Are you LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is the professional version of Facebook. Keep your photos of your dog and personal life on your Facebook, Instagram etc…, LinkedIn is the place to post about work endeavours and professional accomplishments with like-minded people.

Is It Worth My Time To Have a LinkedIn Profile?

Yes! Technology is changing rapidly and displaying your ability to adapt and keep up is important! The majority of employers will google search you on social media when hiring. Sometimes employers will even headhunt for employees before posting a job.

LinkedIn is an excellent way to show employers you’re prepared to go the extra mile by having a professional social media account highlighting what you bring to the table. As well, LinkedIn can help you find a job by strengthening your network and connections. The person you met years ago at a conference could end up being the hiring director for your dream job; it’s a small world out there!

Recruiters using LinkedIn to search for candidates will surely miss your profile if you don’t have one, that’s a huge pool of potential employers you’re missing out on! Spending as little as a few minutes every couple of months is all you will need to maintain a professional and engaging LinkedIn account.

How can changing your social media privacy settings drive employers to your LinkedIn profile and get you a job?

You need to be careful of what you are posting online as what you post online runs the risk of being there forever. However, you can manage your privacy settings across your social media accounts keeping them as private as possible so only friends can view your profiles. What’s great about setting all your social media accounts to private, but keeping LinkedIn completely open and viewable to the public, is it directs employers to your LinkedIn account!

Another amazing aspect of LinkedIn is they have developed their platform with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in mind to push your account to the top of Google’s search list. Frequently when applying to a position online there’s the option to attach your LinkedIn account, which is sure to impress an employer!

At the end of the day, why not take the extra time to create a LinkedIn account – it could be what helps you get your next job!

Carve Out Your Job!

I recently asked the owner of a car dealership if money was no object what would be a position he would like to create in his company. He responded that if money was no object he would hire a friendly, tech-savvy person to come in and teach new car owners how to use all the computerized functions in their car. I bet you never would have thought of this as a job! I know I certainly hadn’t.

Now maybe the car dealership doesn’t have the money to create a new position, but perhaps there is a way to create your own side gig. If you can show an employer that you can:

• Save them money,
• Make them money, or
• Expand their customer base,

there is a strong likelihood you may be able to carve out a job for yourself.

You may have to think outside the box of traditional employment and you may have to take on a self-employment gig, but there are opportunities out there waiting to be had.

For example, with the car dealership, you could propose to the employer that you will come to their place of business twice a week for 2 hours and meet with car owners, helping them navigate their computerized systems. Expanding the car dealerships customer base would be a great way to market it to the employer. In turn, you could request a fee for this service as a self-employed contractor. Or, perhaps they see your passion and motivation and decide to put you on the payroll. Either way you’ve created a job for yourself!

What are your passions, where do you see you could add value to a business? Perhaps answering these questions could help you carve out your next job!

References

Now that you have your resume and cover letter all ready for your job applications, be sure you have an up to date, relevant list of references.

Choosing

Choose people that can speak positively about your skills and experiences directly related to the position you have applied for.  Direct supervisors or managers and people you have worked closely with are ideal.  If your background is in self employment, a client may make a good reference.

If you don’t have a work history, you can ask people you volunteered for or coaches, teachers and even the neighbour whose lawn you mowed or the parents whose children you babysat.  Avoid using personal references unless the employer has specifically asked for them.

Remember, not only will prospective employers Google you, they will also Google your references.  This is often how they get their first impression of you both. If you Google yourself and your references beforehand, you will be better prepared for any questions that might arise.

Have a minimum of three references, consider more if you are applying for senior positions.

Maintaining

Check in with your references when you are actively applying for work.  If you are going for an interview, provide your references with a copy of the job posting and your updated resume. This will allow them to be better prepared to relate their answers directly to their experiences with you.  You can even give them some ideas about which of your skills they might like to highlight.

Make sure to show gratitude to your references, it takes time for them to do this for you.  Send them a thank you note.

Using

List your references on a separate sheet of paper in a format that matches your resume. Include their name, position, organization/company, address, email and phone number.  Ask your reference for the best contact information to use and if there is any information they would not like included.  Make it as easy as possible for your prospective employer to contact your references.  Here is an example:

Ms. Job Reference, Greatest Boss Ever

ABC Company, 123 Street, Parksville, BC V9P 1K1

Email:  jobref@greatestsboss.ca

Work:  250-951-XXXX   Cell:  250-951-XXXX   Home: 250-951-XXXX

If you don’t include a reference from your most recent employer or one of your previous employers, be prepared to be questioned about why you didn’t.

It is not necessary to include your references in your resume when you apply, most often people wait until they have an interview.  There is no need to include “References available upon request”.  If you decide to include your references in your application, you have to be prepared that the employer may contact the reference without letting you know.

You are invited to our Hiring Fair!

Our annual spring Hiring Fair takes place on Thursday, April 11th from 12 -4pm at the Parksville Community Centre. This is a unique opportunity to bring employers who are hiring, together with people seeking employment.

Also on April 11^th at the Parksville Community Centre, we are excited to have two information sessions to support clients interested in work at Island Health or in the Marine industry:

Careers with Island Health, 10:00 am to 11:30 am

Interested in applying to Island Health? Meet with an Island Health human resources representative to learn about upcoming opportunities, the application process and the preferred qualifications and resume formatting. This info session is open to anyone interested in seeking employment with Island Health. Pre-register through us at 250.248.3205.

Careers in the Marine Industry, 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm

Join this informative session to learn more about this growing industry and the variety of career opportunities in the marine sector. Representatives from BC Ferries, Canadian Coast Guard, Gowlland Towing, Seaspan and Western Maritime Institute will be in attendance. Pre-register through us at 250.248.3205.

If you are a job seeker looking for work and planning to attend our next Hiring Fair, here are Eight Steps to Help You Succeed:

Step 1: Attend the How to Prepare for a Hiring Fair workshop. Learn networking strategies to ensure your success when you meet face-to-face with employers. Understand what you need to prepare before, during and after the Hiring Fair.

Step 2: Dress for Success. This is no different than attending a job interview at an employer’s place of business, so you need to dress appropriately. Remember, your most important accessory is your SMILE.

Step 3: Research Registered Employers. You can get a step ahead of the competition by creating a list of the companies attending the fair and doing some research on each of the employers that interest you. You can find out a lot about a company by doing research online and come prepared with a list of questions to ask employers. Check out our Hot Sheet for a list of employers attending.

Step 4: Bring Several Copies of Your Resume. Take a folder with you containing a list of the employers you want to meet with and several copies of your resume, cover letter (addressed to specific employer) and references. Be prepared to hand out additional resumes to employers not on your list. If you need assistance with creating/updating your resume be sure to attend our Resumes and Cover Letters workshop prior to the Hiring Fair.

Step 5: Be Prepared for an Interview. You may have two to five minutes to market yourself and ensure you are not screened out, so you need to make the most of your time. Prior to attending, develop a one-minute “presentation statement” to highlight your qualifications. For more information on marketing yourself, consider our Branding “YOU” and/or Acing the Interview workshops.

Step 6: Network! Network! Network! Practice the perfect handshake and eye contact as this will mark your first impression. A Hiring Fair is a great opportunity to connect with employers and other job seekers that can support moving your career forward. Push yourself to connect with as many people as you can at the Hiring Fair.

Step 7: Collect Contact Information. Write down the name of the person and company you are interested in and their contact information or obtain a business card from them. This will support you with Step 8.

Step 8: Send a Thank-you Note. Stay ahead of your competition by sending a thank you note or an e-mail to your employers of choice the next day. If you do this via e-mail, make sure it is in proper business language; no jargon, abbreviations or spelling mistakes.

A reminder our Hiring Fair is a free event for job seekers to connect with local employers. For information on upcoming workshops or to register, call 250.248.3205. We look forward to seeing you on April 11th.