LinkedIn Manners and Your Job Search

What is LinkedIn?
In our quest to help applicants find work, one of the tools we show our applicants how to use is LinkedIn. If you aren’t familiar with the site, you need to check it out: http://www.linkedin.com/. This is a great tool to help a person connect with his/her network, build a reputation in an area of work and build a list of contacts. In addition, there are job postings available on LinkedIn, group discussions and a place to ask and answer important questions in a particular career field. This is one of many cool social networking sites to use in a job search – we strongly encourage everyone (both those who are looking for a job and those who are comfortably employed) to use LinkedIn!

Etiquette for Making Connections
I regularly post exciting job opportunities on LinkedIn with a link to the Staffing Solutions, Inc. website. The purpose of this is twofold: I want my network to know what I’m working on so they can refer a friend and to drive traffic to our website! Occasionally, I’ll have a current applicant of Staffing Solutions reply to a status update, inquiring about a job. This is expected and totally acceptable in the LinkedIn world- I know this person, we are connected and they’re just making sure that I didn’t forget they were looking. Also, I have connections facilitate an introduction based on a status update- they have a contact who’s looking and want to introduce us. Introductions on LinkedIn are perfectly acceptable! Finally, I have folks who see a posting and ask to connect, which is OK if worded correctly.

What’s not OK are the folks who see a blurb/job opportunity on LinkedIn and, without a formal introduction, start making demands through LinkedIn. When conducting a search, it is never OK to approach anyone with a “what can you do for me?” attitude. It would be better to request the opportunity to connect and build a relationship before hocking someone up for whatever it is you want (ask questions about a job, put your resume on the top of the pile, request an interview, etc.).

What LinkedIn message would you rather receive from someone you didn’t know?

“Recently I saw your listing through a LinkedIn group. I submitted my resume through the referenced website. How long does it usually take to receive a response or invitation for interview?”
or
“I noticed your profile on LinkedIn and saw that you had some job opportunities available. In addition to submitting my resume to your company’s website, I would appreciate the chance to add you to my network.”

Be unobtrusive and nice!
We cannot stress enough how important it is to be nice and not make demands of those who can potentially help you with your search (or whatever it is you need). Whether you are finding someone on a social networking site OR just following up with a lead that a colleague provided, it’s not considered good manners to ask for a favor before introducing yourself! Most would agree that they are inclined to help folks who are nice, patient and behave professionally.

So before you take advantage of the “send invitation to connect” or send a message to someone you don’t know (either on LinkedIn, Facebook, via email, etc.), be sure to take the time and craft a message with an appropriate tone. It could make all the difference in your search!

Some Ideas for Your Cover Letters

Over the years, I’ve seen some interesting cover letters…or documents I think are supposed to be cover letters. In today's job market, it's important to stand out in a good way! Therefore, having just the right cover letter can make a candidate stand out!

Here are some basic tips when drafting a cover letter:

- Before creating or attaching a cover letter, be sure you are following directions. At the bottom of a job posting, there are usually “apply for” instructions, which will tell you where to send a resume and cover letter (if necessary).

Considering that the average recruiter or hiring professional is receiving more applicants that s/he can handle, many employers are not asking for cover letters these days- it’s too much paperwork! What they are doing instead is narrowing down the candidates through their resumes, then contacting and asking for a writing sample.

Some hiring managers go so far as to put a resume in the "no" pile if the person doesn't follow directions - even if they look good on paper, they don't want to hire someone that doesn't pay attention to details!

- Create a new cover letter every time. If you are asked to submit a cover letter, cater it to the job opportunity and the company…just like you would your resume. It’s OK to have some basic outlines for what you want to say, but templates don’t always work. There’s nothing worse that opening up a cover letter to find that the applicant didn’t change the “to” or job title from their last cover letter. Oops!

- Do not start the letter with, “My name is…”. Although HR professionals may seem a little dense from time-to-time, we can see your name on your resume. “My name is” is very elementary, so come up with something more polished and professional.

Example: “In viewing your company's website for a Human Resource Generalist, I found that my skills and experience match that of the job requirements…”

- Do not list your salary requirements. Even if the posting asks for your salary requirements, do not put this in your cover letter or on your resume. You can create a separate document that resembles your resume (headers, font, and spacing) that lists your previous positions and what you were paid.

- Do not discuss personal matters. It’s great if you are a grandmother, play six instruments or enjoy walking shelter dogs on the weekend, but if it doesn’t apply to the position, leave it out of the cover letter. If the position does coincide with your volunteer or personal experience, mention in one paragraph or less. And be sure to lead with your professional experience.

- Have a second set of eyes read it before you send. After staring at a document and thinking hard for a long time, your brain won’t recognize basic grammar and spelling errors.

We cannot stress enough how one small misstep in the process can make or break a possible candidate. Although we're all human, to be as close to perfection as possible is key in our current job market!

How to Research and Find Jobs

Found a great article today about the benefits of doing research on companies and jobs (vs. applying online through job boards). Please read!

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/findajob/a/researchjobs.htm

The Ins and Outs of Email, Voicemail and Answering Machines

Here are some important things for folks to remember regarding email and voicemail. Whether or not you are looking for a job, these are just some words of advice.

Regarding email:
- If you have a Yahoo! or Hotmail email account, be sure to check your spam filter! Many times, important emails (from a potential employer, a friend, colleague) get put into the spam or trash folders. Check this folder regularly before deleting- you'll be surprised what those email providers deem as "spam".

- If the spam or trash is automatically deleted, you can change the settings on your email account so that you are able to view these messages before they are permanently deleted.

- If you are having problems with valid emails going to spam, think about getting a gmail account. It's free and does a much better job with getting the right messages to the appropriate places.

Case and point: I've seen resumes lately that don't list a phone number, only an email address. If I was to contact the person for a job and they never received my email (because my messages are often considered spam by Yahoo! and Hotmail), they could be missing out on a great job opportunity.

Regarding Voicemail and Answering Machines:
- Be sure to check your messages and clear your messages every so often. It's not impressive to a recruiter if you return his/her phone call several weeks after an initial message was left! A full voicemail box is not helpful, either.

- If you feel it necessary to have a cell phone settings synced up with a song, make sure the song is universally appropriate. As popular as T-Pain or the Pussycat Dolls may be, it's not considered professional by most hiring manager's standards. We would advise you to keep away from songs on your phone. Not only is it irritating, but it's not a free service...save your money!

- If you don't have a cell phone, make sure your land line has an answering machine/voicemail box set up. There's nothing worse that trying to reach someone and the line just rings and rings. If you have call waiting or dial-up internet, be sure that the voicemail picks up while you are on the line.

- Make sure that the people who answer the phone in your house are properly trained in how to take a message. Keep paper and a pen by the phone and check to see if you received any messages while you were out.

Case and point: If a recruiter can't reach a candidate the first time around (if the phone rings and rings or if the voicemail is full), they move on to the next person! They may have time to try you again...then again, they may not! And just like we recommend a job seeker keep his/her email address professional, we recommend the same for your cell phone settings.

Thanks for the LinkedIn help!

One of our current applicants came in, looking for help with her job search. She, along with many other job seekers, had "hit a wall" in terms of looking and was interested in learning more about advanced search techniques.

At SSI, we offer free Outplacement Assistance to our applicants so it was suggested that she come in and meet with a member of our team. I had the pleasure of working with Stacy on a variety of social media venus, including LinkedIn. Here's what she had to say after two sessions at our office:

"I just want to take a minute to thank you for all of your help. I am thrilled to have stumbled upon such an amazing and generous resource person! I am continuing my work on LinkedIn and will get back to you at the end of the week. I feel like you have given me a lot to work with and I look forward to utilizing all the info in the weeks to come.

Thanks again!
Stacy"

Can't wait to help Stacy develop a blog and a Facebook page in the next month or so! Keep you posted on her progress!

If you need assistance with these sites, or any part of your job search, feel free to contact SSI!

FREE LinkedIn Training through the GO! Network

Received a flier today from the GO! Network Director, Chuck Aranda. They are offering small classes on how to network online through LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/)

If you feel that social networking is too difficult or not something you should worry about, think again. Although confusing at first, LinkedIn is a professional tool that is fairly user-friendly, after some basic training.

Here's more info about the workshop:
We are working with the New Horizons Computer Learning Centers. They have agreed to provide FREE LinkedIn training workshops for the members of GO! Network. The scheduled dates are June 17 and 24, July 15, 22 and 29.

The topics covered will include:
The basics on using LinkedIn
How to build your network
How to make connections
How to join and get involved in groups
How to get an introduction
How to utilize LinkedIn for job searches

There are only 12 openings for each session - spots will be reserved on a first come, first served basis. Classes will be held in the computer lab on the 4th Floor of The Partnership Center.

If you would like a business portrait, a photographer will be available to take pictures. A charge of $5 includes a portrait-style photo and a LinkedIn profile photo that will be e-mailed directly to you.

Agenda for the day:
8:15 – 8:45 AM Business portrait session
9:00 – 10:30 AM LinkedIn – Session 1
10:30 – 10:40 AM Break
10:40 – 11:30 AM LinkedIn – Session 2

You can register for the LinkedIn class by sending an email to info@gonetworkstl.com
with the following information: Name/class date chosen/email address/phone/portrait-yes or no. We will confirm your reservation via email once all spots are full.

There will be a break room available for your use, which includes a refrigerator, ice machine, etc. Feel free to bring your own refreshments.

Please note: You will need to create a LinkedIn profile prior to the class and remember to bring your password with you.

For additional information about the GO! Network, visit their website: http://www.gonetworkstl.com/

Featured Volunteer Opportunity- Live Feed

If you are a current applicant of Staffing Solutions OR are on our email list, you're already aware that we encourage volunteerism in the community. Whether you're employed or not, volunteering for a cause close to your heart can only do good things for you and the people you help serve.

Live Feed (http://www.livefeed.org/) is a local non-profit dedicated to helping promote hunger awareness in the St. Louis metro area. If you thought hunger was only something people in third world countries worried about, think again. Through concerts and local music artists, they raise money to feed area kids who often don't get regular meals at home.

The are looking for as many volunteers as possible the weekend of July 3-4 at Fair St. Louis. If you had planned on heading down there (with the million or so other people that will be there, enjoying music and food), consider spending an extra few hours with Live Feed.

For more information on Live Feed or volunteering, contact Amy Graham- amy@livefeed.org

Addressing Some of the Arguments Against Temping

Even though several of our temporary employees were offered positions this year, we were very excited to have our first direct-hire placement of 2009 just a few weeks ago. Direct hire jobs are obviously our applicant's #1 choice - and we understand that! It makes us happy to find people a new "home".

However, in this kind of job market, direct-hire positions are not the most common opportunities that come across our desks. Many companies have been forced into layoffs and cannot bring in regular staff until the economy improves. Until then, some opt to bring in temporary staff to relieve the burden. Other clients have employees leaving for summer or taking a leave of absence. Still others have ongoing project work and do not need to bring on full-time employees. In other words, clients will always need temporary staff!

This is pretty easy for most of our applicants to understand. We explain this to them in-person and many times, temporary work seems to be a great option. Others, however, are a little resistant to temp work. We wanted to address some of those concerns and explain why temping isn't inherently evil in most situations.

1. "I need benefits"
Benefits are great and a very important part of an employee's compensation package, but they should never be the driving force in finding employment. We have seen applicants accept a job that truly wasn't a "fit" because it had benefits...and they left the job in less than a year! And for those who don't have a job offer, not temping because it doesn't offer benefits isn't the best route to take...why not work, meet new people, keep your skills sharp and make money (that could go towards your COBRA or individual plan) while you look? That sounds a lot better than sitting at home, not working, not meeting new people and not having benefits!

2. "I'll be stuck temping forever"
At SSI, our goal is to help guide applicants to full-time employment. Yes, that's right. Of course temping is great for our business, but we do have our applicant's best interest in mind. We don't keep our temporary applicants locked in a dungeon, we don't make them sign any contracts or pay us back if they have to leave an assignment. What we do expect is that our applicants treat us like any other employer- be open, communicative and provide a good deal of notice if you aren't staying in the job.

3. "I need to focus on my search on permanent employment"
Even if you were the former CEO for a Fortune 500 company, there's no way you could spend all day, every day looking for a job. There's not that many jobs out there that would be a match for you. We allow our temporary employees to go on job interviews (with prior notification, of course!) and there is nothing wrong with looking for jobs at night or on weekends. Not to mention the fact that perusing online job boards is not the #1 way to find a job...that would be networking.
Unfortunately, most jobs these days are not permanent, as many experienced firsthand in the recent economic downturn. And there's a chance the company you work for next might not keep you "forever". The notion of "going somewhere nice until I retire" isn't attractive to hiring managers. That's not to say that there aren't great jobs that make a great effort to retain staff and offer exceptional retirement benefits, but that should not be the #1 priority in a search.
Finally, many of our temporary assignments do turn into full-time employment!

4. "But I already have a severance package/unemployment money"
The average job seeker is now out of work for at least 6-8 months...and that's when they're actively looking. Not only does finding employment take longer, it takes advanced skills to effectively search for a job. We often speak to applicants who wait until the last few dollars are left from their severance package before seriously contemplating "what next?" who are surprised to find that we don't have a position waiting for them when they are ready to look.
As for unemployment, the bottom line is that it doesn't pay well. In Missouri, it averages out to $8-9/hr (after taxes...which is a whole different issue!). Most of our positions pay at least $11-12/hr, which is very basic office clerical work. Those with great experience and references can earn much more per hour on a temporary basis.

5. "I don't want employers to think I'm a job-hopper"
There are ways to indicate on your resume that you were a contract employee or were working a temporary assignment so you are able to explain your "short stories" to an employer. And think about this from an employer's perspective- would you rather hire someone who had made the effort to work and keep their skills up-to-date while unemployed? Or would you prefer the person who chose to stay at home and turned down the opportunity to work because it wasn't a "permanent" job?

Hope this offers some "food for thought" while looking for a job. Of course every applicant's situation is different (you are all people, not resumes!) but we wanted to share some insight into a world that is sometimes put into a negative light. Please let us know what you think!