7 LinkedIn Job Hunting Tactics That Work

by Chad Brooks

 Landing a new job requires a lot more than just finding openings and applying to them.

To help job seekers get hired as quickly as possible, LinkedIn analyzed a group of more than 4,000 "super" job seekers, defined as LinkedIn members who viewed a job at a particular company and then joined that company within three months. The study examined what those successful job seekers were doing on LinkedIn during those three months of job hunting. Here are seven tips gleaned from the study:

• Add new skills to your profile. Add relevant skills to your profile so recruiters looking for candidates with your background can find you. More than 90 percent of the people who found a job within three months had five or more skills listed on their profile.

• Follow the companies you're interested in. Stay up-to-date on the latest news, participate in conversations and learn about new job opportunities. Among the people who found jobs in three months or less, 91 percent used LinkedIn company pages for research.

• Add a professional profile photo. Adding a photo puts a face to a name and helps portray a friendly and approachable image. Nearly 90 percent of the people who were hired in three months or less had a profile photo.

Read all 7 tactics and the complete NewsDaily article

3 Ways to make yourself more employable by using Pinterest

Pinterest is a unique form of social media site which allows users to ‘pin’ almost anything from the web to a number of customised boards. These boards are then visible to friends found through the site and individual posts can be liked, commented on or reposted. Pinterest has simply soared in popularity this year. In its early stages, it has grown more quickly than web giants such as Facebook and Twitter but how can this new online phenomenon help find you a job?

1)  • Spend time on your account and make sure it reflects the attributes and goals which you have. Like any social media site, Pinterest is heavily time centric and the amount of time people spend on your account will heavily influence their overall opinion of it. Make sure you give your account the dedication it deserves and never be tempted to rush your collections as your haste will be reflected in your work, reducing its quality.

See all 3 plus the full TheUnderCoverRecruiter article

Lessons learned from my last 1,200 job rejections

By Scott Ginsberg

I believe in building a brand from the inside out. Creating a high enough volume of daily output that the market targets you. Allowing new opportunities to find you through the attraction of working, not the agony of waiting.

That’s how I’ve successfully run my business for the past fifteen years.

But as an experiment, as a way of testing my own system, I recently spent a summer doing the exact opposite. Filling out job applications, responding to proposals, going on interviews, meeting with recruiters, submitting my portfolio for freelance gigs and seeking out new work opportunities.

By the end of the summer, I had been rejected over twelve hundred times.

Twelve hundred times.

And despite my best efforts, not a single one of those opportunities came to fruition. But as disappointing as the process was, I learned key lessons about career management. Next time you get rejected from a job application, remember these tenants:

1. Don’t spend too much time crossing your fingers.

Waiting around for some invisible jury to stamp your creative passport and tell you that your work is okay is no way to live your life. It creates negative momentum. Each one of those twelve hundred rejections, while only marginally painful in isolation, added up pretty quickly. And by the end of the summer, I was starting to get disillusioned. I knew that the hour I spent each day looking for work would have been better invested creating, instead of waiting around for people to give me the opportunity to show them how creative I was. So I stopped. I ended the experiment and went back to doing what I do best. Making things. And literally within a week, I booked two new clients and a major network television interview. Are you crossing your fingers or using them to create your art?

More lessons learned and the complete TheLadders article

6 Unspoken Requirements For Every Job Seeker

William Arruda

3. Proof of performance

In the not-so-distant past, the only proof a candidate needed was a resume or CV and a list of references “available upon request.” In the interview, very few positions required a portfolio presentation. Today, evidence of excellence comes in many additional forms – including whitepapers, articles, presentations, and blog posts. The good news is that showcasing this proof is quite easy. One great example is a recent enhancement to LinkedIn’s Summary and Experience section. Members can now embed a variety of media that not only make their profile more interesting but also provide proof of expertise and performance.

4. A brand identity system

If you think brand identity systems are just for giant corporations like IBM or Google, it’s time to modernize your mindset. Today, each one of us is a brand, and we have the same need for brand standards. Your brand identity system ties together your resume and cover letter, email signature, LinkedIn profile and online social profiles – making it all look like it is coming from the same person.  In much the same way Target uses their red bull’s eye in signage, ads and online banners, you need to develop and consistently use a personal brand identity system. Color is the most important element – so choose a brand color that exudes your personality. Here’s an article that will help you identify the best color for you. Read it, then add your brand color to your resume, cover letters and thank-you notes, email signature, LinkedIn background, personal web site or Blog, and all other visible components.

See all six requirements and the complete Forbes article

15 Job Interview Thank You Note Tips

by Brittney Helmrich

 It may seem like a simple formality, but sending a thank-you note after a job interview can mean the difference between getting the job and going back to square one.

"I can tell you that only about 20 percent of the candidates send one — and it really brings those candidates to the top of the pile," said Lori Kleiman, a human resources consultant.


But thank-you notes are more than just a polite way to let your interviewer know you appreciate his or her time. If you write your thank-you note the right way, you can use it to reiterate why you're the best fit for the job. In your thank-you note, you can answer questions your interviewer asked that you think you didn't address adequately, make a personal connection with the interviewer, and more. 

And even if you don't get the job this time, sending a thank-you note means that you keep doors open for the future. [After the Interview: Sample Thank You Letters ]

"Remember that this may go into your personnel file at the employer, and that even if you are not the first choice for the position, you may get a call about a similar position or if the first choice does not work out," said Linda Carlson, author and owner of small business consulting company Barrett Street Productions.


So how do you write the perfect thank-you note? Follow these 15 expert tips for making sure your thank-you note is successful in every situation.

Tailor it to the company's culture
"Consider the individual interviewer and the company culture before sending your messages. A more traditional organization may prefer a handwritten letter, while a technology start-up may expect an email immediately." – Amanda Augustine, job search expert, TheLadders

Make it personal
"Mention something that the interviewer spoke about personally that was important to them (fishing, golf, kids, etc.) and possibly some of the business initiatives that they brought up. It makes the note more meaningful." – Seth Deitchman, former career coach and financial adviser, The Mercury Group at Morgan Stanley

Show your value
"Don't just thank your interviewer for the time they spent. Provide additional value by giving more details about why the employer should hire you. Be sure you use specific examples [of how] your past performance [makes you a] great candidate for this new job." – Scott Vedder, author, "Signs of a Great Resume"(CreateSpace, July 2012)

See all 15 tips and the complete BusinessNewsDaily article

10 Job Seeker Fails and the correct actions to take

You will face many situations as you search for your next job, and as you'll see below, one of the worst things you can do is opt out of opportunities. Here are 10 newbie mistakes you should avoid:

1. You don’t get enough information about a networking contact before reaching out. You would probably feel more comfortable and confident reaching out to a referral contact if you knew something about them. Your success in securing a meeting with someone you don’t know will improve if your request explains why you want to meet.

The better option: When you receive the name of a referral or someone you should speak with, ask why. Find out how long your contact has known this person, in what context, and why it would be mutually beneficial. 

8. You forget to ask the time frame for making the hiring decision. If you don’t know what the next steps in the hiring process are and what the company timeline is for filling the job, how will you know when to follow up? Emergencies, vacations and budgets can cause timelines to slip, so don’t assume no news is bad news.

The better option: Immediately contact the person you interviewed with, preferably via phone, and ask about the process and time frame. Also ask if it would be OK for you to follow up if you haven’t heard from the interviewer within that timeline. 

10. You insist on making the same salary you made at your last job. Many factors impact your value in the workplace – only one of which is your previous salary. Turning down an interview or job offer based solely on salary could send the message that you are inflexible.

The better option: Do a thorough evaluation of what the salary ranges are for the types of jobs you are interested in. This means speaking to peers, recruiters and using online salary calculators.

See all 10 Fails and the complete USNews article

Hannah Morgan is a speaker and author providing no-nonsense career guidance; keep up with the latest job search trends and social networking strategies by reading her blog Career Sherpa and following her on Twitter @careersherpa and Google+.

10 Questions You Should NEVER Ask in a Job Interview

by Glassdoor

You’ve spent the last 45 minutes sitting in a job interview; the hiring manager is about to wrap up. And right then, the hiring manager asks:

“Do you have any questions for me?”

You were prepared. But you lock up! In an effort to think on your feet, you blurt out, “How much does this position pay?” Once you see the expression on the hiring manager’s face, you know: you messed up.


The only thing worse than not having questions prepared for your job interview… is asking the wrong questions. Here are 10 of the worst:

4. “Do You Perform Background Checks?”

When you apply for a job, it should be a given that the employer will perform a background check. In fact, 69 percent of employers perform background checks on all job candidates.

10. “I Don’t Have Any Questions For You.”

Whatever you do during an interview, don’t tell the interviewer you don’t have any questions. Every hiring manager expects candidates to have at least one question to ask at the end of the interview. If you don’t, the recruiter is only thinking one thing: “Next!”

1. “Can You Tell Me More About Your Company?”

Before any interview, the first thing you must do is research the company. If you ask this question, the hiring manager will think you didn’t do your homework before the interview.


See all 10 questions and the complete article

Avoid These 12 Classic (and Costly) Job Interview Mistakes

by Undergrad Success

So much work just to get the job interview, let alone the job. The research, the resume writing, the applications, the networking, the follow-up…

And then some job seekers throw it all away by making these common, and completely avoidable, mistakes:

1. You Dress Inappropriately

This can work both ways—dressed up too much and dressed down too much; both can be avoided. The HR department is most often willing to communicate any employee dress codes, but if not, visit the organization and watch employees come and go to see their choice of attire.

4. You’re Desperate—and They Can Tell

Honestly, this goes back to the fact you’ve applied for hundreds of jobs and you really need this one. Understandable. It’s okay to be excited. Just be conscious of your emotions and focus on staying calm.

6. You Badmouth a Previous Employer

Please. Don’t. Do. This. Negative attitudes attract no one. Be diplomatic in your responses to questions regarding prior employment, especially in situations, which may have ended poorly. “I’m interested in starting a new chapter” and “I’m looking for a different set of work challenges” work well as answers. Keep it simple. Keep it positive.

See all 12 mistakes and the complete article

5 Things Every Employer Wants To Hear In An Interview

by Jessica Holbrook Hernandez

Ever wonder what a potential boss wants to hear in an interview? What exactly can you say that will increase your chances of receiving a job offer? I recently heard some great advice that lined up with my previous experience as a human resources manager, and so I thought I would share this great advice with you! Here are five things to communicate during an interview that will convince the employer you’re a great hire.

1. You Will Never Have To Tell Me What To Do Twice

Every employer wants to know they can give you instructions once—and you’ll get the job done. I guarantee you that no employer wants to micromanage or ask an employee more than once to do something—no matter what it is.

4. I Am Easy To Correct And Instruct—I Am Teachable

If there is something that’s not getting done, or if you’re not doing it correctly, the employer wants to know that they can approach you to discuss the situation and that you’re not going to fly off the handle or think you’re superior.

Read all 5 things and the complete Careerealism article

50 Ways to Leave Your Job Search NOW

by Hannah Morgan

In the words of Paul Simon, “there must be 50 ways to leave your lover”. There are at least 50 ways to leave unemployment! Let’s get going!

You just slip IN the back, Jack
Get an inside referral from someone who works in the company!

Make a new plan, Stan
If what you are doing, isn’t working, you have to try doing something different. Make a new plan!

You don’t need to be coy, Roy
Pursue each job opportunity with fervor and especially during the interview, let them know you WANT the job.

Just listen to me
Whether it be me or another job search coach, get professional advice!

Hop on the bus, Gus
The career bus that is! This won’t be your last job search, begin today building a career that is going in the direction you want.

You don’t need to discuss much
Be aware of how much dirty laundry or even detail you divulge during interviews. Often, less is more!

Just drop off the key, Lee



Leave your baggage behind. Too old, too young, no degree, too many degrees; when it comes right down to it, all that really matters is that you have the skills to do the job and they like you.

See all 50 ways and the complete JobMob article