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QB012017

JANUARY 2017 • Volume 13 • Issue 1 9 LEVERAGING LINKEDIN FOR CAREER SUCCESS BY CARLOTA ZIMMERMAN It’s 2017! You survived 2016—good work there, champ, since a lot of iconic celebs didn’t—and with the new year comes new opportunities…and new pressures. In case you’re thinking that this new year might be a great time to reposition yourself for a better job, before you start downloading a thousand and one apps, have you considered your LinkedIn profile? Have you considered really using your LinkedIn profile? Unfortunately, all too many of us are only on LinkedIn…well, because everyone else is, and overwhelmed by the ego pressures of that platform, we use our LinkedIn profiles as placeholders; we create a basic profile, connect with lots of people and...hey, isn’t that enough? Sure, if you’re perfectly content in your career and life, but if you’re reading this, I’m gonna assume you’re dreaming of bigger and better things. And in that case, no, you cannot afford to waste the potentially valuable resources and landscape of LinkedIn. The most important thing to understand is that LinkedIn, like all social media, is about telling a story that resonates with your ideal audience. In this instance, your ideal audience is your professional network, and the story you’re telling is of your career, your education and your ambition, as established in real time. As a coach who helps clients get new jobs every day of the week, here are some hints as to how you can put your LinkedIn profile to work: LINKEDIN SUMMARY Joan Didion famously said, “We tell ourselves stories in order to live.” So what story is your narrative telling? Your summary is your place to claim your narrative and give the reader a reason to keep on reading, i.e., a reason to care. English is my native language, and I am a voracious reader. Thus, if I can’t figure out what’s going on in your summary, that sound you hear is the Price is Right losing horn. I don’t need a novel, but how about two concise paragraphs that give me insight into your education, experience and passion? A stranger should be able to read your succinct summary and instantly understand what it is you do and why it’s important to you. LINKEDIN STATUS UPDATES Just realize that every time you post something, everyone in your network gets a notification. If you have 500+ connections, and you’re attending industry-specific conferences, or reading books related to your business, or networking daily, but not sharing that…um, okay, but why wouldn’t you post that passion with your network? Spoiler alert: That’s how people get jobs! That’s exactly the kind of relevant activity that smart recruiters and hiring personnel demand nowadays. Some people say, “Oh well, when I’m in the interview, I’ll tell them about all the cool stuff I’m doing.” Not to rain on your parade, but how exactly are you going to get that interview if no one knows about all the cool stuff? The cool stuff counts! Passion is such an overused buzz term, and you can talk at me for hours about how much you’re invested in your industry, but in our digital era, if I can’t find that anywhere online…*shrugs.* This is why social media matters today: you can substantiate your professional “joie de vivre.” It’s the difference between assuring people that you love being a lawyer--or using your updates to regularly post photos of yourself speaking/attending legal events; attach videos of you moderating legal panels; links to articles you’ve written; or important pro bono casework you’ve fought for. Trust me, even if I don’t know the difference between habeas corpus and gluteus maximus, I’m going to relate to the depth of your commitment. Commitment= opportunity= you’re welcome. I advise clients to create a “Content Folder,” which can be a Google or Word document, and start jotting down ideas: Are you traveling to conferences? Speaking on any panels? Networking at industry and/or alumni events? Great! Save the false modesty for your next first date; you’re on LinkedIn to sell, sell, sell! LINKEDIN CONNECTIONS One of the first things I’ll have a client do is go through his LinkedIn connections and identify all the people who are working in his intended field, or have worked in it, or have any connection to that field. That list, embellished with contacts’ outside email—since not everyone checks their LinkedIn email—and even a rough intro pitch, is the client’s road map to success. Before you roll your eyes at me, thinking, “Aww Carlota, my connections aren’t gonna help me,” let me ask why you’re bothering to connect with people whom you believe won’t help you? Ask yourself what’s scarier: Reaching out to people for help…or spending the rest of your life frustrated by how your career didn’t turn out? LinkedIn is about forging connections to achieve your goals. Your goals take hard work, but understand that no one can reject you like you can, so if you’ve already decided that your connections won’t help you, then you’re giving yourself permission not to bother. And if you won’t bother, who will? Your ambition, your responsibility. You’re worth it. Happy New Year! Carlota Zimmerman is the Success Strategist. As a coach, she works with men and women across the US and around the world. Cited as a “social media expert” by US News & World Report, she has spoken at events such as BlogHer15, Social Media Week NYC, and countless workshops and events around NYC. Her advice has been quoted by publications ranging from Recruiter.com, NY Post, to MSN, The Street, Everup, Mediabistro, and many more. Visit www.carlotaworldwide. com. mirtmirt / Shutterstock.com


QB012017
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