Job Search 2.0 Podcast - How Linkedin Can Fast-Track Your Career Transition
Donna Sweidan is an expert in career exploration issues, assessment, job search, on-line identity, resumes and strategic coaching.
Donna Sweidan
"What activity are you doing everyday and how are you getting out, how are you meeting people, where are you going out and being productive? There is light at the end of the tunnel and they’ve got to think about what can I do today that’s going to help me get results, two, three, four months down the line. That’s what I’m trying to impress upon people about how can they get out and what kind of activities they can do, instead of sitting behind the computer." Donna Sweidan
Welcome to a Career Transition Channel podcast on Total Picture Radio, with Peter Clayton reporting. Donna Sweidan has worked in the field of counseling, training and career development for over 14 years. She is a credentialed career coach and provides personalized career and life transition counseling. An expert on integrating technology into the job search and career management process, Donna is dedicated to empowering her clients and leveraging the power of the internet to advance and manage their careers. Based in Stamford, Connecticut, she is the founder of Career Folk.
LinkedIn is fast becoming the most important job search tool in this new economy. If you are confused about hot to use Linkedin: where to start, or how to use it so that it really does enhance your job search or career management efforts, thenhave a listen to this 25 minute podcast on Total Picture Radio
Linkedin Stats:
Nearly 86% of recruiters say their firms use Internet search engines to uncover information about potential candidates.
45% of recruiters use Linkedin exclusively to source candidates
Over 40 Million Professionals are on linkedin.
People with more than 20 connections are 34 times more likely to be approached with a job opportunity than people with less than five
Donna Sweidan is generously offering TPR listeners a free 15 minute critique of their Linkedin profile.
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with “Total Picture Radio offer” in the subject line. Be sure to include your contact information in the body of the email. Ms. Sweidan’s office will contact you to arrange a personal phone call.
Welcome to Total Picture Radio, the first podcast for career advancement, employment trends, recruiting and leadership development. You’ll find us on www.totalpicture.com, iTunes, and now syndicated on jobradio.fm. Tune in and dial up your career.
Donna Sweidan has worked in the field of counseling, training and career development for over 14 years. She is a credentialed career coach and provides personalized career and life transition counseling. An expert on integrating technology into the job search and career management process, Donna is dedicated to empowering her clients and leveraging the power of the internet to advance and manage their careers.
Donna, thanks for joining us on Total Picture Radio.
Donna: Thank you so much for having me, Peter.
Peter: As we all know, there is a tremendous amount of competition out there for whatever jobs exist. How would you work with a career coach, such as yourself to help in that process?
Donna: That’s a great question. I think having someone who can provide you with objective and constructive feedback is absolutely essential. Considering how challenging the job market is today, as you mentioned, I think that most people are possibly out on the streets for the first time in their lives looking for a job and they’ve probably entered the most difficult job market in decades. I think all of those factors have just created the perfect storm and if I may say, just huge obstacles for job seekers in terms of how do they embrace this job market because the rules have really changed. I think the economic turmoil and change in employment trends which has probably been happening gradually over the years has culminated in a really, really tight job market. I mean I don’t need to reiterate that; it’s very clear that everything is taking so much longer and so much harder for the job seekers.
So by seeking out professional advice, I think that job seekers, they do get some constructive advice on how to embark on this new type of job search that they have to do, as well as some feedback on how they are presenting themselves, what are they marketing documentation look like, the resume, the cover letter, and all of the technology that goes with a job search today, right? Are they on LinkedIn? I still see some job seekers that aren’t using it effectively.
So the job search is a very new process today as it was a year ago, five years ago, whatever the case. So there is a lot more information that job seekers have to learn. And that’s where I come in, I think.
Peter: And you bring up something also that I think is very important in this whole thing is that there is so many people out there who have never ever gone through this before; they’ve always been recruited, they’ve always had a job and this is really new territory for them. And, not only is it new territory for them, but the way you go about finding a job today is so different than it was five years ago. It’s a completely different approach and a way that you need to do this.
Donna: Exactly. Exactly. And I think many job seekers are pulled into this situation all of a sudden, they are not expecting to lose their job or maybe today probably, you know, at some point they may be. But I think emotionally and just the readiness factor, it’s not there. And the expectations are – they really don’t know what to expect or how to embark on a job search today. The rules have definitely changed, and I think that makes it so much harder – it’s a whole new job search process that people have to learn and it definitely is a skill. I think that nobody is born knowing how to job search, right? But it’s something that people need to learn the tricks of the trade. This is, I guess, myself as a career coach is we follow these trends, we follow and see … even resumes have changed dramatically, for example.
I had a CEO in my office just yesterday who has a resume that still says objective at the top. Objectives are very old school. Employers and hiring managers don’t really care what you’re looking for; they want to see what you’ve got to offer and how you can make a change. So that’s one example of how the rules have changed, that even the resume formatting has changed dramatically and I think that’s why it’s so important to seek out professional help to help you identify these factors that might impede on you moving forward in the job search.
Peter: Let’s go back to something you mentioned earlier, which is LinkedIn, which I know you’re a big proponent of that, and I am as well.
Donna: Very much.
Peter: I can’t imagine anyone in the professional executive level today conducting a job search without being on LinkedIn. It just blows my mind that people still are not there. And I know that you’ve been conducting a series of online workshops on how to use LinkedIn, helping job seekers. What do you cover in this webinar?
Donna: Yes, I’ve been doing this, and I’m glad you mentioned…you know some people are still skeptical about it, which is interesting. You know I think there is an inherent fear about putting yourself out there online but today, it’s essential, as you mentioned.
Why don’t I cover…there are quite a few webinars out there that focus on how to use LinkedIn. But I start with actually the why, because I think without understanding why it’s so important, it doesn’t provide you with that same momentum. Just I build in the whole notion of personal branding and why that is important today because I think that’s also a critical piece of the new job search today – understanding that you’re marketing yourself. You’re your own boss and LinkedIn really is a vessel for doing that. And so I help people kind of make that shift in their mind that it’s not just a place to put your resume up and it’s not just networking tool – people think that it’s just about building connections or just putting your resume up; it actually serves so many different purposes. So I try and present this very holistic view of the relevance and value -- it's so in-depth -- of LinkedIn, which I think is why it’s so difficult to manage for many job seekers, they have a hard time getting their head around what is involved and how to use it effectively.
From the outset in my webinar, I take them through kind of understand the new place we are in the world in terms of employment trends, the statistics, helping people understand how they need to take control of their job search. In fact, that’s what LinkedIn is all about; it’s one of those tools that can help them do that.
Another statistic which I think has dramatic impact on how job seekers are marketing themselves is being present online, having an online presence or identity is so critical today because one statistic that came out from a recent ExecuNet marketing survey that you may have heard of is that 86% of recruiters use the internet to do internet research on potential candidates. In fact, 44% of executive recruiters are on Linkedin using it exclusively.
So things have changed so dramatically, so I think it really helps to have that broader picture at the back of your mind before you embark on using LinkedIn and then I think it helps you understand why it’s also important. So that’s where I start.
And then I go through a general checklist of some of the most important things that people should be focusing on. Obviously, making the most of your profile. People can see at the outset – they’ve got to set it up 100%, and many people don’t have it pulled up to 100% and don’t understand that they’re not actually going to be found as often if their profile isn’t complete all the way 100%. So that’s an important thing to understand, I think.
And then the real making connections, how to do that, what’s the real etiquette behind networking online. I think people take advantage of the default settings and don’t use it in the most professional way. That’s another thing I talk about – how to optimize your presence on LinkedIn and boast your brand in the most professional way.
Those are just a few of the things I cover.
Peter: What have you found in the people who have taken your webinar to be the biggest problem with the way they are using LinkedIn currently before going through your seminar?
Donna: Most people go on there, they post their information and then they’re not active participants on it. I think many job seekers start off with the idea that it’s just a place to park resume, so to speak, and that’s all that’s necessary. But in fact, if you really want to get real value out of it and a return on investment of your time spent up there, you have to be active, you have to participate in some of the phenomenal tools that LinkedIn has created.
For example, there are two specific sections where job seekers or anybody – I think today, I think we are all our own bosses and it’s important to just maintain a presence and top of mind because you never know what might happen tomorrow, right? So the two sections that I’m referring is the answer section and within the groups there is a discussion section and those are two places that job seekers can just spend a little bit of time, look at the activity and the discussions that are going on and then take a part in the discussions or post a question that you can start to engage with other people in your industry or field and slowly start to build connections that way, actually.
I think it can be of tremendous value. I’ve used it that way helping people, too. I think networking today is not just about receiving, but it’s very much about giving. It’s very much about participating and helping others, answering questions – if you know the answer to something, share that information to help others because it can only come back to you in a positive way, I think, in the long term.
Peter: I know you started your own LinkedIn group, which is called Career Folk; tell us a little bit about your experience doing that and the kinds of things that you have learned by starting that group.
Donna: It’s locally based in that it’s oriented towards people in New York and Connecticut but interestingly enough, we’ve had people from all over the world want to join it. So it’s brought people together.
The value of a group is that you can engage via the intranet of LinkedIn with anybody in that group; you don’t need to be a first level of connection. So it’s free and easy access to connecting with people who are either in that group for like-minded reasons or geographic location, whatever the case may be. I found that really interesting, people have … there are probably 200-300 members in the group now. It’s a way to market my brand. I’ve also used it as a place to market my workshops or put out questions to people and see if there is some research I’m trying to do, I can put it out to that group and get a response. So I think it’s been helpful. And it’s brought people together in this area and enabled them to connect with more facility.
Peter: Is it possible for a job seeker to use the basic – in other words, the free version – of LinkedIn to do all of the things that you recommend a job seeker do on LinkedIn, or do they need a premium version?
Donna: They can use a free version and gain as much from it, as long as they’re using it actively and really engage in all the tools that are available, they can use it without paying a thing. Definitely.
I think the groups are one of the most valuable places to build your connections and your network without paying anything.
Peter: Do you recommend people be open networkers on LinkedIn, basically allowing anyone to network with them?
Donna: I’m not sure, I have to admit. You know, everyone has to decide on what the connection philosophy is, right? Because I think, you know, networking really is about maintaining the quality of your need to work, if this is really for your own personal need for working purposes and not for building a business, let’s say, because I think people who have a business and are using LinkedIn, have a very different philosophy in that they want as many connections as possible because they are using it to market their business. But for individuals who don’t have a business, I think it’s important that they safeguard their need to work and be mindful of not just building up a network for the sake of it, but build up a quality network that they can really focus in on and nurture and use it to build relationships because I think that, especially now, your network, specifically people that you can develop a relationship that can enhance your career development, as well as their career development, I think that’s important to focus on and if you have too many people in your network, it becomes diluted and it makes more difficult.
So I think it’s important to focus on core number of people and build on those relationships initially. I think that is very important. At the same time, having a large network is helpful because the more people that can find you, the better. So it’s a bit of a balancing act. People have to find their own level of comfort with that.
Peter: Is there any other social network out there, in your opinion, that is as important to be a part of as LinkedIn, meaning Facebook or being part of Twitter or some of these other social networks that are out there?
Donna: Well, you know, I definitely encourage people, particularly job seekers, to be using all of them. Obviously they all take up time and one has to figure out a strategy or a plan in terms of how you’re going to build that into the job search. I think that Facebook obviously is very personal but at the same time, if you can’t ask your friends and tap into the network, your friend’s network, and find anybody know who works at IBM… or at Synapse… or wherever it may be, then you’re not networking properly. At the same time, Twitter is phenomenal, and I think probably the most misunderstood tool at the moment because it is overwhelming at the outset unless you really kind of study it for awhile and look at all the various tools that help you navigate Twitter, it’s hard to conceptualize how it can be useful in the job search. I think it’s very valuable.
If job seekers go to WeFollow.com, you can then research all the relevant groups, or communities if you will, that would help you. So for example, if you’re looking for jobs or careers in the nonprofit sector, there are people tweeting for nonprofit jobs, there are executive levels; so at every level and every industry is on Twitter right now, my community of career coaches and career management folk – we’re all on Twitter sharing information because really, that’s what it’s about, I think. It’s about helping people and I think – if I can use the term, I don’t know if you’ve heard this one before – knowledge powered networking; that’s really what it’s about. It’s about sharing information, letting people know that you exist and building relationships from there. There is a whole process involved and I think one has to not just use it passively or sit and watch it, but act on it and follow up with people, engage in the people that you meet online otherwise, I think the value is lost.
Peter: Donna, we could do an entire show just on Twitter.
Donna: If I can add one more thing, Peter. Meetup.com – because it takes you into meeting personally in the flesh, and I think that taking the whole social networking one step further. With Meetup, you can go in there, find your community, whether it’s a group that is focused on an area of professional development that you’re interested in, or even for socializing or a new skill that you want to learn about.. I mean the options in there are exponential, it’s amazing, and it’s one of the fastest growing websites too.
It takes you out from behind your computer. I have to emphasize that. Even as someone who embraces everything that technology has to offer, job seekers have to get out, otherwise they get sucked into the … you know, the internet world, that can be helpful but at the same time, can sabotage the job search process if you don’t get out and engage with people one on one.
Peter: You’re absolutely right. It’s very easy for someone who is in a job search to spend their entire day doing nothing but surfing around on job boards which really, in this economy, is not going to get you a job.
Donna: Absolutely. One of the last things I mentioned in terms of job search strategy today, absolutely be present on a couple of niche websites – Indeed.com is a great aggregator – let that be the smallest amount of time that you spend and hopefully, it’s all automated at this stage so you don’t have to go on there every day. You should have email alerts set up and your focus should be on meeting people and building relationships.
I actually run a Meetup group – a career folk job search strategy group here in Connecticut, as well as every couple of weeks in New York City. If anyone is interested in finding out more about those groups, they can certainly get in touch with me.
Peter: How often do you run the workshop on LinkedIn?
Donna: Right now, it’s approximately every two weeks.
Peter: Do you limit the number of attendees?
Donna: I do. I want there to be engagement in the group. It’s like a job search strategy group meets LinkedIn. I say my shpiel, I give approximately one and a half hours of intensive instruction in terms of the why and the how behind LinkedIn and then I leave half an hour for Q&A. I want as many people to be able to participate. So it is limited; the number is limited to approximately 20 people at this stage. I add in a 10 minute free LinkedIn profile critique, which people can follow up with me afterwards. There are only so many of those I can manage. So I think that that’s just some added value to the process.
Peter: Do you know anyone, or have you come across anyone in your coaching practice who has been contacted by a recruiter solely based on their LinkedIn profile?
Donna: Definitely. I mean in my practice, as well as stories just on LinkedIn itself, I can’t impress upon enough times to get started on LinkedIn, and I have had a couple of resistant people initially.
One client, for example, who finally decided she was going to go for it, and we worked on completing her profile; instantly, she got the number of recruiters contacting her went up and they all found her via LinkedIn.
Recruiters are using it more and more and more. In fact, I get calls from recruiters asking me to help them learn how to use LinkedIn more effectively. They’re realizing this where it’s all happening and they are stepping in here.
Peter: It certainly has revolutionized the executive search business because obviously with the economy the way it is, especially internal recruiters, they’re not going to go out and spend $20-30,000 to do a job search through an executive search firm without at least going on to LinkedIn and seeing if they can find that qualified candidate that they need without having to pay for a search.
Donna: Exactly. Exactly. I think more and more recruiters are going to be on there. I think it has become de facto #1 job search tool and career management tool; it’s not just for job seekers. I think it’s important for everybody to be on there to maintain connections.
I just got a letter through LinkedIn from a former boss of mine, and I’m constantly being found through LinkedIn to answer questions or present – I speak regularly throughout Connecticut and New York about using LinkedIn, training coaches, as well as job seekers and other small business owners, the benefits and value is exponential if you just build on using it and optimizing everything that it has to offer.
Every person I meet is always amazed at what they learn after meeting with me or any other professional, they get a new perspective on things. And also just some constructive criticism can go a long way, or feedback really, to helping people improve their search because I think that it’s easy to get stuck in the process of just thinking I’ve got it all, I’m doing it all, what more can I do? And until you really ask someone and get the feedback, you don’t know what might be missing. The investment might be too much – there are lots of different price points of people in my field.
I belong to a group called the Career Counselors Consortium. I know a number of us we do telephone coaching, as well as face to face. We’re all based in the tri-state area but we have practices all over, and we all work at different price points. I really can’t encourage people enough to get some feedback about how they might be able to improve their search or whether their resume is working or even their LinkedIn profile, it’s so critical that it really represents them in the best way and they are putting their best face forward because that’s your brand out there.
Peter: Donna, thank you so much for taking time to speak with us today on Total Picture Radio.
Donna: You’re welcome. Peter, it was good to talk with you. Thank you very much.
About Donna Sweidan
Donna Sweidan is a career coach with over 15 years experience motivating and facilitating job seekers and career changers in their quest for professional fulfillment. As a trained counselor, Donna specializes in helping clients overcome the obstacles they face in the career transition process. Founder of Careerfolk, LLC, a full service career management company, Donna uses a range of tools and creative strategies to facilitate the career exploration and development process. She is particularly passionate about getting people to talk about their job search, and is a strong believer in the power of group learning and support. She facilitates two successful job search strategy groups that have received wide media attention, including The New York Times and CNN. Donna is also a popular and inspiring speaker and presents on a range of career development topics. A Linkedin expert and advocate on integrating technology into the career management process, Donna is dedicated to empowering people to leverage the power of the internet to advance and manage their careers. The founding Director of Career Services at The New School in NYC, she has also been quoted in the International Business Times, Fortune.com and The Stamford Advocate.
Donna has earned the Master Career Counselor designation, awarded by the National Career Development Association and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in New York State. She is also a certified Five O’Clock Club Coach.
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