Landing Your Next Job, Courtesy of LinkedIn

In today's economy many students are concerned about landing a job after they have graduated. Hopefully, you have created a LinkedIn profile, after reading previous posts about the benefits of having a profile. Have you ever thought that LinkedIn could be a potential place to land your next job? LinkedIn is becoming a more popular place to find a job. It is also a place to connect with top business professionals.

Mashable has published an article about some essentials to landing a job on LinkedIn. There are 13 essential tips you should consider when it comes to your profile.

Complete your profile 100%. It is not unusual for an potential employer r headline to run a Google search for your first and last name. More often then not, a LinkedIn profile with be one of the top five results. Make sure your profile is complete and accurate.

Add a compelling headline. You want your profile to stand out from the other possible candidates. Your headline is the first thing that will be seen by a hiring manager, therefore, create a compelling headline that will set you apart. Make sure your headline is clear and concise. You are telling people who you are and what you do.

Add all past and current work positions. It's important to include your past and current work experience.  The hiring manager could have hired another individual from the same company you have listed in your work experience. 

Give and receive recommendations. The more people that can vouch for you, the better. The best way to receive recommendations is to give them first. Take the time to right recommendations for people you know, trust, and like. The more you give, the more you receive. 

Connect with everyone. Some say that you should only connect with others you know. Then what become of networking? The point of networking is to connect with others and then those connections grow into new connections. Therefore, connect, connect, connect!

Be concise in your message. Provide a preview for people so they know what is coming next. Get them facts about yourself, like the skills you possess and inject your personality into your profile. Make sure to add honors or awards that you have received. Provide information so other can connect with you.

Stay active. Nothing is worse than letting a potential employer see your profile stagnant. Each time you take action on your profile, it shows up on the home page of everyone you are connected to. This creates a chain reaction by allowing your picture and name to be seen by all your connections, possibly causing them to keep you in mind if a job opening becomes available.

Join niche groups. Groups are a great way to find a job boards with new jobs being added on a regular basis. As a member you are given an advantage because you are able to send messages to almost everyone without upgrading your account.

Create a group. Why not create a group instead of just being a member? Being a creator of a group has its perks. You are able to send messages once a week to all your members, and you're perceived as a leader or decision maker.

Add your honors and awards. Adding your honors and awards is just another way to add to your profile. Employers want to hire winners and those who like to excel.

Answer questions. You an add an 'Answers' widget on the right-hand side of your LinkedIn home page with the industry topic you know most about. When a question pops up answer it! Provide as much information as possible. Really give your two cents when answering the question.

Import your blog and Twitter feeds. There are many ways to add to your profile. Social networking is becoming more popular, why not link your Twitter account or blog?

Connect with others. When you help two people without asking for anything in return, you leave a lasting impression on all involved. This will help amplify your own job prospects, as people will be more likely to help you achieve your goals in the future.

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A Student's Best Friend

Hey Students!

Do you have a Linkedin profile? If not, we highly recommend that you get one. Linkedin is a professional network that allows you to connect with colleagues, business prospects, classmates, or people in your industry. It allows its users to create a profile that lists your work history, skills, current projects you may be working on, and much more!

Linkedin has a great feature for students. It could even be considered a "hidden gem." Linkedin offers a place for student to find an internship. Some of the companies that have posted internships include Gucci, Martha Stewart, Ford, L'Oreal, and many more.

Take the time to create a Linkedin profile if you don't have one already. Make sure you keep your profile up-to-date!

Let's Talk Social Media Etiquette

In a world of Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube it is important to have proper social media etiquette. You would think it would be common sense, however, common sense may not be as common when it comes to social media. Your manners shouldn't stop with social media.

Here are some guidelines when using social media:

DON'T spam anyone: No one likes spam, agreed?

DON'T keep everything private: Online privacy is important. However, if you are keeping every social interaction private you might as well stick to texting and emailing others. Social media is not an exclusive club.

DO thank someone when you're ReTweet-ed: Remember the magic words "thank you."

DON'T say anything mean to anyone: Reword it so it can be constructive criticism.

DO think before you speak: Yes, social media does allow you to publish your thoughts instantly. However, that does not mean that everything that "pops into your head should be published for the world to see. Think about it before you post something.

DO keep your blog posts short: If your followers what to read a novel they would go buy one.

DO build relationships: It is called "social" networking for a reason.

DON'T use social media to vent: It's not a good look.

DON'T ask to be ReTweeted: Think about the content that you are tweeting, maybe that's the reason you are not being ReTweeted.

DO give back: Social media is a two-way street.

DO try to make your tweets/posts comprehensive: No one want to struggle to understand what you are posting.

DON'T unfollow someone just because they don't follow you back: This is not elementary school. Either step up your tweeting game and post things that will make you "follow worthy," or stop following others to build up your follower count.

Did we leave out any other social media etiquette?

How to Market Yourself

What does "marketing yourself" mean? It is really simply, when you are marketing yourself you are creating your own brand. It doesn't matter is you are running your own business, are an employee or a job seeker, if you market yourself you can achieve success. Marketing requires you developing what you unique talents and abilities are and your ability to communicate them to others effectively. 

Here are some tips to help you develop yourself as a "brand"

Write down a list of your strengths and skills that would be intriguing when networking with professionals. Ask yourself these questions: "What is unique about me?" "What set me apart from others in my field?" "How can I make a lasting impression?" "How can I market myself at every opportunity?"

Develop a concise message that you can share that would takes about 10-20 seconds to deliver. In the business world it is called an "elevator speech." Develop and practice your message.

Remember every time you communicate with others, there is an opportunity to make an impact. Anything you put into writing should be clear, concise and easy to read. Make sure to include the list of strengths you had made earlier.

You communicate by what you wear. So what you wear is important. Dress for the occasion. Choose you outfit wisely. Make use you clothes are ironed and if you are wearing leather shoes polish them.

Make a great first impression. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. People trend to make a first impression of you within the first few minutes of meeting you. When meeting new people use eye contact, a firm hand shake, and don't forget to smile.

Prepare yourself when networking or going on a job interview. It is important to prepare in advance.

Stand out in a crowd. Remember you are presenting yourself a brand. Make sure you are the one they remember!