LinkedIn Settings for Jobseekers

“If you build it, they will come” may have been true for the Iowa corn farmer in the 1989 film “Field of Dreams,” but as a jobseeker, simply “building” a LinkedIn profile will not open the floodgates to job opportunities, nor will you have recruiters contacting you to solicit your interest in filling their open positions.

About 87 percent of recruiters (92 percent of recruiters with Fortune 1000 companies) use LinkedIn as a major source for finding and vetting candidates and posting positions. For your profile to have the greatest impact on your job search, there are two things you must do:

1. Build a complete profile that is well-branded and keyword optimized (you may want to hire a professional to help you with this, if you haven’t already).
2. Increase your visibility by optimizing your LinkedIn Settings and Career Interests. This guide will walk you through what to do, how to do it, and why.

To understand the importance of these settings, you need to know that LinkedIn has a separate platform called LinkedIn Recruiter that interfaces with your profile. By purchasing a membership on either Recruiter Lite or Recruiter Corporate, recruiters not only post job openings, but can search for candidates using various search parameters. Your LinkedIn Settings and Career Interests will increase your visibility and drive recruiters to your profile when using the Recruiter platform.

Getting Started

The first step is to locate the Settings & Privacy page in your profile; the following screenshot will show you how.

Hover your mouse over the word Me and click the drop-down arrow below the thumbnail image of your profile picture.

Scroll down to Settings & Privacy and click.

This will open the Settings & Privacy window, with four headings across the top (Account, Privacy, Ads, and Communications). You’ll want to be sure you have the window open for Privacy.

There are several categories of settings on this page, beginning with How others see your profile and network information. Scroll about two-thirds of the way down and you will find the heading for Job seeking preferences.

The next screenshot shows you what this section looks like and the five areas to address. Follow along…

Job Application Settings

Let’s start by looking at the various options available to you. Click on either the first heading or the word Change (as seen in the screenshot).

The first few settings address how your applications will be handled when you apply for a job via LinkedIn. You can save your application answers (I recommend turning this feature on), choose to apply for jobs with 1-Click Apply (to activate this feature, you must first scroll down to Contact information and enter a phone number), and input an email and address and phone number where recruiters can reach you. The next screenshot shows you each of these options.

When you apply for an Easy Apply job on LinkedIn, you can save your application information and use the information as default for future job applications, allowing you to more quickly apply for jobs. You can also opt in to applying for jobs with 1-Click Apply based on this saved application information.

When you apply to jobs with 1-Click Apply, LinkedIn will send the job poster your full LinkedIn profile in addition to the following saved application answers:

1.   Email address: You can choose from the email addresses you’ve already provided and verified. You can’t add a new email address with 1-Click Apply.

2.   Phone number: You’ll need to provide a new phone number to be included with your application. LinkedIn won’t use the phone number stored in Settings & Privacy. Phone numbers will be pre-populated, either via the first application or from the job application settings page.

You can preview your application and change your answers before applying to any job.

Scroll down further and you will have the option of uploading a resume. You can have as many as four different versions of your resume uploaded and saved in your profile. The next screenshot shows you how.

Note: Resumes you have uploaded to your profile are not visible to other LinkedIn users. They are only stored in your account and available for you to attach to applications.

1.  To upload a new resume, click Upload under Default Resume in the Resume section. LinkedIn will only store the four most recently used resumes that were submitted on LinkedIn.com or the LinkedIn Mobile App. If there are four stored resumes, the Upload button won’t be available, and you’ll need to delete a recently used Resume to upload a new one.

2.   To replace your default resume for 1-Click Apply, click Replace Default under Default Resume in the Resume section.

3.    To remove your default Resume for 1-Click Apply, click the More icon (…) next to the resume name under Default Resume in the Resume section and select Remove Default from the dropdown.

4.     To delete a recently-used resume, click the More icon (…) next to the resume name under Recent Resumes in the Resume section and select Delete from the dropdown.

Important: The ability to reuse recently uploaded resumes is currently only available on LinkedIn.com and the LinkedIn Mobile App. The feature is not currently available on the LinkedIn Job Search App.

Resume Requirements:

1.    The file must be less than 5 MB.

2.    The file format must be Microsoft Word or PDF only.

3.    On mobile, you can’t attach a resume when applying for jobs. However, many jobs support applications with your LinkedIn profile. You can also save jobs and complete the application process on your computer if you prefer to upload a resume with your application.

Letting Recruiters Know You Are Open

Once you have completed all your application settings, go back to the Privacy tab and click on the second set of options, as shown in the next screenshot.

Your options are a simple Yes or No. Click either on the heading or the word Change and toggle the radio button to Yes.

You will receive an email notification from LinkedIn confirming this change. (And you will receive another email from LinkedIn if you change your setting to “No.”)

Important: To protect your privacy, LinkedIn takes steps to keep users of LinkedIn Recruiter who work at your company — as well as related companies — from seeing the Career Interests that you share. However, LinkedIn notes that they “can’t guarantee complete privacy.”

Creating Job Alerts

Job alerts serve two functions:

1)      They let recruiters know that you are interested in working for their company; and

2)      They push newly-posted job opportunities to your inbox.

Going back to your Privacy settings, click on the third heading under Job seeking preferences, as illustrated in the next screenshot.

As with the previous section, your options are a simple Yes or No. Click either on the heading or the word Change and toggle the radio button to Yes.

As a savvy jobseeker, you should have already created a list of companies you would like to target in your job search. (The recommended minimum number of companies to have on your list is 20). There is a document included at the end of this guide for creating this list and tracking your activity.

In November 2018, LinkedIn rolled out a new feature that enables users to set up job alerts on a Company Page. Once you’ve set up a job alert, you’ll be notified of new jobs that match your skills through the Notifications tab.

You can also share your interests with recruiters of companies you are targeting. Your details will only be shared with recruiters who want to contact members who have created job alerts specifically for their company.

To set up job alerts for a specific company:

1.      Search for the company you’re interested in on the LinkedIn homepage.

2.      On the Company Page, click the Jobs tab.

3.      Click Create Job Alert to set up alerts for when the company posts jobs that match your skills.

Once you create a job alert, you can also let recruiters know that you’ve created job alerts for their company by switching the toggle to On. To stop notifying your interests to recruiters, switch the toggle to Off. Your changes will be saved automatically.

4.    You can view and manage the list of all companies that you’ve created job alerts for by clicking Manage Job Alerts on the Jobs page.

You can also manage your job alerts from the At companies you’ve saved job alerts for section on the Jobs page.

The following screenshots illustrate how to locate a company page and create a job alert.

From the Home page of your profile, click in the Search box, scroll down to Content, and from the drop-down list, click on Companies. This will take you to the Companies search screen. Or you can just type a company name in the Search box.

Type in the name of a company on your target list and click to go to the company page. The following screenshot is taken from IBM’s company page. On the left drop-down menu, click on Jobs and then click on the text box Create job alert.

You’ll also want to toggle the radio button to On, as illustrated in the next screenshot.

Sharing Your Profile When You Apply

Going back to your Privacy settings, click on the fourth heading under Job seeking preferences, as illustrated in the next screenshot.

As with the previous section, your options are a simple Yes or No. Click either on the heading or the word Change and toggle the radio button to Yes.

Managing Your Saved Job Application Information

Third-party job applicant accounts may be stored on LinkedIn after being created or added by you while applying to jobs through LinkedIn. You would have elected to activate this feature when you modified your Job application settings, as described at the beginning of this guide. The following screenshot is a reminder of where you made this change:

To view and manage your stored job applicant accounts, go back to your Privacy settings and click on the fifth heading under Job seeking preferences, as illustrated in the next screenshot.

By saving your application when applying to a company, you can reuse your uploaded resumes and other job application information for future applications to that company. Saved answers can only be used when applying via the Apply with LinkedIn on partner sites.

You can delete the history of the account creation from LinkedIn under Settings & Privacy. Once a stored job applicant account is removed, LinkedIn won’t auto-populate or recognize that you have an account if you apply to a job within that third-party job applicant account in the future.

To fully remove your information from the third-party job applicant account owner, you will need to contact the third party directly.

Important: This information is only stored for third-party applications that require a created account.

Letting Recruiters Know Your Career Interests

You can share your career goals — including the types of companies and roles you are most interested in — with recruiters on LinkedIn who may have opportunities that match your interests and background. Once you opt to share your career goals with recruiters, users of LinkedIn’s Recruiter product will be able to find you based on your shared career interests when they are searching for profiles.

This is an extremely valuable section to complete, whether you are an active or passive jobseeker. Remember, to protect your privacy, LinkedIn has taken steps to keep LinkedIn Recruiter users who work at your company, as well as related companies, from seeing the career interests you share. (However, remember that LinkedIn says this is not a foolproof method, so consider that before proceeding.)

Note: You can share your career interests with recruiters for a period of six months (180 days), after which it will automatically be turned off. You will receive an email notifying you that you’re no longer sharing your career interests. However, you can continue sharing by manually changing the settings.

From the Home screen of your profile, click on Jobs and then on Career Interests, as illustrated in the next screenshot.

The next few screenshots illustrate the various settings.

When you toggle On the setting to Let recruiters know you’re open, it will automatically turn off after 90 days. You will need to turn it back on if you are still searching.

The Note to recruiters text box is where you can key in something specific about your search, such as your willingness to travel, that you are changing careers, or that you are in the market because of a company-wide downsizing. You are limited to 300 characters.

In the next two text boxes, choose from the drop-down arrow options to specify your Status and your Start date.

Below that, you can enter a number of job titles for which you’d like to be considered.

Note: When you start typing, a job title that is in LinkedIn’s database will pop up and you can click on it to add it. If you try to add a title that is not in the database, an error message that reads Invalid input will appear.

Next, you can indicate where you would like your next job to be located, if you are open to working remotely, and what types of jobs you are open to.

In the final two settings you can let the recruiter know what industries you prefer and the size of the company you would like to work for.

Note: As with job titles, you must choose from the list of 148 industries that are included in LinkedIn’s database. There is no limit to how many industries you can add. Refer to the Profile Industry Choices table that is included with this guide.

Additional Tips for Jobseekers

LinkedIn’s artificial intelligence (AI) tracks when you are on LinkedIn and what you are doing. Company recruiters can actually “see” which candidates have taken an interest in their company — not only creating Job alerts, but also by who is following their company, what content they are viewing and sharing, and the number of connections they have within the company.

The next screenshot of the IBM company page shows you where the links are found to follow a company and locate people who work there. You’ll also see a feed of the company’s recent posts.

While on the company page, another area you may want to look at is found on the About page. The next screenshot is also taken from the IBM company page.

By clicking on the About link to the left of the screen, the Overview will be revealed. If you scroll to the bottom of the page details, you will find a section labeled as Specialties (see the section encased in a red border in the screenshot).

Having the right keywords throughout your LinkedIn profile will increase your chances of being found in a Recruiter search. When possible, work a company’s Specialties keywords into your profile, resume, and/or cover letter when applying to that company.

TARGET COMPANIES LIST

Use this document to create a list of companies you are targeting in your search and place an “X” in each column once you have completed the task. Note: Some companies (particularly smaller companies) may not have a LinkedIn page.

When you are logged in to a company page, click the relevant links to follow, create job alerts, and find profiles for people on LinkedIn who currently work at the company. Ways to engage with the company include reading (and possibly sharing) their updates.

	Company Name	Followed Company	Connected To 5+ people	Engaged with Company	Created a Job Alert
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

LINKEDIN INDUSTRY CHOICES (148)

Accounting	Dairy	Individual & Family Services	Mining & Metals	Recreational
Airlines/Aviation	Defense & Space	Industrial Automation	Motion Pictures & Film	Facilities & Services
Alternative Dispute Resolution	Design	Information Services	Museums & Institutions	Religious Institutions
Alternative Medicine	Education Management	Information Technology & Services	Music	Renewables & Environment
Animation	E-learning	Insurance	Nanotechnology	Research
Apparel & Fashion	Electrical & Electronic Manufacturing	International Affairs	Newspapers	Restaurants
Architecture & Planning	Entertainment	International Trade & Development	Nonprofit Organization Management	Retail
Arts & Crafts	Environmental Services	Internet	Oil & Energy	Security & Investigations
Automotive	Events Services	Investment Banking/Venture	Online Publishing	Semiconductors
Aviation & Aerospace	Executive Office	Investment Management	Outsourcing/ Offshoring	Shipbuilding
Banking	Facilities Services	Judiciary	Package/ Freight Delivery	Sporting Goods
Biotechnology	Farming	Law Enforcement	Packaging & Containers	Sports
Broadcast Media	Financial Services	Law Practice	Paper & Forest Products	Staffing & Recruiting
Building Materials	Fine Art	Legal Services	Performing Arts	Supermarkets
Business Supplies & Equipment	Fishery	Legislative Office	Pharmaceuticals	Telecommunications
Capital Markets	Food & Beverages	Leisure & Travel	Philanthropy	Textiles
Chemicals	Food Production	Libraries	Photography	Think Tanks
Civic & Social Organization	Fundraising	Logistics & Supply Chain	Plastics	Tobacco
Civil Engineering	Furniture	Luxury Goods & Jewelry	Political Organization	Translation & Localization

Commercial Real Estate	Gambling & Casinos	Machinery	Primary/ Secondary Education	Transportation/ Trucking/Railroad
Computer & Network Security	Glass, Ceramics & Concrete	Management Consulting	Printing	Utilities
Computer Games	Government Administration	Maritime	Professional Training	Venture Capital
Computer Hardware	Government Relations	Marketing & Advertising	Program Development	Veterinary
Computer Networking	Graphic Design	Market Research	Public Policy	Warehousing
Computer Software	Health, Wellness & Fitness	Mechanical or Industrial Engineering	Public Relations	Wholesale
Construction	Higher Education	Media Production	Public Safety	Wine & Spirits
Consumer Electronics	Hospital & Health Care	Medical Device	Publishing	Wireless
Consumer Goods	Hospitality	Medical Practice	Railroad Manufacture	Writing & Editing
Consumer Services	Human Resources	Mental Health Care	Ranching
Cosmetics	Import & Export	Military	Real Estate

My job search is not working; now what?

I can't find a job... What should I do?

Where are you lost or stuck in your job search? This guide is a self-assessment exercise combined with practical tips to help you get unstuck and move forward towards landing your dream job.

There are plenty of smart, successful people who struggle with finding jobs and/or a satisfying career. Why is this? Many times, they don’t know how to look for work. Most people have never been taught how to find a new job. So they do the things that they “think” they should do — applying for positions online, posting their résumé on job boards, and even creating a LinkedIn profile (even if they’re not sure what to do with it). But when they don’t get the results they want, they get stuck. With no immediate results, it’s easy to get frustrated. Many times, they won’t hear anything back at all from their applications, so they’re not sure how to move forward.

Before we look at the reasons why you might be lost or stuck, ask yourself some “bigger picture” questions:

• Am I doing what I’m meant to be doing? (Is the work I’m doing the “right job” or is it just “a job”?)
• Do I have the skills, experience, and/or qualifications necessary for the jobs I’m pursuing (if I’m being really honest with myself)?
• Have I conducted informational interviews to really understand the needs of employers for the types of jobs I’m pursuing — and to make new connections?
• Is there another way I can use my skills? (Making a change doesn’t always require going back to school or making a “big” change. It can simply mean using your skills in a new or different way.)
• Does finding another job in this field require something that I haven’t done yet? For example, a move? Taking a lateral position (maybe even with a pay cut) because it will mean developing a new skill set that offers more room for growth? A change in focus?
• Have I asked someone I know/like/trust for their honest feedback about how I’m presenting myself in my job search? Have I asked for feedback from hiring managers after interviews for jobs that I haven’t been offered?
• Am I really doing the “work” of conducting a job search, or am I just doing things that are “easy” or “comfortable” for me?

People who are most successful in finding — and landing — the job they want have several things in common:

1. Clearly defined goals — and the ability to research how to accomplish those goals. This includes identifying companies you’re interested in working for, potential job titles, contact information for people in the position to hire you (or connect you to the hiring manager), and knowledge of the company.
2. The willingness to invest time, energy, and money in their job search. This includes a strong résumé and other career communication documents, the right interview attire, career assessments, coaching to improve skills necessary for success in the job search (i.e., interview preparation, salary negotiation), etc.
3. The ability to document and to quantify accomplishments and achievements in their education, work experience, and/or volunteer work.

If your job search isn’t working, it’s time to do something different. Treat your job search as a project, with defined objectives, an action plan, and a timeline. Ask someone you trust (a spouse, friend, another jobseeker, or a career coach or counselor) to be your accountability partner — someone who will support, encourage, and motivate you in your job search.

The first step is to figure out where you’re stuck.

There are several areas where you might be having difficulty. If you are having trouble in more than one area, start with first reason and “fix” that before you move on to the next area.

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Don’t Know What You Want? 

Stop and Engage in Self-Examination. A successful job search requires that you identify and articulate your “career vision” — the type of work environment, location and lifestyle, and job you want — so that when you look for potential job opportunities, you can see if it will be a good fit, based on your identified values.

Author Lewis Carroll wrote, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” The same is true in your job search. People who say, “I just want a job, any job” will actually have a harder time finding a job than someone who knows what they want!

With that in mind:
Have you clearly defined what kind of job you want? (Use the “Your Ideal Job” worksheet included in this guide to clarify what your dream job looks like.) You don’t have to limit your search to this company profile, but defining what kind of environment is most attractive to you is a good place to start.
Ask yourself:
1.         What am I good at?
2.         What am I not so good at?
3.         What do I like doing?
4.         What skills do I need to update in order to stay current?

Next, can you clearly describe the value you would bring to the company? In her book, Résumé Magic, author Susan Whitcomb identifies 12 specific needs most companies have. These include the company’s desire to:
1.         Make money.
2.         Save money.
3.         Save time.
4.         Make work easier.
5.         Solve a specific problem.
6.         Be more competitive.
7.         Build relationship / an image.
8.         Expand business.
9.         Attract new customers.
10.      Retain existing customers.

Think about how you’re able to help an employer meet these “employer buying motivators.” Once you’re able to define who you are and who you want to work for, then move on to the next step.
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Not Getting Interviews? Re-Examine Your Résumé​

Professional resume services Los Angeles

A professionally written résumé is ideally suited for one particular job target. This may be a specific job title (“administrative assistant”) or several jobs that are similarly suited — for example, senior accountant/finance manager/chief financial officer. If you’re not getting calls for interviews, your résumé may be the issue.

Take a look at your résumé:

• If your résumé was professionally written, have you changed the wording from the original version? Did you change anything on the recommendation of a friend or colleague? Did you “water down” the language by adding or removing information?
• Did you give the résumé writer the strongest examples of your accomplishments — and quantify them with numbers, percentages, and dollars (whenever possible)?
• Are you using the résumé to apply for different positions than it was originally intended? (For example, if the résumé was developed to pursue a teaching position but you’re using it to apply for a job at a nonprofit.)

If you wrote the résumé yourself — or had a friend or relative write it — consider having it reviewed by a professional résumé writer who can give you objective advice about whether it meets today’s standards for an interview-ready résumé. The process of having your résumé written by a professional résumé writer can be eye-opening. Most résumé writers will work with you to identify your “personal brand” (what makes you unique as a jobseeker) and collect strong accomplishments that will help define how you can be an asset to your next employer as part of the résumé development process.

If it’s not the résumé or job target, it may be your job search tactics. One definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

• How are you using the résumé? Are you getting it in the hands of a hiring decision-maker for the type of job you want?
• Are you spending enough time on your job search? If you’re not working, commit yourself to a minimum of 40 hours per week devoted to your job search. If you are working, devote at least 20 hours each week to finding a new job.
• Work smarter, not harder. If you’re applying for 20 jobs online, you may think that you need to apply for 40 jobs. Instead, re-examine how you’re finding out about and applying for positions.

That leads to the next area where you may be stuck.

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Assess How You’re Conducting Your Job Search

Once you have your résumé and cover letter, the next step is to get them in the hands of a decision-maker who has the authority to interview you — and, hopefully, offer you the job (or at least advance your job search).

There are five major ways to search for a job.

1.   Applying for Job Postings Online

Applying for job postings online

This is where most jobseekers spend their time, but most people won’t find their dream job by applying for posted positions. Research suggests that only 2-4% of jobseekers land a job using Internet job boards. Most large companies receive between 200 and 10,000 résumés a month — the majority of these come from online applications for jobs they’ve posted.

There are many places where jobs are posted online. These can include the hiring company’s website or LinkedIn Company Page, niche websites (like www.Dice.com for information technology jobs, or www.JobsInLogistics.com), aggregator sites (such as www.Monster.com, www.CareerBuilder.com, or www.Indeed.com), social media (some companies will post job openings on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram), or even www.Craigslist.com.

The aggregator sites — also known as the “big boards” — aren’t as effective as they used to be. Listing fees have increased while success rates have declined. However, you shouldn’t discount them entirely. If you see a job posting on a big board, go directly to the employer’s web site and see if the position is listed there as well. By applying through the company’s web site, you’ll not only get the chance to research the company, you might be able to identify a hiring decision-maker directly. And if you are able to find the hiring manager’s name, follow up your online application with a résumé and cover letter by mail. But remember, once a position is advertised, the competition for it can be overwhelming.

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2.   Responding to Newspaper Ads

Most jobs posted in newspapers are for lower salary positions (under $30,000/year) but that is not always the case, so it can be worth your while to spend some of your time finding and applying for jobs you see advertised in print publications. You may find jobs advertised in your local newspaper or in a trade journal for your industry.

Newspaper advertising is expensive for employers, though, so you’ll find a lot of companies with openings aren’t advertising them in the newspaper.

However, the newspaper can be a useful tool in identifying job “leads” — companies that hire people to do the kind of job you want. You may find you get more mileage by reading the newspaper or trade journal to find companies that are expanding and growing. You’ll also find these kinds of companies profiled in the Business section of the newspaper, in magazines like Inc., Forbes, and Fortune, and in local business journals. (Locate local business journals here: http://www.bizjournals.com/).
​

3.   Employment Agencies/Recruiters

For certain kinds of jobs, companies pay third parties (recruiters or employment agencies) to screen and recommend potential employees.

These jobs usually fall into three areas:

• Positions paying under $30,000 a year (usually administrative jobs) — these are usually filled by employment agencies on a temp or temp-to-hire basis.
• Specialized positions where a closely-defined skill set is desired (for example, information technology jobs).
• Managers and executives making in excess of $75,000. These jobs are not usually advertised.

In exchange for finding candidates, screening them, and recommending the “best fits,” an employer will pay a fee that is usually equal to one-third of the employee’s base salary for the first year to the recruiter or employer, upon a successful hire.

The most important thing to recognize about working with recruiters is that they work for the hiring company, not for you. They only get paid if they make a successful placement. Because you’re not paying for the service, sending a résumé to one of these companies is a good idea, but it won’t always result in success — or even a return phone call.

You can find recruiters in the phone book (under “Employment Agencies”) or online. Use Google to search: Recruiter and [city name] and [job title].

Or look in the newspaper classifieds or your industry trade journal for recruiting firms advertising for candidates in your skill area. You can also connect with recruiters or employment agencies at job boards or through LinkedIn.

Remember, the employer pays the recruiter fee, so you should never be asked to pay a fee to work with a realrecruiter. Don’t be fooled by people claiming to be recruiters who ask you to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to work with them.

It’s fine to work with multiple recruiters. The more recruiter contacts you have, the larger your network, and the greater the number of opportunities that will present themselves. Recruiter relationships are generally not exclusive. Start with 2-3 and expand your contacts if you’re not getting results. But be honest if you’re asked who else you are working with.

There are also variations of the employment agency you may come across. For example, if you are employed in a union trade, your union hall may function as an employment agency, offering connections to union jobs. And if you are between jobs and want to be hired as a day laborer, there are certain employment agencies that specialize in extremely short-term positions (usually one day, or a few days at a time).

And, don’t discount the resources offered by CareerOneStop (http://www.careeronestop.org/) or American Job Center (http://jobcenter.usa.gov/). Local or state employment agencies can also help connect you to employers in your area.

4.   Networking

Job fairs and networking opportunities

Networking remains one of the best job search strategies you can use to find your next job — or your dream job — but it’s probably the least understood method. Many jobseekers think networking means alerting the people you know that you want a new job. But it’s more than that. Your network is most valuable when you can ask for help in identifying job leads, obtaining information, getting advice, and/or making referrals. For example, if you want to work at a specific company, ask people in your network if they know anyone who currently works for — or used to work for — “Company X.” Then, ask for an introduction to that person, and ask them about the company, culture, and hiring practices.

It’s important to actively develop and cultivate your network. This can include: friends, relatives, parents of children’s friends, parents of your friends, relatives of your friends, club members, cousins, neighbors, your doctor, financial advisor, attorney, current and previous co-workers and managers, suppliers, professional association contacts, clients, and community contacts (civic leaders, clergy, etc.).

Here are some more opportunities to develop your network:

• Attend networking events (for example, those hosted by your professional organization, Chamber of Commerce, tip groups, NetworkAfterWork, etc.). You can also network while you’re attending sports, school, or cultural events.
• Work as a volunteer. For example, serve on the Membership Committee of your industry association. Getting involved in any charitable organization can be beneficial.
• Participate in online communities. This can be a social networking site — like LinkedIn or Facebook — or an alumni site or your trade association’s website (which might have a message board or email list to connect members). Be a giver — your willingness to help others will raise your professional profile and make others more willing to help you in return.
• Contact your alumni groups. Your college or university should have an alumni association (often with a directory of members) that can be useful. You can mine the directory for contacts in your field, even if they didn’t graduate in the same year as you. Your common interest in cheering for “The Bears” connects you! And look for connections on LinkedIn. Many universities maintain alumni-only Groups on LinkedIn.
• Join your professional association — but don’t just send in your dues…get involved! As mentioned before, the Membership Committee is often looking for help, but the Program Committee (that plans the continuing education events and networking programs) or the Finance Committee (the one that helps line up sponsors — i.e., influential employers in the industry) can also be good choices.
• Your colleagues can be a tremendous resource. Contact them and ask for their help with identifying contact names and numbers, generating ideas about where your skills might be most valuable, and learning more about company culture. Be sure to ask if you can use their name to “get in the door” with their contacts.

The single biggest mistake most jobseekers make is not asking for help from their network. People want to help you — so let them!

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5.   Direct Contact

Tap into the so-called “hidden job market” by using the direct contact job search method. Remember: Companies hire people to solve their problems. Use the “employer buying motivators” list from earlier in this guide to identify the specific ways you can help a prospective employer — and then don’t wait for a help wanted ad to be posted to offer your services. How do you do this? Use the other four methods for ideas:

• Online. Research trends and companies online. Identify key problems from executive speeches, reports, or profiles — or read their news releases on their website. A good source of information is Vault.com (www.vault.com). You can also identify potential employers using the online Yellow Pages. Are you a teacher? Every school in the area will be listed. The same is true if you want to work for a plumbing company, law firm, counseling office, veterinarian, or financial services firm. You can also make connections with hiring managersthrough LinkedIn.
• Newspaper. Identifying companies that are likely employers through their ads, profiles about them, or job listings that indicate a need for your expertise. Look at companies that are advertising openings to see what kinds of companies hire for the type of job you’re interested in. (For example, a company that is hiring a lot of production workers will likely need additional managers. If you’re looking for a Customer Service Supervisor job, look for a company that is hiring lots of customer service representatives.)
• Recruiters/Employment Services. This is the perfect example of a direct contact. (“Hey, I don’t know if one of your client companies currently needs someone with my skills, but here is what I have to offer…”)
• Networking. It happens all the time. Someone in your network says, “You know what? You should talk to John Jones at XYZ Company. They could use someone like you.”

It’s estimated that anywhere from 30 to 75 percent of jobs are not advertised. How are these positions being filled? Through networking and direct contact. How do you make direct contact? Call, use your network for an introduction, send an email, or write a targeted cover letter and send it with your résumé. You can also use résumé distribution services — like ResumeSpider or ResumeRabbit — to send unsolicited résumés to targeted contacts.

But the real key to success is following up. When using direct contact, persistence is the key!

Do your homework about companies you are interested in. Always research the company. The basic information you need is: Who to direct your résumé to within the company and whether the company has jobs (or job possibilities) that match your area of interest, education, and/or expertise. You can’t just send a general letter to “HR” or one addressed to “President, ABC Company.” You have to send it to a person. The best people to contact are managers and executives.

Every unsolicited résumé you send should be accompanied by a personalized, targeted cover letter. You are simply “spamming” potential employers when you mass mail 10, 20, or 100 résumés without researching them individually and customizing a cover letter. Even if you have the most creative résumé, without supporting documentation, you’re probably wasting your time.

Instead, take the time to develop a customized cover letter listing how your specific skills and attributes can be an asset to the company.

Next, be prepared for your job search. Make sure you keep a record of the résumés you’ve sent, using a follow-up log. When you send out a résumé, mention what your next step is — for example, “I will be contacting you within the week.” Make a note in your calendar and then follow up as promised. When you’re “spamming” employers, you lose the ability to closely follow up on the résumés you’ve sent. Ten résumés and cover letters that you follow up on are better than 100 résumés with no follow-up.

Follow up on letters by making a phone call. If you call and don’t get a response, send an email. Leverage your network to get personal introductions. Your efforts will yield interviews. You can dramatically increase your chances of being interviewed and receiving a job offer by following up with both your network and the person with the power to hire you in an effort to positively influence the selection process.

In your job search, you shouldn’t rule out any job search tactic — just consider how effective it is, and spend more of your time on high-impact tactics like networking and direct contact.

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Getting Interviews, But Not Job Offers?

Getting interviews, but no job offers?

​If you’re getting interviews, your résumé is doing its job — assuming you’re getting interviews for the types of jobs you want. But what you do before, during, and after the interview can increase your chances of getting the offer.

Before the interview, do your homework! Review the company’s website and learn more about the key personnel, the work they do, their clients, and potential areas where you might be an asset. Google the company. Look for recent news articles about the company. Review the company’s social media profiles (if they exist). Check out the company on Glassdoor.com (www.glassdoor.com) and see what current and former employees have to say. Ask your network for help learning more about the targeted company. If you know your interviewer’s name, Google that too. Check out his or her LinkedIn profile and social media accounts. And prepare a list of targeted questions to ask in the interview — 3-5 questions that demonstrate you’ve done your homework and that, when answered, will give you additional insight into the company.

In the interview, listen carefully. Your interviewer is assessing your fit with the company, but you are doing the same. You want to make sure that this job is right for you, too! (Remember, we’re looking for the “right job” not just “any job.”) Practice your interview skills too!

Be prepared to give a “closing statement.” If you’re given the opportunity in the interview, be ready to summarize (in 90 seconds or less) why you think you’d be a good fit for the position. If possible, incorporate in the additional information you’ve learned in the interview itself! Prepare the key points of this closing statement in advance, but practice it until it sounds natural, not canned or rehearsed. And before the interview ends, ask if the interviewer needs anything else from you to help with the decision — a list of references, work samples, a 30-60-90 day plan for what you’d do in the first three months on the job, etc.

And don’t forget that it’s okay to specifically express your interest in working for the company! At the end of the interview, ask what the next step is. You want to know if there is another round of interviews, and when it will begin, or when the hiring decision will be made. Ask if it’s okay to follow-up — and if they’d prefer phone or email?

Immediately after the interview, send a follow-up/thank you note. Handwritten notes are always appreciated, especially if you can mail it the same day (and the hiring timeline allows sufficient time for it to be sent and received). Otherwise, an email follow-up is fine. Express your appreciation for the opportunity to meet, reiterate your specific interest in the job and the company, and confirm the “next step” — whether that’s information you’ve promised to provide, or what you’re expecting from the interviewer.

If you don’t hear back from the interviewer in the time you expected to hear from him or her, it’s okay to follow-up. Just remember that hiring often takes much longer than expected, so don’t be a pest. Be respectful in your follow-up efforts. (“You had mentioned that you thought the second round of interviews would start this week, and I just wanted to make sure that you had everything you needed from me to assist in your decision-making.”)

If you don’t end up getting another interview — or the job offer — try to follow-up with the interviewer to get feedback — specifically, why another candidate was a better fit. You may not be able to obtain this information (busy hiring managers may not take the time to respond), but if you can get this type of feedback, it can be helpful in your overall job search. If you can’t reach the hiring manager, watch who is ultimately hired, and assess that person’s professional profile and see if there was something that might indicate a key qualification (perhaps a certification, or a past employer) that might have set them apart. Sometimes you just won’t be able to tell, however, and you must simply move forward to the next opportunity.

Get in the habit of rewarding yourself for effort, regardless of your results. If you put in the effort, eventually the results will follow.

A 21-day plan to a new job

A new year is a great time to assess where you’re at professionally. Is it time for you to make a job change? Or a career change? This 21-day challenge is designed to help!
 
During this challenge, you’ll take 30 days of consistent action in five different areas:
​
1. Where Are You Now?
2. Where Are You Going?
3. What Sets You Apart?
4. What’s Your Plan?
5. Let’s Do This!
 
Take action each day in one of these areas (see the list below for ideas). This challenge will reward effort, not results. But results will come when you take consistent action, day after day, in meeting your goal!
 
For best results, enlist an accountability partner to help you complete the challenge. Ideally, it will be someone who is looking to make a job or career change too, so you can keep each other accountable and on track. For best results, check in with each other daily.
 
You can choose to use either the Challenge Calendar or the Challenge Planner to plan and track each day’s activities. Write down the activity you will do and put a big red “X” on each day you complete a challenge activity. At the end of the month, you want as many spaces marked off as possible on your Calendar or Planner.
 
There are three ways to conduct the challenge:

• Do one action item each day for 21 days straight
• Take action for five days each week (no weekends) for four weeks (plus one day)
• Take actions for three days each week for seven weeks (for example, Monday-Wednesday-Friday or Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday)

 
It’s up to you!
 
At the end of each week during the challenge, reward yourself for good performance. Enjoy a special outing or anything else that will encourage you to keep going!
 
Here are suggested actions within each of the areas.

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​Where Are You Now?

• Find the most recent version of your résumé and/or cover letter and locate the most recent copy of your job description.
• Google yourself. What comes up when you put your name in Google? Evaluate your social media presence.
• Brainstorm a list of everything you need to add to your résumé: recent work experience and accomplishments, education, training, certifications or licenses, etc.
• Identify and review your most recent performance evaluation or annual review. What were you commended for?
• Pull together information for your Professional Portfolio — a copy of your college or university transcript and certificates/diplomas, work samples, copies of awards or honors, testimonials about your work from supervisors and/or customers, etc.
• Review your social media profiles. Do they position you in the best light as a jobseeker? If not, scrub negative information. Delete any profiles you’re no longer using.
• Take some time to consider whether you want to pursue a new job or a new career. Create a “pro/con” list for each.
• Discover what you do best by taking a skills assessment, like the Clifton StrengthsFinder or DISC profile.

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Where Are You Going?

• Why do you want to make a change? Take 15 minutes and sit down and make a list of the things you do and do not like about your current job/career.
• Instead of asking yourself, “What do I want to be when I grow up,” sit down and take a few minutes to ask yourself the question, “What problem(s) do I want to solve?”
• Brainstorm what are the 10 most likely job titles for the position you want.
• Research and identify three job postings for the type of position you’d like (even if these aren’t actually job postings you actually end up applying for).
• Spend some time thinking about your dream job. Make a list of the types of things you’d be doing each day if you were working your dream job.
• Think about what you would want your next job to do for you that your current job doesn’t. In other words, make a list of what will be different about your next job.
• Assess whether you have the skills, experience, and/or qualifications necessary for the job or career you want to pursue.
• Don’t just look for a job — look for a calling. Spend 15 minutes answering these three questions: What are you meant to do? How can you use your skills, education, and experience for maximum benefit? What kinds of problems could you solve for a company?
• Take a personality assessment (like the Holland Self-Directed Search, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, or the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) to figure out what type of work you’re best suited for.

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What Sets You Apart?

• What value would you bring to your next employer? Can you help the company make money? Save money or save time? Make work easier, or solve a specific problem? Expand their business and attract or retain customers? Identify what you can do in each of these areas.
• Outline five accomplishments using the C-A-R strategy. (What was the Challenge? What Actions did you take? What Results did you achieve?)
• Make a list of new skills and education you’ve achieved. Have you attended any conferences? Achieved a certification?
• Also consider non-traditional education/training. Assemble a list of online courses, boot camps, and tutorials you’ve completed that are relevant to your job/career target.
• Write up a list of the honors and/or awards you’ve received.
• Prepare yourself to answer the question, “Tell me about yourself.”
• Write down your biggest professional accomplishment of the past year.
• Be prepared to answer questions about gaps in your employment, skills you don’t have that are necessary for the job/career you want, and why you left a job. Take some time to think through how you’d answer questions about these issues.

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What’s Your Plan?

• Take a few minutes to organize your job search. Create a weekly list of activities you’ll engage in.
• Identify the skills, training, and/or education you need for success in your next job or career. Research how to obtain one of these.
• Take a skills test or skills interest inventory to assess your strengths and skills.
• Research your target job salary.
• Reach out to someone who works for the company you want to work for, or in the industry you want to work for. Ask them if they will meet you for lunch or dinner.
• Think about how you got your last job. Spend a few minutes identifying how you got your most recent job. (For example, were you networking at a professional association meeting?) Is that something you can try again?
• Identify the tools you will need for your job search. Make a list of things you need, or need to update, like your résumé and LinkedIn profile.
• Find an accountability partner. Who can you work with to support you during your job search? Maybe it’s enlisting your spouse, or a friend. Or maybe it’s hiring a career coach. Line that person up.
• Make a list of 10 companies you’d like to work for, whether or not they are actively advertising relevant openings right now.
• Brainstorm a list of people to reach out to that can provide ideas, information, and leads for your job search. If you have a Christmas card list, start there.

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Let’s Do This!

• Research one of the companies that you’re interested in. Look at their website. Do a Google search on them. Look at what current and former employees have to say about them on sites like Glassdoor.
• Go through your network and contact anyone you know (or a friend-of-a-friend) who works for each of the companies you your target company list.
• Reach out to one person in your network and let them know you are looking for a new opportunity.
• Identify a hiring manager at one of your target companies, and see if you can find someone in your network who knows him or her and can make an introduction to that person.
• Join a professional association and examine how you can get more involved.
• Update your résumé. Reach out to enlist the help of a professional résumé writer if needed.
• Create (or update) your LinkedIn profile. Make sure your résumé and LinkedIn profile are in alignment in terms of focus and content.
• Brainstorm a list of 25 keywords that you should include on your résumé to help it get through the applicant tracking system (ATS) software.
• Research recruiters who work in your target industry and send 3-5 of them a LinkedIn connection request.
• Apply for an advertised opening for a job you’re interested in.

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Completing the 21-Day Challenge

• At the end of the 21 days, review your progress. Do you have any leads on unadvertised openings? Any interviews or job offers yet? If not, don’t worry. The majority of this 21-day challenge is focused on preparing yourself for the job search, not conducting the job search.
• Even if you’re not yet in your new job, celebrate your completion of the 21-day challenge! By sticking with the challenge, you’ve set yourself up for success in the new year.