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How to use LinkedIn: tips for a new LinkedIn member

2/9/2016

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Professional LinkedIn Profile Writing
So you’ve created your perfect LinkedIn profile, now you can sit back and wait for those opportunities and industry leaders to come flocking to you. Well, that might happen, however, with LinkedIn (as with most things), the more you reap the more you sow. To help you get started, here are some tips on how to use LinkedIn and make the most of the world’s largest professional 24/7 networking event, job board and address book.
 
Join some LinkedIn Groups
Picked wisely you’ll find yourself in private professional forums with like-minded individuals and making valuable connections with people outside your immediate circle. Group members automatically become 2nd degree connections and you will be able to message them directly. Providing advice and sharing ideas will establish your presence and raise your profile quickly. This is also fundamental to LinkedIn group best practices. The LinkedIn groups that you join will appear on your profile, which sends out a positive message that you’re outward-looking and someone who likes to make a contribution.
 
Personalise connection requests
LinkedIn generates a standard message, but sent as it is, you could appear to be just gathering connections for the sake of them. The recipient may connect with you, but it’s a lost opportunity to strike up a conversation or at the very least show that you are genuinely interested in connecting with them. LinkedIn is a networking tool after all, tell them why you want to connect or add a personal comment, for example, referring to a conference or event you both attended. This demonstrates that you are genuinely interested in building a meaningful LinkedIn network.
 
Follow companies and thought leaders
If you have aspirations to join a particular company make sure you are following them. Choose a varied mix of people and companies to follow, to reflect your profession/industry and interests (providing that these add value to your public profile/personal brand). Apart from keeping up to speed with industry news, knowledge and sound bites, it will demonstrate that you are interested in continued learning, market developments and trends.
 
Make recommendations and endorsements
Your name and title will appear on other people’s pages alongside your recommendation and be seen by individuals scanning that page whilst viewing profiles on LinkedIn. This additional exposure has obvious benefits if you are looking to raise your profile and build connections. Use the rule of reciprocity to your advantage - making LinkedIn recommendations and endorsements are likely to send some your way.
 
Keep an eye on updates
LinkedIn is an ever-evolving site prompted by user demands, technology trends and development, so check regularly what’s new and how updates might benefit you. If relevant, be an early adopter, show that you are someone who embraces new developments and innovation.
 
Manage your activity feed
This is particularly important when job hunting as you may not wish to broadcast certain new connections or companies you are following to existing connections, especially if your boss is amongst them!
 
LinkedIn is an extremely effective door opener and knowing how to use LinkedIn will generate  networking opportunities. With a compelling LinkedIn profile and activity that balances contribution with self-promotion, it will work as both your advocate and asset.
 
​Post by: Jenny Hargrave
​
 Additional resources can be found on LinkedIn
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LinkedIn Profile tips: 7 tips for creating a LinkedIn Profile

2/9/2016

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LinkedIn Profile Writer
If you are not on LinkedIn, quite simply you need to be. Companies and recruiters invariably go straight to LinkedIn these days for research and to find potential candidates. LinkedIn offers something different to a CV, it’s more personal and can bring your qualities, as well as, experience to life; it helps build your own personal brand. Who wouldn’t want to make the most of this golden opportunity to be noticed? Which leads us neatly onto our LinkedIn profile tips for creating a LinkedIn profile.
 
Claim your customised URL - after all you’re a name, not a number
Have your name (or the closest version of it, depending on what has already been taken) rather than LinkedIn’s automated default URL with a name and random number combination. It looks a lot better on a business card, CV or email footer and builds personal brand consistency with any Twitter or Facebook accounts, personal websites or blogs. It also makes it easier for people to find you and after all that’s the objective! To do this - click the small cog next to the existing URL displayed under the space for your photograph. This takes you to your public profile page. At the top of the right hand side of this page you can customise your public profile URL.
 
Headlines – this is your chance to get noticed
Use the headline wisely, think about what you want to be found for and what keywords people may use in their LinkedIn search. Through your headline people need to quickly identify who you are and what you offer. Simply adding your current job title is too limiting, add a little flair with an engaging description to attract opportunities and connections.
 
Photo – it’s your chance to get ahead (pardon the pun)
The dictionary definition of faceless is remote and impersonal, which is not what you are aiming for, so adding a photo is a must. First impressions count and rightly or wrongly, people will form an instant opinion from someone’s picture. Keep it simple, there’s no need to book a photo shoot, if it’s too professional it could appear a touch self-focused. Just get someone to take a picture specifically for LinkedIn (keep the holiday or wedding photos for Facebook). A headshot is always best, wear something ‘smart casual’ and have a plain or simple background. The aim is to look approachable, positive and likeable, so remember to smile. Our additional tip is to take your cue from Herb Ritts (after all he knew a thing or two about portrait photography) and opt for black and white; it’s more distinctive, stylish and flattering. Remember to update your photograph every few years, no-one looks 21 forever. Adding a header is a relatively new LinkedIn addition; used well it can be advantageous, just consider your audience and message.
 
Summary – the most important part of the whole page
This is the place where you can really differentiate yourself and demonstrate the value you can add. The tone and balance is everything; you want to spark interest, be engaging and impress (without any exaggerated sense of self-worth). Remember to sprinkle it with keywords and consider using mini paragraphs or bullet points to make it visually more inviting and easy to scan. Highlight things that a recruiter or company will want to quickly see. Whilst the third person is always preferred in a CV, writing in the first person works well in this particular instance. The reader wants to hear your voice and gain an insight into your personality and character.
 
Skills and Experience – time to broadcast your best bits
This section needs to be given thought; a copy and paste from your CV just won’t cut it. A LinkedIn profile isn’t a CV so you can afford to be more selective. For example, remove early employment roles as your career progresses or edit your student work experience so a first from Cambridge isn’t lost as eyes are drawn to a series of eclectic summer jobs. Pick key highlights by job and focus on achievements rather than duties.
 
Recommendations and Endorsements – credibility counts
Getting recommendations is a highly effective way to build credibility. One or two recommendations from peers are fine, however a glowing note from the boss (ideally several superiors) is what you really want. Endorsements are easy for people to give, so they are often quicker to gain; think carefully about the ideal range of skills to display and edit any unsolicited/unhelpful ones.
 
Contact and Call for Action – be accessible
Choose how you want people to reach you and who can see your contact details (by adjusting your privacy settings). If you are active in the job market we recommend adding a call to action/invitation for people to get in touch for advice. It shows that you are open to approaches, therefore making it easier for individuals to contact you. 
 
Finally, something further LinkedIn profile tips to think about….
 
LinkedIn offers other additional areas and tools to make your profile stand out, you can include links, videos, photographs, slides, publications, projects and volunteering work. Depending on your sector, role and objective, these can definitely add value, be careful though that your profile doesn’t become too large – it’s a fine balance, otherwise it could prove counter productive. Make sure that your education section is complete, even if it is now a distant memory. Having honed your perfect profile you can congratulate yourself (for now), but remember LinkedIn is a constantly developing site and your page is an active document.
 
We love creating a LinkedIn profile, so should you find that your copywriting skills are eluding you or you simply don’t have the time, call us, we’d be delighted to help!
 
You may wish to read our post on how to use Linkedin as a new member for further LinkedIn profile tips.
 
Post by: Jenny Hargrave 

Join LinkedIn it's a must!
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CV Writing Tips: 11 key points for a good CV

2/9/2016

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Writing your CV
There is no escaping it, the CV is still the primary professional self-marketing tool and more often than not an essential part of any job application. Whether you are writing a CV for the first time or are dusting off an existing one, for most people, it feels like a piece of homework they’d rather not do. To help you along the way, here are some CV tips that we have gathered over many years working within the recruitment industry.
 
Be clear and keep it simple
Anyone should be able to pick up your CV and immediately understand who you are and what you do. Jargon just grates, confuses and gives an impression of someone who is a touch superior and non-inclusive.
 
Answer the "why you?” question
Put yourself in a potential employer’s shoes and ask the same question. A phrase that’s often used is "what makes you different?” we think a better question to ask is "what makes you better?" – if too different then you may not be a match.
 
Create a powerful personal profile
A succinct, impactful, opening paragraph that instantly grabs the reader’s interest will help you stand out. However, if it appears as a few generic lines, written with little thought, it will be glossed over or worse still, be counter-productive – especially if you have stated 'excellent written communication skills' in your profile. Remember this is a personal brand statement.
 
Highlight what makes you a strong candidate
Prioritise and emphasise your most relevant experience, skills and achievements. If you are applying for a particular role or company, use their language and terminology; help them quickly spot your strong potential ‘fit’.
 
Content over design
Traditional doesn’t mean boring - trust us. Recruiters and decision-makers won’t admire the carefully chosen colour scheme or fancy typeface, they will just find your efforts to make your CV ‘stand out’ distracting and attention seeking. Quite simply, your experience and achievements should be enough the gain the right attention.
 
Honesty is always the best policy
Bridge gaps or short periods of self-employment in a positive way. Keep it matter-of-fact and simple. This is an area where people feel apologetic and can be tempted to make the odd embellishment – don’t. If you are concerned about questions that may arise from any aspect of your CV, you may find the assistance of an interview coach invaluable.
 
Choose the best CV format for the purpose
Whilst there is no definitive best CV format, the two most common styles are:
 
A performance CV, this is the most common and popular CV format in which work history is listed by job role and company in reverse chronological order. Responsibilities and achievements are then listed by each role; be selective with duties though, so it doesn’t read like a job description.
 
A skills-based or functional CV is ideal if you are looking to change career or industry, as this CV format focuses on transferable skills and helps a prospective employer understand the relevance of your expertise. Choose up to six skills and highlight how you have used these effectively and what you have achieved.
 
Education, first or last?
Education should be first if you are a graduate, followed by volunteer and work experience. A level subjects (if relevant) and grades should be listed, along with degree classification. Unless you have top GCSE grades, just list your total number of passes, however, do state ‘including Maths and English’ (if they are included). After starting your career though, education and professional qualifications should be after work history. At the point when career achievements supersede school exam results, A level results should be condensed too.
 
“There, their, they’re”
No, these won’t be the comforting words you’ll here from a prospective boss when typos are spotted. You are more likely not to hear anything from them at all. Poor spelling and grammar are at the top of the list of employer and recruiter complaints. If you are planning to write your own CV, getting it at least proofread might be money well spent.
 
Hobbies and interests
First, the word hobbies should never be on a CV, as it conjures up all sorts of idiosyncratic pursuits. Interests is a better heading, but only add those that help sell ‘your brand’; for example marathon running shows commitment and focus.
 
Never make it too personal
A CV is a professional document, so keep that thought consistently in mind throughout. Your CV is one of the first impressions a prospective employer will have of you, so a personal email, based on a nickname from your university days, may dilute your impact! In addition, listing age/date of birth, marital status and dependents is not required in a twenty-first century CV.

Finally, a statistic to leave you with – the average time a recruiter spends to skim read a CV is a mere 30 seconds – not long on which to base a decision.
 
We offer a free CV review service. If you would like feedback on your CV and some additional CV tips, please ​contact us.
 
 
 

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Does social media help or hinder a job search?

9/18/2015

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Job Search
Social media has, without a doubt, been a major game changer in the recruitment industry and has, for the most part, been a power of good. It’s a prime source of communication that provides relatively open access to all people, at every level. Public profiles mean that companies can now reach out more easily and directly to potential candidates, and arguably individuals have a greater choice of opportunities (there are however pitfalls, but that’s a topic for another entirely different post another day!). Some people even argue that social media has superseded the traditional application and will make the CV obsolete. Given the considerable trust extended during the interview and hiring process, the reassurance a traditional approach brings shouldn’t be underestimated (at least for now). 

Whether you are officially using social media as part of your application or not, prospective employers will be actively checking you out online. A link to your LinkedIn page with glowing endorsements and testimonials is expected.  Blogs, twitter accounts and websites showing you to be a ‘thought leader’, for example, or someone who actively engages with industry communities/peers should have the links listed on your CV. Outside of your professional profile though, are there any other social media channels currently used, or used in the past? When was the last time you googled yourself? Google may well be a prospective employer’s first impression of you, will you impress? Pre-employment checks are now common practise. 

Being the most successful investor of the 20th century, most would agree that Warren Buffett knows a thing or two. His simple mantra for both personal and professional lives is: Never do anything in life if you would be ashamed of seeing it printed on the front page of your hometown newspaper for your family and friends to see. The internet of course has a much greater readership than a local paper!

There is a growing ethical debate surrounding employers or recruiters viewing personal social media posts (and making subjective judgements). The Chartered Institute of Professional Development has created a guide on pre-employment checks. Discrimination against age, gender and beliefs, to name but a few, is obviously something society has fought hard against, however rejecting a candidate based on a tasteless video (did it really seem funny at the time?) would be hard to a argue against. Mario Costeja González made the news with his landmark victory against Google, winning his right to have personal data removed and the iRights coalition are campaigning on behalf of young people wishing to delete their “naïve and youthful” web history. So a greater control on personal information may yet happen, to help counter issues arising from pre-employment employer checks. 

In the meantime, whilst taking on the behemoth of the internet may be an option for the intrepid few, the other, and somewhat easier one, is to simply follow Mr Buffett’s shrewd and sensible advice.
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Curriculum Vitae vs Résumé and their origins 

9/7/2015

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In the rising global job market the two are now largely regarded as one and the same. Whilst comparable, a résumé is officially a shorter document than a curriculum vitae in some countries. It focuses purely on the skills and experience relevant for a specific role, rather than a compilation of a full career history to date. The name says it all, derived from the French word résumé, meaning summarised. Resume and résumé, are commonly used alternatives, but if in any doubt which to use, we would recommend the original form - résumé.  You never know, the recipient may be an etymologist. Curriculum Vitae is Latin, the translation is ’course of life’. The accepted abbreviated form in the digital age is CV, rather than C.V. or cv.
 
Whichever is your preferred choice of title, both are fundamentally a written  ‘course of education and career’ and still seen as the primary, professional, self-marketing document. Leonardo da Vinci, the great artist and inventor himself, is credited with writing the first résumé. In 1482, aged 32 years old, he wrote a strong persuasive, speculative letter to Ludovico Sforza, the then Duke of Milan, for employment. It starts with a solid objective (as any good CV should). He then highlights his breadth of capabilities (backed up with the benefits that hiring him would bring). It’s a self-marketing masterpiece. Most importantly, it’s tailored to his prospective employer, as all CVs and résumés should be. In an age of conflicts and alliances across European courts, Da Vinci positioned his curriculum vitae perfectly, by emphasising his military engineering skills over his artistic ones, resulting in gainful employment.

Remember, although vitae translates as life, keep the content strictly to your work life and any professional skills and qualities relevant to the role. Also as the name suggests, summarise - documents beyond two pages will work against you. Finally take a leaf out of Leonardo’s book, always ensure your curriculum vitae targets a particular role and company, never submit a generic or previously used one.

If you would like our own masterly touch on your CV, call us 01252 725 509, we’d be delighted to assist.

A full translation of Leonardo da Vinci’s letter can be read on the fascinating Letters of Note website
CV and Resume Writing
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Interview tips: little things count in a job interview

9/4/2015

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Preparation for an interview
There are many unknown elements to an interview, including aspects that may well be beyond your control. However, there are some small things, proven to be beneficial, that are easy to action. In the glare of an interview spotlight, these points can easily be forgotten, so we thought it would be useful to cover some useful interview tips. 

Whilst waiting, stand rather than sit. This avoids being seen struggling out of chair (designer chairs in showcase foyers are full of potential hazardous moments of inelegance) and allows you to make level eye contact straight away when you are met. Standing also creates a feeling of being in control and confidence. This is an excellent tried and tested interview technique.

Smile as you enter, make eye contact and shake hands. Smiling has a subliminal effect on all of us, you will feel more positive and the interviewer/s will warm to you. A well rehearsed (firm, but not vice-like) handshake shows confidence and good social skills. This one simple interview tip will also help mask any nerves you may be feeling. 

Put your coat on an adjacent chair and your business bag on the floor. Do not sit with them on your lap, it will make you look as though you are poised to leave before you have even started. It will also simply encumber you and prevent you feeling at ease.

Sit comfortably and be mindful of distracting habits. Sitting comfortably is different to making yourself too comfortable though. Sit upright, not eager and forward (you’ll just look nervous) or lean backwards (it’ll appear too casual). If you know that you are prone to fiddling, keep things out of reach and find a restful position for your hands. The odd hand gesture to reinforce a point can be effective, too much gesticulating will be off putting.

Accept a drink only if you anticipate you will need it (for a dry throat), but opt for a simple glass of water. It may be part of their company etiquette to ask if you would like a drink, but in reality no-one really wants to make a cup of tea. A drink can be a distraction, especially the sound of nervous clattering china.

Don’t take notes. Many people are under the impression it makes them look more serious about the role, it doesn’t. It simply stops the flow of the meeting and any growing rapport, it also suggests a non-retentive memory.

Don’t have a copy of your CV or the job description with you. Often people like to have something with them as a safety prop, there are simply better alternatives if needed. Having to refer to a CV to when talking about your career will raise not just the odd eye brow, but real concerns.

Thorough advance interview preparation is of course essential, from researching the company, to thinking about the questions you are likely to be asked and questions you want to ask. If you feel that you would benefit from some specific interview preparation or coaching to develop your interview technique,  we would be delighted to assist you. Call us on 01252 725 509, we look forward to speaking with you.

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Why use a professional CV writing service?  

9/4/2015

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best CV writing service
We all know that objectivity can be somewhat elusive when we are personally close to something. This is never truer than when it comes to describing ourselves. Our circumstances, career stage, recent experience and ambitions (the list goes on), can all influence our self-image and views of our experience, skills and personal qualities. Strengths, perceived as important to a role can be over accentuated, or worse, some personal qualities may not be recognised as strengths at all. A professional CV writing service will provide you with a fresh, impartial review of your career history and personal skill set, and assess what information to include. You may still feel very proud of a particular early achievement, but if it doesn’t add value to your application, astute CV writers will tactfully, but firmly, advise you to lose irrelevant history.

Words need to be chosen carefully. If you open your profile with “Charismatic leader…”, it could be construed as a touch egocentric rather than conveying the engaging leadership style you had intended. The difference in interpretation has a significant impact on first impressions. A CV writer will ensure ambiguous and clichéd phrases are avoided and will deliver your desired message effectively. They will also use the power of phraseology to emphasise your suitability and tailor the bias of the content to match the particular job description as closely as possible. For example it could prove costly if you highlighted tactical results (however impressive) over any strategic achievements, if you wanted to make the short-list for a strategy consultant job. A common mistake in an early career CV is overplaying a personal contribution in a company level result, that said, companies want high flyers. If you did personally deliver the highest value sale in 10 years, it’s clearly a stand out career highlight that must be included. Achievements just need to be well-written and in context - a professional writer will do this. Another obvious advantage of working with a CV writer is having a suitably qualified linguist guarantee good grammar, spelling and punctuation. They will also be able to identify unintentional, evaluative language.  Whist the debate over the apostrophe rages on, your CV may end up in the hands of a stickler for punctuation, so an errant semi-colon will not win you any favours.

How are we able to ‘sell’ you, better than yourself? By knowing the questions to ask and having in-depth experience of the recruitment and executive search industry (and of course possessing great CV writing skills). This is what some of our happy clients have said about us in our professional CV writing service reviews . 

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First impressions count, what does your CV font say about you?

8/7/2015

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best CV font
When tasked with writing a CV, more often than not, many will turn to Google for help. The sheer amount of information and tips an online search throws out is overwhelming (yes, ours are there too). Various and conflicting opinions are offered, however, the good news is that there isn’t one definitive correct CV format or presentation style (albeit there are several best practices). One of the more personal decisions to make is CV font size and the choice of font. With a myriad of fonts now available, it could arguably be a prime opportunity to differentiate your application and help get you noticed. Anything that makes a CV more human and less like a job description is usually a good thing, however showing your fun personality through comic sans is ill advised. Your CV acts as a first impression to a prospective employer. The effect of font is subliminal, whole studies have been conducted on the psychology of typeface. Font is the sartorial correctness of the alphabet, just as dress code for an interview, font should be appropriate and convey the right image.

Font falls into two main categories, serif and sans serif. The first being a more traditional decorative style, the second is simpler version. The most well known serif is Times New Roman and whilst traditionally considered safe, it now feels antiquated. Garamond and Georgia are good alternatives as they are still classic, but not overused. Cambria, a Microsoft ClearType, is a newer traditional type also worth considering. For a far more modern professional statement, choose a sans serif. The most popular (some would say banal) font in this family is Arial. Calibri has a similar, yet less ubiquitous feel, Gill Sans says ‘classic British’, or you could opt for Helvetica, the designers’ choice. 

Having chosen your font, keep your CV presentation simple, consistent and avoid colour. Be selective with bold type, keep the body text to a font size 10 or 11, sub headings work well in a size 14 and size 22 is a good choice for your full name. CV font size is important, as it helps the reader review your details with ease.

Just remember though, however sharp your CV looks, it’s the content that really matters.

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Good interview etiquette helps you stand out  

8/4/2015

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Interview Etiquette
'The new rude' article by Helen Kirwan-Taylor in The Sunday Times, could equally apply to the job market. She highlights the demise of etiquette in modern life and the ease at which technology allows us to flippantly cancel arrangements, regardless of the inconvenience or disappointment to others. Is life really so busy that we accept invitations or schedule appointments, only to simply forget them? Surely not, especially in the age of multiple diary devices to hand. Over the last few years we have listened to candidates, recruiters and companies bemoan a growing lack of courtesy and candour in a recruitment process. Comments from companies and recruiters that began as indignation at the counter offers, interview no shows or unreturned calls, are now relayed with a weariness and sense of inevitability. Frustrated candidates remark about receiving no feedback after submitting a CV or attending an interview. Unfortunately poor experiences have a habit of influencing future behaviours. 'The new rude' may be considered socially acceptable amongst friends and acquaintances, however, apply it to a recruitment process at your cost. It's a small world. Reneging on an acceptance will be long remembered, as will the director who keeps you waiting in reception. It works both ways.  The easiest way for both individuals and companies to stand out from the crowd, is to simply not to follow it. Good interview etiquette provides an advantage in the competitive job market and helps candidates stand out from the crowd. Regardless of the outcome of a recruitment process, good personal experiences make lasting positive impressions.
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/style/article1586088.ece
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Personal statement: example of what to avoid

8/2/2015

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UCAS applications and personal statement writing
In the quest for a personal statement to stand out and be more original, many University applications fall unwittingly into traps. The irony being that far from appearing unique, they are not remotely individual, worse still, they're pure cliché. You may think that you're the first to be inspired by a quote from Coco Chanel, but according to UCAS (as reported by Sian Griffiths in The Sunday Times) 200 students used the same quote in one year alone. Personal statements need to show passion and commitment, and say something about you. The Mount Kilimanjaro trip initially just tells the individual screening the forms that you had the funds to get there. Was it simply courtesy of parents or through hard-earned fund raising? If it's the latter be sure to highlight it! Admissions tutors want to see what inspires you and what enriching experiences you've had, however, they need to show relevance and personal benefit. If your personal statement is not original, then plagiarism detection will be on your side as it culls your competition, if not, your application will be met by a jaded admissions tutor and find itself on the wrong pile. 
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Education/article1585726.ece
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