How To Not Be Annoying On LinkedIn

No matter what industry you’re in, networking is the supreme principle in advancing your career. In most cases, modern networking means a strong LinkedIn presence. LinkedIn has cornered the market as the prime social media option for the professional world, and proper LinkedIn etiquette is a skill every professional needs to learn.

Part of that etiquette is knowing what NOT to do on the platform. LinkedIn isn’t the same as other social media platforms, and if you annoy your network, you’ll find yourself alienating your potential allies.

Your personal brand is important, and you don’t want that brand to be “an annoyance.” Unless you’re looking to be a nuisance, avoid these annoying LinkedIn behaviors.

Don’t spam

LinkedIn is a fantastic tool for getting in touch with people you otherwise may never speak to. You can research prospective employers, find informational interviews, reach out to those in new industries, or look into those previously employed at companies you’re interested in.

But you can’t simply fire connection requests and cold messages to every person on the website. You should take time to carefully craft any requests and take time to explain who you are and why you’d like to connect. Quality leads are better than quantity.

Josh Steimle uses mass tagging connections in posts as another type of spam to avoid. If you’re constantly looking for attention by overly tagging people, you’ll soon find yourself blocked.

LinkedIn itself, a pretty credible source on this particular topic, says to avoid coming across as “salesy.”The platform may be designed for professional development, but no one wants your service shoved in their face immediately. Treat your potential connections as actual people rather than pure customers.

Don’t be generic

Hand-in-hand with the above point, the more generic you are in your efforts, the less interested people will be in interacting with you. As Forbes’ William Arruda reminds us, spammers and bots are a plague on LinkedIn, and it can be detrimental to your efforts if you sound like one.

On paper, a high volume of messages sounds like a good way to get at least some positive responses. But like with applying for jobs, spray-and-pray techniques rarely work. Any pitch you’re planning on sending should be carefully thought out and provide value to your target. Make an effort to reference something they’ve done or how their experience inspired you. A generic pitch is wasting their time and yours.

“For some reason, people think it is effective to cold pitch people without any preparation or research. The funniest is when someone sends me a message on LinkedIn offering their totally irrelevant service and says something along the lines of “We see that at your company you do XYZ and thought you could use my product.”” -Hillel Fuld

Be honest

It should go without saying, but don’t lie to your potential connections about what you can do for them. While your pitch should have value to the connection, it needs to actually be something you can deliver.

Trickery on LinkedIn isn’t just lying about your skills, experience, or connections. William Arruda uses the example of deceiving your new connection by asking for time to get to know them or claiming you’re doing research for a project when in actuality you’re trying to make a sale or ask for a job opportunity. Once it gets out that you’re taking advantage of the generosity of others, you’ll find it harder to make connections.

“If your true intention is to make a sale, don’t imply it’s about the joy of just getting to know and learn about people. This subterfuge is beyond annoying.” –William Arruda

Don’t overshare

“Weird Al” Yankovic once wrote a song called “Stop Forwarding That Crap To Me” regarding chain emails and overshared images that plagued the early internet days. Unfortunately, the song is relevant once again as LinkedIn spammers fill your feed with unwanted content.

Alexander Krastev notes useless polls, irrelevant tear-jerking or viral videos, cringey memes, and overly shared stories as the types of eye-rolling content plaguing the platform. While it can seem cruel to vilify this type of content, a good deal of it is fake and overshared simply to generate clicks and engagement.

LinkedIn is supposed to be a place for professionals to connect and share relevant content. While it doesn’t hurt to have some fun, save the off-topic content for Twitter and Instagram.

Don’t use it as a dating site

Speaking of keeping it professional, while LinkedIn is a social media platform, it isn’t meant to be a dating pool. Save the cracking on for Tinder or Bumble, and let LinkedIn remain a safe place to grow professionally.

Wrap up

Good LinkedIn etiquette shares much in common with good social media etiquette, or just good manners in general. Treating your future connections like actual human beings and not just avenues for gain goes a long way. Be authentic and offer value to others, don’t bombard the platform with irrelevant content to get attention, and keep things professional and you’ll be viewed as someone people wish to connect with. Happy connecting!

Before You Go
View Current Job Openings
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Follow NexGoal on Twitter
“Like” NexGoal on Facebook
Connect with NexGoal on LinkedIn

Read More

How To Heat Up Your Summer Job Search

The weather is starting to heat up, but what about your job search? Summer is associated with many things, but new career beginnings usually aren’t one of them.

Despite this, job searching continues, especially for fresh college graduates entering the workforce. If you need a job, you need a job. We’ll brave the heat and look into the pros and cons of a summer job search and provide tips on how to make this your most productive summer yet.

Is summer a good time to search?

Just as with the holiday season, experts are mixed on whether summer is a good time to apply or not. With less seasonal work available in most industries and many employees taking summer vacations, Valerie Streif, senior content at Pramp, viewed summer as one of the two worst times to seek employment.

“During the middle of summer, the least amount of vacancies are posted, not only for seasonal jobs but also regular positions, since teams are usually juggling many different employees taking time off for summer vacation. It’s also an awkward time to get started – right in the middle of the year.” – Valerie Streif

Meanwhile, The Muse’s Kat Boogaard suggests that summer is a good time to keep the search moving despite what others may say. Hiring managers have a full-year job and will always be looking to fill open positions. There may be less competition as others slow down their search, and hiring managers may be less busy as a result.

According to NACE, employers are expected to hire 27% more recent graduates this year compared to 2021. So even if summer is often viewed as a poor job to search, the market is currently in your favor.

Your mileage will vary based on the industry and type of position you seek. But if you need a new job, there’s no reason you have to wait until fall. So how can you make the most of your search?

Start strong

Summer means more daylight and an earlier start, and your search should follow suit. If others believe this is the time to slow down their search, zig while they zag. Before you start getting your applications out, however, you’ll want to come up with a plan.

Research the companies you’re interested in working for to start getting an idea of what they are looking for. You will never regret doing too much research. This allows you to prepare your documents accordingly.

Many fresh graduates or athletes transitioning to the business world will commonly use a “one size fits all” methodology with their resume and cover letter, but a set of documents tailored to the position you are applying for is much more likely to catch a recruiter’s attention. Margaret Steen of Stanford Report acknowledges that recent grads will need to send out more applications than someone established in an industry, so it may not be practical to start from scratch with every application. She says a hybrid approach, creating one main resume and tweaking it as needed, is a helpful strategy.

Don’t forget about networking

No matter if you’re newly entering the workforce or you’re a seasoned veteran, networking is always crucial to career development. With warm weather, people are looking to make the most of it by going to social events, and this applies to the professional world as well.

If you’re a recent graduate, your school or department may have alumni events that can be the perfect opportunity to get your name out there. CNBC’s Katie Hopsicker suggests using any resources your college can offer to your advantage.

“Most universities and colleges have career centers, and these centers are there to help you. Resources like resume workshops, job hunt seminars and even email newsletters detailing job openings may open the door for you to find your next opportunity.” –Katie Hopsicker

But networking doesn’t have to be completely formal, and opportunities aren’t limited to graduates. Take time to reach out to those you already know for a cold beverage to check-in. Go out of your way to interact with new people at any barbeques or other fun events you attend. Networking happens all year, but summertime often puts people in a social mood.

Enhance your skills

Your growth doesn’t have to be put on hold while you search. There are many avenues available to increase your skills while expanding your network.

For example, you’re never too cool for summer school! Harvard University suggests summer classes can teach or hone new skills in a controlled, often more relaxed environment. These classes don’t have to be official, and you don’t have to take out loans. Search for free, online options or audit classes on sites like MasterClass or Coursera.

Volunteering is another underutilized way to grow your network and your skill-set. Just because you aren’t getting paid doesn’t mean the skills you learn don’t have value, and you’ll have a chance to connect with others you may not meet otherwise.

Wrap up

Many will use the summertime to focus on vacations, but that doesn’t mean employment opportunities aren’t out there. With a good strategy in place, you can take advantage of the slower hiring cycle. No matter where you’re at in your career, it always pays to keep networking and honing your skills while you search. Most of all, be patient! Communication may be slower due to managers on vacation, but if you put in the work and stay cool, you should get results!

Before You Go
View Current Job Openings
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Follow NexGoal on Twitter
“Like” NexGoal on Facebook
Connect with NexGoal on LinkedIn

Read More

Getting Maximum Value From Your Professional References

When you’re searching for a new career, it’s imperative to have the right people in your corner. Networking is one of the most vital tenets in career advancement, and one of the most obvious places to see the benefits is when your professional references are contacted. When utilized properly, your references can give you the edge over similarly qualified candidates.

But the inverse is also true, and choosing the wrong references can have a dire effect on your chances of getting the job. If you get to the point a potential employer asks for your references, you’re very close to getting the job. Finish strong by choosing the right references and prepare them accordingly by implementing these pieces of advice.

“The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity.” — Keith Ferrazzi

Choosing the right references

You want your references to be people in your corner that will give you glowing recommendations, but not everyone you know is a great option. You want professional references that understand who you are in a working environment, not your neighbors, friends, family members, or drinking buddies.

The Muse’s Jenny Foss lists, in this order, the types of individuals employers want to talk to:

  1. Your current manager or supervisor
  2. Your prior managers or supervisors
  3. Your current peers or clients
  4. Your prior peers or clients
  5. Your personal references or friends who will vouch for you (a very remote fifth)

The opinion of supervisors is key because these people directly monitor your performance, and the more recent their experience with you the better. Peers and clients are helpful depending on the role. In a customer service role, a former client’s opinion will carry much more weight.

If you’re just entering the workforce or have limited experience, you still have options. A professor you’ve worked closely with, especially in a course related to your work, can vouch for your skills and work ethic, as can academic advisors you’ve worked with, says Heather Huhman of Glassdoor.

Linkedin is a great way to keep in touch with your potential references, especially if you haven’t talked to the person in a while.

How to ask for a reference

Choosing your references is just the first step. Even if these individuals know you well, don’t just assume they’ll speak on your behalf. It’s important to actually ask them to be a reference, and do it early enough in your job search that they won’t feel put on the spot. Their availability is an essential factor to consider.

Make sure your message asking for permission feels authentic. This is a person you’re asking for a favor, and you want them to speak highly of you. Be willing to take no for an answer, and keep other options in mind. And remember that just because you’ve asked once doesn’t give you permission to use them for every job.

“You do need to ask them every time.” –Kathy Robinson, founder of TurningPoint

Provide necessary information

Even if the person has nothing but good things to say about your performance, it may sound insincere or meandering without a little focus. At the very least, provide your reference with the job you’re applying for and a copy of your resume, writes Forbes’ Cathy Lanzalaco. This gives them an idea of what aspects of your work history to focus on and what they are most qualified to speak on. It also helps to provide your references with a copy of the job description. This may give them ideas on what to discuss that you may not have considered.

Job-Hunt’s Jeff Lipschultz suggests providing your reference with questions you’d expect the interview to ask, including specific projects, skills, or attributes you think are particularly crucial. And don’t forget to give your references the name of the interviewer and company!

“Not everyone answers the phone these days when a strange name/number shows up on caller ID.  So being able to share this information makes it more likely that the call will be answered and the response provided quickly.” – Jeff Lipschultz

Don’t forget to say thank you

You may not always be informed a reference has been talked to, but the reference might reach out to you and let you know. Make sure to send your reference a personalized thank you message. Be willing to return the favor or help them out in another manner if possible, and if you get the job, be sure to let them know and thank them again. Be willing to be a reference in turn to those in your own network.

Don’t mention references on your resume

The phrase “references available upon request” is completely outdated, and it’s assumed you’ll have references when you apply. Save that valuable resume space for your information. The perk of only giving references when asked is that you’ll be able to go through these steps and prepare beforehand.

Wrap up

Companies usually ask for references towards the end of the hiring process because they are interested in you and want to verify what they’ve found. Your references can give you that final push to get the job, but you’ll want to make sure you’ve chosen the correct people and that they are fully prepared to give the most persuasive testimony possible. You’ve networked for a reason, and be sure to return the favor when you can.

Before You Go
View Current Job Openings
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Follow NexGoal on Twitter
“Like” NexGoal on Facebook
Connect with NexGoal on LinkedIn

Read More

Stand Out Digitally With These LinkedIn Summary Tips

In any sort of persuasive speech, your attention-getter sets the tone of the entire performance. An engaging introduction reels your audience in, while a boring one sends them looking elsewhere. Imagine walking into a hotel lobby and finding it unpleasant. No matter how good your room may be, that initial entrance soured the experience.

Your LinkedIn profile is the same way. Using LinkedIn is vital for the modern job search, and your summary is your introduction to recruiters. The website itself declares the summary as one of the most important pieces of information you can describe.

“Your summary or About section is the one place you define yourself in your own words, free of start dates and titles. Whether you use it to put career choices in context, highlight your biggest achievements, or show off your personality, the summary is your chance to put your best self out there. It strengthens your first impression in a way no other Profile section can.” –LinkedIn

If you’re doing some spring cleaning with your profile, we’ll go teach you how to craft an exceptional summary that shows the real you.

Prioritize the first few sentences

If your summary is the introduction to your profile, the first few words are the introduction to your introduction. Laura Smith-Proulx reveals that your full summary isn’t immediately displayed until someone clicks on “see more” (on both mobile and desktop versions).

That means your summary needs to “pop” immediately to catch the eyes of the looker. You want to hook your audience immediately by getting directly into your brand and making your objective clear right away.

Use keywords

The modern job search is all about appeasing the search engine. Realizing this is the key to making sure you’ll show up in a recruiter’s search at all. To do that, LinkedIn experts recommend using keywords throughout your profile.

Executive resume writer Jessica Hernandez simply defines these keywords as “Keywords are a list of words and phrases that are related to your work—they are the words that a prospective employer would search for when trying to find someone like you.”

Find words relevant to your industry and use them often. This will make sure you show up in searches AND make it easier for a prospective employer to get an idea of what you’re all about. While you should use keywords, make sure to avoid making your profile a jumbled mess of jargon.

Showcase your personality

A recruiter isn’t just getting an automaton worker when they look at your profile; they are looking at a complex human being. At the end of the day, not only does a recruiter want a qualified worker, but they want someone that is a good cultural fit for the organization.

Because of the nature of LinkedIn, you still want to be professional, but don’t be afraid to let a little flair or humor out. If you followed the above advice, your audience will get a view of you as a worker and you as a person. Having this insight allows the reader to have a more detailed picture of how you will fit in with the company.

Find a format that works for you

In keeping with the above advice, you can craft the style of your summary in a manner that best describes you. There isn’t a single cookie-cutter approach to take. SocialTalent reminds us that the summary is your chance to tell your story as you see it. Just like in an elevator pitch, you’re using that short space to say who you are and what you bring to the table.

The Muse’s Aja Frost analyzes different strategies for telling that story, including the mission-based strategy, the personal strategy, the short-and-sweet summary, the blended summary, and the accomplishment summary. These five example methods allow you to decide what’s important for you and the best way to summarize yourself. All five are great starting points, and you can click the above link for more details.

Meanwhile, LinkedIn itself goes over 14 well-designed and radically different summary styles and provides reasons why they work. All 14 off an excellent place to start and can serve as a template for your own story. It’s all about finding the best way to represent you!

Avoid third-person

Your LinkedIn summary is a summary of you as a worker, told by you. This is a chance for you to be yourself, and ideally, you don’t talk in third person in real life. Avoid this common pitfall!

Example

Aja Frost provides us with a great example of a short, detailed summary that follows all of the above advice.

“I’m a sales rep dedicated to helping local Oklahoma City services businesses grow their customer base and decrease customer churn. I have 6 years of experience in local sales and I’ve consistently met and exceeded my quota throughout my career. Within the last year, I’ve topped our leaderboard six out of 10 months. On average, I close business 10% faster than my peers.”

Wrap up

If you aren’t using LinkedIn as part of your job search strategy, you need to do so immediately! And a successful LinkedIn summary is the welcome mat to the rest of your profile. Make sure it’s clear, direct, and a good summary of you, the writer. There isn’t one successful must-use template, so do some research and some tweaking and find what works for you!

Before You Go
View Current Job Openings
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Follow NexGoal on Twitter
“Like” NexGoal on Facebook
Connect with NexGoal on LinkedIn

Read More

Three Keys To A Rewarding Informational Interview

The key to a successful interview is preparation. Your skills and experience level don’t mean much if you go into an interview without doing your homework. Researching the company, the industry, and conducting a mock interview are all beneficial, but if you really want to do a deep dive, consider conducting an informational interview.

An informational interview isn’t the same as a job interview. Rather, it is an informal meeting or conversation with someone in your target industry/company to get a deep dive into that line of work. Indeed found a host of potential benefits of this type of interview, including:

  • Learning how to research or screen careers, positions or employers
  • Preparing for future job interviews
  • Learning how to ask direct and follow-up questions
  • Increasing network contacts
  • Learning steps to pursue a potential career
  • Recognizing your strengths and weaknesses for a potential role

An informational interview gets you something you can’t find from an online resource: a real person’s experiences and advice. If you think your job search could benefit from an informational interview or you’re looking to move into a new industry, we’ve done a little information gathering ourselves to help. Learn how to prepare for and conduct the most efficient fact-finding mission with these tenets.

Find the right contact

You’ve recognized that an informational interview will be advantageous, but where to start? Whether you’re a network novice or seasoned web-builder, chances are you can start with your own inner circle. If you already know someone in the industry or at your target company, excellent! Send them a message. If no one you know fits the bill, look to your friends, family, and professional contacts to see if they know a good fit. They may know the right person to assist and can introduce you.

If your network comes up empty, a good old-fashioned cold call (but actually email or direct message) can help! Look for someone in that company on LinkedIn or try searching in an alumni or professional group. LiveCarrer suggests being sincere and considerate when asking for a conversation. Remember, you’re asking this person for a favor. Be upfront and direct with your request. Make it clear you’re asking for help, but don’t ask for a job. You’re looking for information, and you’re hoping to learn from this person’s experience.

Pre-research research

While the purpose of your interview is to gain knowledge, you can’t go into an informational interview completely clueless. Compile enough background information to sound credible. You want this informational interview to support the information you’re able to find on your own, and merely asking someone the basics you could easily find online is a waste of both parties’ time. Mac Prichard suggests coming up with one clear objective you’d like to gain from the conversation and tailoring your preparation to it.

“What’s the #1 thing I can learn from this connection to help me on my career path?” -Mac Prichard

As Jennifer Winter of The Muse reminds, your contact is taking time out of their day to talk with you free of charge. Respect their time by doing your homework beforehand. Research their history and find common ground with them. Not only will you look prepared and professional, but they’ll feel honored you’re familiar with their work. A bit of flattery is always nice.

Ask useful questions

An informational interview shouldn’t be long—maybe about 15-30 minutes at most. You want to get as much useful info as possible, so it’s important to maximize your time by asking great questions. Have a specific list of questions prepared beforehand and keep them organized.

Harvard Business Review cited author Dorie Clark, who suggested approaching the interview like a journalist. “Gently probe through curiosity, then listen.” You don’t want to feel like a cross-examiner or be pushy. You’re asking the questions, but let your contact determine how they answer. You’re there for their expertise, so whatever they choose to answer with is probably what they view as important information.

The Balance Careers’ Alison Doyle has a magnificent list of questions you can ask your contact, divided into occupational and functional questions. A blend of both will give you a superb look at both the big picture aspects of the role and what the day-to-day looks like.

Wrap up

An informational interview can be an invaluable tool to assist in your job search, especially if you’re breaking into a new industry. These conversations are a great way to use the network you’ve created to get insider information you wouldn’t find in traditional research. Remember to find the right contact, do your homework beforehand, and make the most of your limited time by asking useful questions. There are so many resources out there for networking and learning about your chosen industry. Don’t be afraid to use them!

Before You Go
View Current Job Openings
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Follow NexGoal on Twitter
“Like” NexGoal on Facebook
Connect with NexGoal on LinkedIn

Read More