Everything You Should Know About LinkedIn Influencers

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The LinkedIn Influencer program has been around for several years and has only gained in popularity. “Influencers” are generally people who have succeeded in business and life; however, their footprint could be expanding soon. The program helps those people boost their brand, and it also helps followers and readers get some valuable insight into their minds and professional expertise. Any member of LinkedIn can read their posts, and it doesn’t take a LinkedIn profile service to figure it out. However, what exactly was the LinkedIn Influencer program designed to do? Here is some great information.

Diversity in Both Influencers and Readers

The diversity in the Influencers program means there is also great reader diversity. Any given article an Influencer posts can reach tens of thousands of unique views in a short amount of time. With a few hundred Influencers in the program, regular followers can get some valuable insight from a variety of sources.

Reach Larger Audiences

Entrepreneurs and executives who are a part of the LinkedIn Influencer program have reaped the benefits of gaining new followers. They can reach a new audience simply by posting their professional thoughts on LinkedIn. However, this also gives a chance for followers to interact with those Influencers and their followers as well. Before you get too active in the conversation, though, be sure to get with a LinkedIn profile writer to polish up your online presence.

What to do as a Follower

There are a couple things a follower, who isn’t an Influencer, can do to take advantage of the program:

  • Find Influencers relevant to your situation. You don’t have to limit yourself to the amount of Influencers you follow, but you can easily find a handful you relate to. When you follow them, you’ll be able to easily see what they write and can check out their past and current posts.
  • Get involved with conversations. You can comment on posts, reply to other followers’ comments and more. You may or may not receive a reply from the Influencer themselves, but being active in conversation will get your name recognized without even having to use a LinkedIn profile service.

At Professional Resume Services, we understand the value in LinkedIn profile development services, and can help you navigate the Influencer program for your benefit. If you’d like more information, or need a LinkedIn profile writer for any reason, feel free to contact us at any time.

Recent LinkedIn Changes: What Executives Should Know

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LinkedIn has recently made some changes to their platform, and executives need to know about them. Some of these changes are minor and won’t affect how you use the website, but it’s always good to minimize surprises. We understand some executives don’t spend a lot of time on LinkedIn, so it’s important to get assistance from LinkedIn profile development services at the very least. This will help ensure your online presence is as up to date and professional as possible. Here are some of the changes you should be aware of, whether you develop your LinkedIn profile personally or not.

Gauging Profile Effectiveness

If you frequently viewed your profile ranking based on your connections, you may notice the feature is removed. This was a great tool to allow users to gauge their profile effectiveness. The most current way to determine profile effectiveness is to look at the amount of activity generated. Any LinkedIn profile service can quickly determine how effective your profile is and what you can do to give it a boost.

Messaging Changes

The InMail feature is no longer free. So if you used that feature often, you’ll have to upgrade to a paid membership. You can still message people who aren’t your connections for free, but you’ll have to do some research to figure out how to email them directly. The messaging feature for your connections has gone to a similar platform as Twitter and Facebook. The key to messaging people you aren’t connected to, without InMail, is to be in the same groups as them so you can then message them directly.

Learn to Adapt to Change

Change always happens in business, so it’s no surprise LinkedIn has had to make some necessary changes to their platform. Most of these changes are self-explanatory, but if you need a LinkedIn profile writer to help you navigate them all, don’t hesitate to hire one.
The best LinkedIn profile development services will help you understand what changes are most important and how you should adapt to them. Decide what you use LinkedIn for to determine whether a paid membership is worth it with these new changes in place.
Professional Resume Services keeps people up-to-date on latest developments of LinkedIn, so professionals and executives won’t be taken by surprise. If you feel the need to utilize a LinkedIn profile service to help you adapt to the recent LinkedIn changes, feel free to contact us at any time.

Your LinkedIn Questions Answered!

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LinkedIn is the most popular social media platform for professionals, but it doesn’t mean everyone utilizes it the right way. If you have questions about how to improve your LinkedIn profile development, you’ve come to the right place. Many people have legitimate questions about LinkedIn, so we’ve done our best to gather the most common questions and answer them for you here.

1. How is LinkedIn Different From Other Social Media Platforms?

LinkedIn is viewed more as a professional social media platform rather than one designed for entertainment. People use Facebook, Twitter and other platforms to connect with friends or catch up on the latest celebrity gossip in real-time. That’s not what LinkedIn is about. Any LinkedIn profile service will also tell you to clean up your other profiles so it doesn’t tarnish your LinkedIn profile.

2. What Information Should You Include on LinkedIn?

Many people make the mistake of making their LinkedIn profile look exactly like their executive resume. A good LinkedIn profile writing service will tell you to use your resume as a base for information, but go into more detail about accomplishments and achievements on your LinkedIn profile. This is your chance to show your personality a little more than you can in a resume. Use the opportunity to brag on yourself as well!

3. How Important Are LinkedIn Groups?

Be selective about the groups you join and participate in them frequently. This is a great opportunity to meet new people in your industry. If you’re searching for a job, you may find your next employer in these groups. There are thousands of different groups, so definitely use them to your advantage.

4. Can You Find A Job Through LinkedIn?

Sometimes you’ll see job postings via LinkedIn, but you probably shouldn’t rely on them. The key to good LinkedIn profile development is to get your profile noticed by recruiters or hiring managers. Even if you don’t see actual job postings, it doesn’t mean you can’t get your foot in the door to land an interview with a well-developed profile.

5. How Can You Best Utilize Your LinkedIn Profile?

Highlighting your achievements and building on your resume are the best ways to utilize your LinkedIn profile. Be sure to remove any unprofessional pictures or anything you wouldn’t want an employer to see. Be active on LinkedIn and you never know who you may cross paths with along the way.
Although these are the most common LinkedIn questions, we know you may have many more. Feel free to contact us at any time with any of your burning LinkedIn questions.

How Public Should Your LinkedIn Profile Be?

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Unfortunately, many executives never look at the privacy settings on their LinkedIn profile. While it won’t harm anything most of the time if your profile is completely public, there are some instances where it’s best to keep your profile a little more private. Even a LinkedIn profile service will tell you it’s not always advisable to share your profile with anyone and everyone. Here are a few things you should know about how and why you shouldn’t always have your LinkedIn profile viewable to the entire online world.

Restrict Your Profile if Currently Employed

If you don’t want your current employer or coworkers to know you’re looking for a new job, it’s best to restrict your LinkedIn profile as much as possible. There are many different ways to put restrictions on your profile, so a LinkedIn profile service can help ensure people inside and outside your network see the things you want them to see.

Make Your Profile Public if Unemployed

On the other side, if you’re unemployed or don’t care if your current employer sees you’re on the job hunt, you can make your profile public to everyone. Just be sure to study the art of LinkedIn profile writing, so you don’t damage your chances of landing a job with your public profile with something you’ve written.
There’s no need to keep any components of your profile private if you want to be discovered on LinkedIn by a recruiter or hiring manager. Some recruiters will bypass your profile altogether if it is heavily restricted, since it indicates you may have something to hide.

Update Notification Settings

Another important but little-known factor of LinkedIn profile development is what your connections can see regarding your activity. Some people get annoyed if they have to read about every single action you take, like joining a group, making a comment, connecting with someone new and more. To prevent annoying your connections, update your notification settings to only notify people of important things like job changes or important memos.
The privacy of your LinkedIn profile is something many people aren’t sure how to handle. You want people to discover you, but you also don’t want just anyone to have access to your information. For more tips on the challenges of LinkedIn profile development, feel free to contact us.

The Why and How of Incorporating Social Media Into Your Job Search This New Year

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Traditional approaches to finding a new job are no longer viable options. Nowadays, if you don’t have an online presence by way of social media, then you will find yourself way behind the curve. As an executive with years of experience, you may not think social media is important for your career, but you could be missing out on great opportunities. With the competition being as high as it’s ever been, LinkedIn profile development services are constantly helping executives stay on top of the curve. Here are some important things you need to know about how and why to incorporate social media into your job search.

Why is Social Media Important?

The majority of executive jobs aren’t posted online. Companies are using recruiting services and headhunters to find the best talent to fill their jobs, which further stresses the importance of LinkedIn profile development services. If you don’t have a complete social media presence, then your chances of being found are slim-to-none.
Hiring a LinkedIn profile service to help you develop your profile is a great way to start off your job search the right way this year. You need to have the right keywords, phrases, skills and experience listed on your profile in order to get recognized. Executives don’t always know or understand what recruiters are looking for, so different services can help polish up your profile to make it as effective and recognizable as possible.

How to Carefully Incorporate Social Media Into Your Job Search

Social media can put you ahead of the curve or it can seriously diminish your chances of getting a job, depending on how you utilize it. Just like headhunters use social media to find executives to fill positions, you can use it to your benefit as well.
Instead of replying to a job post online, look up some high-level people at the company on LinkedIn and reach out to them personally. This could help your name stand out, but you also want to be careful not to overdo it. If you don’t receive a response within a week, you can follow-up, but don’t keep bugging them to the point where they ignore you completely.

How to Begin

Start by looking into LinkedIn profile writing services. These services will help you with the dos and don’ts of social media when it pertains to your job search. Once you have an understanding of how social media can work for you and against you, you’ll be able to jump-start your job search this New Year.
For more information about the ins-and-outs of the relationship between social media and your job search, feel free to reach out to us at any time.

Do These Myths About LinkedIn Help or Harm?

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LinkedIn is one of the best online social networking tools you can use to help land the job you want. However, there are some myths you need to know of in order to completely reap the benefits of your LinkedIn profile service. Some of them are helpful to know about, while others could completely put a halt to your job search if you aren’t careful.

Myth #1 – Only Connect With People You Know Well

The first thing LinkedIn profile development services will tell you is you don’t want to connect with just anyone, but you also shouldn’t only connect with people you know personally. There’s nothing wrong with sending an invitation to connect with someone who you met at a social event, or maybe even in a virtual group on LinkedIn itself. As long as there is a mutual benefit to be had, the other person will appreciate the invitation.

Myth #2 – LinkedIn is Only Beneficial for Job Hunts

When utilized correctly, LinkedIn can help develop your personal brand and properly depict your career progression over the years. If you need to, consult a professional LinkedIn profile writer to help keep your profile up-to-date. Even if you aren’t actively looking for a job, a recruiter may come across your profile and offer a better opportunity to you. Also, by using LinkedIn actively, you can keep track of your connections and find out some interesting things about your industry from real people who are in it with you.

Myth #3 – Building a LinkedIn Profile Will Create Job Offers

It doesn’t matter if you are a professional LinkedIn profile writer or not, simply posting a profile won’t send job offers flying in to you. It’s possible for you to receive a few inquiries, but you also have to be somewhat active on the site. Even more importantly, if you are searching for a job, make it clear in your profile. Put your contact information clearly where a recruiter can see it to make it easier for them to get in touch with you.

Myth #4 – LinkedIn Groups Don’t Provide Real Benefits

Some people think LinkedIn groups won’t benefit them much. However, if you ask a LinkedIn profile service, they may tell you you’re not using LinkedIn groups properly. Many people join groups, but don’t engage in them. If you start conversations and intellectual discussions, other people are more likely to join in. By networking with other executives, you’ll be able to help each other stay on top of your respective industries. The more the people in the group see your name, the more they will remember it if a job opportunity ever becomes available.
There are a lot of facts and myths when it comes to online networking, and LinkedIn is no different. Whether you’re just beginning to create a LinkedIn profile, or if you are stuck and need to give yours a facelift, feel free to reach out and we will be happy to assist you in any way we can.

Keeping Your Head Above Water: Our Top Four Secrets for Surviving on LinkedIn

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Constructing a professional LinkedIn profile doesn’t have to be extremely difficult. In fact, just by taking a few simple steps, you can make yourself more recognizable without being overly pushy. When it comes to LinkedIn profile development, you have to understand it needs to be constructed differently from a resume. It’s not a bad idea to upload a resume to your LinkedIn profile, but the rest of the information should be different. This is just one simple tip, but here are some of the best secrets for surviving and thriving on LinkedIn.
Avoid Being Annoying
Have you noticed all of the alerts you receive when your connections have a job change or edit their skills? Your connections also receive those alerts when you make a change! However, you can change the settings to ensure your connections don’t see every little change you make. You might want to broadcast a job change or other important piece of career information, but most people don’t care when you receive a new endorsement.
Take Advantage of Opportunities
Any LinkedIn profile service will tell you to join groups related to your career or prospective career. These groups allow you to make additional contacts and give you the ability to reach out to them without having to upgrade to LinkedIn Premium. Joining several groups will only help you expand your personal brand and get your name recognized among people within your industry.
Be Active
Joining a group is a good step, but being active in the group will make you more recognizable. However, you’ll want to avoid being the annoying person who responds to every thread and has an opinion on everything. As long as you have insightful comments periodically, people will notice you and it will significantly boost your LinkedIn profile development by giving you more connections.
Don’t Use Resume Language
Resume speak should be limited to your actual resume. Any LinkedIn profile writing service will help you rewrite anything that sounds like it came straight from a resume, especially the career summary portion. That should be unique and a bit different from the career summary on your resume. While your LinkedIn profile needs to be professional, it also has to sound conversational and tell people exactly who you are. Look at LinkedIn as an opportunity to showcase your communication skills and other skills that aren’t necessarily as apparent on your resume.
One of the toughest things people experience with LinkedIn is making their profile look professional. It’s easy to slip into casual behavior since it’s an online social network, but LinkedIn isn’t the place for making friends. If you just can’t seem to find the right language or don’t know how to construct your profile, consider reaching out to a LinkedIn profile writing service. You will always benefit from having another set of eyes on your profile and you may find out some other secrets to help take your profile to the next level!

Executives: It’s About Who You Know

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You’ve probably heard the phrase, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” That’s the key to landing the perfect executive job nowadays, in addition to flawless executive resume writing. With the amount of job boards online, newspapers and employment agencies, it’s nearly impossible to get recognized if you apply for a job through one of those avenues. Networking is the best way to find out about job openings and get your foot in the door. That’s why personal branding for senior level executives is critical for career growth. In fact, many companies won’t even post their job openings anywhere because of the vast amount of applications they receive. Here are some tips about how networking can be an effective way to land your next executive position.

Start With Who You Already Know

Make a list of all the people you know. This should include family, friends, colleagues and anyone you have come in contact with recently. Sit down and actually think about conversations you’ve had with those people. Your cousin may not work in the industry you’re interested in, but you might recall a discussion you had with him about a friend of his who is in the industry. LinkedIn is a great way to make connections through mutual friends. If you aren’t familiar with LinkedIn, it is worth your time to look into a LinkedIn profile service as soon as possible.

Strike Up Conversations

Whether you’re in a long line at the grocery store or waiting to be seated at a restaurant, start a conversation with the person next to you. Ask them what they do for a living. You never know, you may just be talking to your next boss! The point is you’ll never meet anyone who can help you get your dream executive job if you don’t talk to people. You don’t have to be outlandishly outgoing, but just making small talk could lead to something much larger.

Check Out Conferences and Events

LinkedIn and other social media outlets may not be the best way to find a job, but they are perfect for knowing what’s going on in the industry. A LinkedIn profile service can help you identify the ideal conferences and events to attend. Bring your resume or business cards to the event and hand them out to a few people. You definitely don’t want to be remembered as the person who talks to everyone, though. Instead, just meet a few people at each function you attend and see where it goes.
Just because you meet a perfect connection who could get you a job doesn’t mean it will happen overnight. Be careful when casting a wide net in your network, because you don’t want to be known as the person who’s fishing for any job. If you have any questions about how to network or the best ways to grow your network, feel free to get in touch with us for some tips!