it down into baby steps. For example, you wouldn’t write, “Build personal site.” You’d write, “Look into site designers” and “write copy for personal site bio.”

Friday: Spend today looking yesterday’s list and knocking just one thing off.

Of course, you can tailor your plan to whatever works best for you. Honestly, if you just do the five things above even once a month, you’ll see traction. Regardless of the schedule you choose, feel free to switch it up, and see what gets the best response. You won’t see results overnight, but, that’s OK.

My final piece of advice is to avoid being misled by the term “personal branding.” What I mean is: The most successful brands aren’t just about you. Take the time to know your target audience, and listening to what’s on their minds as well. Genuinely connect and build relationships! As best-selling author Dale Carnegie said, “To be interesting, be interested.”

The post How to Create a Personal Branding Plan in 30 Minutes (Even if You Hate “Personal Branding”) appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Create a business plan for yourself, and make your career your life’s work.

Author and career consultant Ronna Lichtenberg believes that by taking a day to think about the way you earn your living, you can make a huge difference in making your job more fulfilling. Ronna recently led a career seminar for a group of women looking to get more out of their work. Whether you work for an employer or yourself, in a major corporation or behind the counter in a coffee shop, you’re the CEO of your career. The tools any CEO needs are the same ones the rest of us need.

By following the steps outlined in Ronna’s seminar, you can create your own business plan and find more fulfillment your career.

Who Are You?

Write a curriculum vitae in 15 lines or less – not a résumé, but a description you might give to someone introducing you as a speaker.

Repeat the exercise, but write your description as if it were 15 to 20 years from now.

Start thinking about what it would take to get from the first introduction to the second. In CEO lingo, this kind of thinking is called gap analysis.

Most people have trouble with this exercise, according to Ronna. While many of us often worry about our careers, we don’t take the time to think about them in a focused way. To help the process, Ronna suggests asking yourself these questions:

• Do you know what your most valuable skills are?
• Could you write an ad for yourself?
• Do you sometimes feel there’s something stopping you from reaching your potential?

The next step involves thinking about what it means to invest in Me, Inc., and how to be your own CEO. Any CEO needs the following:

• A vision for the business
• Financial skills
• A marketing plan
• The ability to manage and motivate others

Work on these skills, concentrating on the next 18 months to three years. Ronna says that it’s easy to become overwhelmed and give up if you go beyond that time frame.

Develop a Vision

Use these exercises to help you begin to see what Me, Inc. means for you. Remember, some people are better at visualization than others, so keep at it. After the exercise, take out your curriculum vitae again and look at it in the context of your visualization. Is your image of your future self in sync with what you described as your best working day? If not, why not? Rewrite your description to fit your new vision of your future.

Imagine Your Ideal Working Day

Ask yourself these questions:

• What time of day is it?
• Where are you?
• What are you doing?
• Who are you working with?
• What about this work feels good?
• Who are you talking to for support?
• Who is paying you?
• How much are you getting paid?
• Why are they paying you instead of somebody else?

Now imagine your worst possible working day, using these same questions. Focus on your priorities. The challenge is not avoiding bad days completely – they will always happen – but knowing what the issues are at work that you want to avoid.

Take a Relationship Inventory

Make a list of the people with whom you have regular contact in your work life. Divide that list into three categories:

Category A is energizers. They’re people you trust, admire and respect; they give you good advice and help you grow.

Category B is people you like well enough. They are reasonable to work with.

Category C is battery drainers. They’re users, underperformers or people you believe, for whatever reason, are your enemies.

Now think about the time and energy you spend on people in each category, including the time you spend thinking and talking (complaining!) about them. The Category A people are the ones you should be reaching out to: if you go to lunch, they are the ones you invite. Category B people may have roles that make them important to Me, Inc., so stay in contact with them. But limit the time you spend on Category C people as much as you can.

Making It Happen

Evaluate yourself by answering these questions:

• Write down your target markets – who needs to know about Me Inc., and its value?
• How often will you be in touch with them? What specific marketing materials (resumes, new ideas) will you present them with?
• What skill do you most need to improve in the next 18 months? How will you accomplish this?

It’s time to develop a Me, Inc. business plan! Thinking about yourself as a business can feel funny, says Ronna, but even as an employee, you’re offering buyers a set of products and services for a given price. Ask yourself these questions:

• What is your advantage over the competition?
• How does your “price” compare?
• Who is your target customer?

You may find it difficult to answer these questions, especially when trying to articulate exactly what your products and services are. Dig deeper for your answers.

Sell Yourself

Now you’ll use your business plan to pitch Me, Inc. Selling may be uncomfortable for you, but to be successful, you need to be able to describe what you bring to the marketplace.

Create your own ad: Fill in the blanks: The goal of your ad is “to convince ______ to buy ________ because _______.” With this goal in mind, create your ad.

Pitch your ad: Invite a friend or co-worker you trust to listen to your pitch. Give yourself three minutes for the pitch, and give your friend two minutes for comments.

Make an impression: After your pitch, the listener should know what your “brand” was, and what made it different from its competitors. Pop-up window Exercise Two: The Relationship Inventory. Once you know what you’re selling, who are you going to tell? In the case of Me, Inc., you’re going to be spending your time and energy. You’ll be advertising yourself to the people you pay attention to. Make the most of your limited time by spending it with people who can help you grow.

You’ve figured out who you are, what your plan is, and how to sell yourself—what’s the next step? First, evaluate yourself based on what you’ve learned.

Exercise Two: The Relationship Inventory

Once you know what you’re selling, who are you going to tell? In the case of Me, Inc., you’re going to be spending your time and energy. You’ll be advertising yourself to the people you pay attention to. Make the most of your limited time by spending it with people who can help you grow.

Exercise Three: Making It Happen

• List three specific steps you would take to reach your goals.
• Write yourself a letter detailing your plans, stash it away, and read it six weeks later.
• Share your plan with a trusted friend and set a specific time each week to measure your progress.

Don’t let yourself off the hook. If you’re having trouble, figure out what’s holding you back. Don’t just dump the plan – revise it and recommit yourself. Soon you’ll be on your way to working for the best company possible – Me, Inc.!

The post Investing in Me, Inc. appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

If you’ve ever tried to develop your personal brand from scratch, you know that it’s an overwhelming process, to say the least. Where do you start? What should you include? What does “personal brand” really even mean?

Well, here’s some good news: We just discovered an amazing workbook from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) that makes everything a lot more clear (and a lot more enjoyable). The beautiful, interactive tool will take you through the process of determining how you want to be seen by the world baby step by baby step: from figuring out your core strengths and weaknesses to defining your career passions and purpose to translating it all into your resume, elevator pitch, and more.

Basically, if you’re serious about nailing down your personal brand (and, yes, you should be), this is the best tool we’ve seen to make it happen. Download the workbook today, make a commitment to actually go through it over the next couple of weeks, and see just how effective a strong identity can be for your career.

Check Out the Workbook Now!

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