LinkedIn, Twitter & Job Search‌ OH MY! University Career Services
About the Presenter Betsy Bishop • Internship Specialist, Northwestern University
• 6+ years in Higher Education Career Services • Manages 3 Groups on LinkedIn & 2 Twitter Accounts!
Objectives • Gain more knowledge of LinkedIn, Twitter and other Social Networking • Learn how to effectively communicate with networking contacts on LinkedIn • Develop a plan for utilizing Social Networking in your Job Search
Why use Social Media in my Job Search • Research & Communicate with Networking Connections • Learn more about Companies- Prep for Your Interviews • Discover the Hidden Job Market & Great Advice • Get Introduced to other Professional through People you know • Business Opportunities- for all the Entrepreneurs out there!
What is LinkedIn? LinkedIn is a Professional Networking Online Site • Originally created as a way to find “experts” • 40+ million users from 150 countries; 27% of users are HR Recruiters or Managers • Average age of users is 40 • Average income of users is $110,000.00
Get Started at www.LinkedIn.com
Profile Sample
The Do’s & Don’ts For Your Profile
Complete to as close to 100% as possible Create a Summary and add Interests and Hobbies Add a professional looking head-shot only photo Include details of your past Work Experience or Education in “Resume Language”
Have errors or spellings mistakes Make up or Embellish your Summary or Specialties Include personal information you do not want employers to know about (i.e. martial status, birthday)
Groups to Join • Recommended Groups to Join on LinkedIn: – Northwestern Alumni Group (over 14,000 members) – Northwestern University Career Services Group (over 630 members) – For International Students: Chicagoland ISEI & Northwestern ISEI (subgroup) – Geographic Based: Linked n Chicago, Young Professionals of Chicago – Job Search Related: Job Angels – Others: Special Interest Groups, Your Greek Organization has a LinkedIn Group, etc.
Sample Group
Being in a Shared Group Allows You to Send Messages
Sending an In-Message (1) Introduce yourself Hi, my name is Holly Jacobs. I am currently a student at Northwestern University pursuing a degree in communications. (2) Identify interest – organization, position, etc‌ I came across your LinkedIn profile when I was conducting research on NU alumni working in my chosen industry. I was very excited to learn of your niche in providing advertising consulting to green organizations. (3) Introduce skills This past year, I served as the promotions director for a campus student organization called Green Initiatives. In this role, I was able to increase awareness of our programs in campus residences. (4) Inquire I was reaching out to you because I wanted to request to join
UCS Recommendations for Networking on LinkedIn • Use Proper Etiquette
– Avoid contacting people you do not know without any connection or introduction – Create a well thought-out and error free message when communicating – If requesting a meeting…Remember YOU are the one who must be flexible, not your contact
• Keep in the back of your mind…
– Networking should be organic and a part of your everyday life to truly be effective- on-line and not
• Maintain Your Network
– Avoid long lengths of non communication – Show Appreciation- Thank You Messages – Profile/Resume Updates = Perfect time to send an Email
Increasing Your Marketability W/ LinkedIn • Add as Many Relevant Connections as Possible • Use the Answers Section to Post Questions or Answer Questions • Add Key Words recognized by your industry to your Profile • Add Substance to your Summary in your Profile • Request Recommendations from Professors or past Supervisors • Include a custom profile link (with your name) in your Email Signature • Change your setting to Full View if you want your Profile to show up in Google Searches • If you have a Blog consider linking to it on your Profile
What is Twitter? • Twitter is a social networking and microblogging service utilizing instant messaging or a web interface. • Twitter is open ended - people and companies use it in a variety of ways, including to job search/recruit. • Wonder how popular Twitter is? Visit http://www.tweespeed.com/
17568 tweets per minute
Gaining Popularity with Everyone!
Who to Follow • Recommended Members to Follow on Twitter:
– @northwesternucs – The Companies where you are Applying for a Job or Internship (Search Twitter) – Industry Related Job Postings (tip: look at who @northwesternucs is following) 10 Tweeters to Follow: http://www.primecb.com/10-job-tweeters-you-shou 50 Tweeters to Follow on Twitter: – http://www.onedayonejob.com/blog/50-twitter-u
Unique to Twitter Websites outside of Twitter to help you find Job postings: • Twitterjobsearch.com • Twithire.com Search using Hash Tags: #Tweetmyjobs #____jobs (fill in the blank with your city or state) #career #employment #greenjobs #hire
#hireme #hiring #hr #job #jobpostings #jobsearch #recruiting
www.twitjobsearch.com
Increasing Your Marketability W/ Twitter
• Make your Twitter presence “employer-friendly” – Put your job pitch in your Twitter bio (which is 140 characters) – Use a professional looking avatar or photo – Tweet about your job search • Utilize your Twitter background. There’s lots of space you can use to promote yourself. Don’t know how to create a professionallooking Twitter background? Use http://theclosetentrepreneur.com/create-a-twitter-background-usingto design your own. • Include a link to your Blog or Website • Establish yourself as an expert in your field on Twitter. It’s important to note that you should not misrepresent yourself. If you’re not a medical doctor, don’t play one on Twitter. As those on Twitter become interested in your content, when employers are looking at you, you’ll have more than just your resume to back up your knowledge and experience. • Tweet photos or video of your work through applications like Twitpic or TwitVid.com Source: http://mashable.com/2009/03/13/twitter-jobs/
Twitvid- Add Video to Your Twitter
Other Social Networking Sites & Your Job Search • Facebook: Many Employers have “Fan Pages” and post recruiting events; Fan “NorthwesternUCS” to stay up to date with on campus recruiting and University Career Services • WordPress or Tumblr: An often recommended sites for developing your own Blog or Website/Online Resume. Use tool like VisualCV. (For more information on building an online resume, see Dan Schawbel’s post HOW TO: Build the Ultimate Social Media Resume) • YouTube: Are you a Filmmaker? Or Artist? Upload your own videos to make available to employers through this Web 2.0 application. • Flickr: If companies are looking for samples of your work consider uploading it to your Flickr account.
Success Stories Northwestern Student: “LinkedIn was an incredibly useful internship search resource for me. I had less than a month to secure an internship. Not only did I have no time but I was looking for an internship in LA while in Chicago. Desperate, I created a thread on LinkedIn in the Northwestern Alumni Group requesting advice on how I could find an industry specific internship in LA. Within the next few days, I had five responses in my Inbox with suggestions and personal contacts looking for interns.� Blogger: After losing their job they tweeted about the experience and turned to their Blog to show their talent. Both their blog and their tweets got noticed which led to being interviewed for their current job.
Now What? Let’s Develop a Plan • Betsy’s Suggestions for using Social Networking in your Job Search: 1. If you haven’t already create LinkedIn and Twitter (+others) Accounts with the goal to find a job 2. Make an appointment with the UCS staff to develop your marketing documents (aka Resume, Cover Letters) and online presence 3. Start joining relevant LinkedIn Groups and finding Connections 4. Research who to Follow on Twitter and read their tweets daily looking for opportunities to apply for work 5. Choose a few connections on LinkedIn to request an informational interview with them through a professional and thoughtful message 6. Look for Blogs and Articles about using LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc in your job search
Resources for Help with LinkedIn or Twitter Comprehensive List of Resources for Twitter: • http://www.job-hunt.org/executive-job-search/twitter-toolbox.shtml • http://twitterfacts.blogspot.com/ • http://mashable.com/ • http://www.cio.com/article/482324/Twitter_Tips_How_to_Use_Twit ter_to_Job_Hunt • Comprehensive List of Resources for LinkedIn: http://www.linkedintelligence.com/smart-ways-to-use-linkedin/ • LinkedIn Learning Center: http://learn.linkedin.com/ • Blogs: – http://www.Candidateschair.com – http://www.Guykawasaki.com – http://applicant.com/the-dont-do-it-guide-to-using-linkedin/
Upcoming UCS Events • Preparing for a Job Fair, 9/30, 6-7pm @Norris • Campus Recruiting Expo, 10/1, Noon-4pm, @Norris • Job Search in Gov’t, Education & Non-Profit, 10/5, 6-7pm @Norris • Mock Case Interviewing, 10/8, 6-9pm @UCS Interview Center • Practice with the Pros, Mock Interviewing with Alumni, 10/12, 6-9pm @UCS Interview Center • SWE Industry Day, 10/15, 5-9pm @Hilton Garden Inn, Evanston, IL
University Career Services Main Office 620 Lincoln Street 847-491-3700 CareerLab Core Reserve Main Library, 2nd Floor North Web www.northwestern.edu/careers Facebook www.facebook.com/northwesternucs Twitter http://twitter.com/northwesternucs LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1926036