By now it’s likely you already know the importance of networking as an executive. Still, some people make the mistake of thinking simply showing up at networking events is sufficient. While you don’t have to necessarily interact with everyone you look at, it is important to be involved to see how you can help others. And most importantly, you need to be a good listener. You can get a good background of some of the attendees by looking at their LinkedIn profile ahead of time, but even if that’s not an option, consider these tips before your next event.
Be A Great Listener
Everyone is an expert on themselves, so their default is to talk mostly about themself. Do your best to refrain from always responding back with a story about yourself and just be intent on listening to what the other person has to say. This is a rare attribute few people have, but it makes the other person feel great about themself and they will appreciate you much more because of it. Being a good listener isn’t necessarily something you’ll be putting in your executive bio, but your brand will be enhanced because of it.
Take Mental Notes And Follow-Up
Listen for key parts from the speaker that could clue you in on how you might be able to help them out. If they talk about a problem they’re having, think about whether you have a solution. You may not be an expert in their specific line of work, but you may know someone who is and can offer assistance. The networking event itself isn’t always the best time to go into specific details, since interruptions can happen at any given moment. Instead, take good mental notes, get their contact information or LinkedIn profile link and follow-up with them when you have more time to talk.
Ask Leading Questions About Others
You can boost your credibility significantly by asking the right leading questions that give the other person a chance to continue talking. Remember the main idea is to let them do most of the talking and be an intent listener. The more you can prompt them to continue talking, the more powerful your personal branding will be in general.
Professional Resume Services helps executives write resumes and cover letters so they will have polished documents to hand out at networking events. We can also help with the development of your LinkedIn profile, since it takes a well-rounded effort to be seen as an expert in your industry and boost your chances of landing the job you desire. Listening is always a great attribute to have, and it’s especially important when you attend networking events. If you have questions or need other networking tips, feel free to contact us at any time.
Executive job searches are much different today than they were several years ago. You have so many different aspects to think about and it can be difficult to keep them all straight. Of course, starting by working with the top resume writing services can help set your foundation, but you also have to think about your LinkedIn profile, other social networking profiles and even attending networking events. It’s not uncommon for people to get burned out on the job search process after a few weeks and lose motivation as a result. Here are some effective ways to keep your spirits high and your drive alive when your job search isn’t going exactly how you had hoped.
Interact With Support Groups
You likely won’t have to look very long or hard to find job search support groups. The people who comprise these groups are in similar situations as you, so you won’t have to feel awkward talking about strategies or feelings. You may get valuable tips from people on how to write resumes that get you hired and you can also share some techniques that have worked for you in the past. The idea behind participating in these groups is to help you understand you’re not alone in your job searching efforts and to remain persistent.
Try Different Job Searching Strategies
If you’ve been using the same job searching strategy for a few weeks, consider changing it up. Your executive resume writer may suggest attending networking events if you haven’t yet, or maybe even visiting potential employers in person to drop off your resume rather than mailing or emailing it. Getting out of a routine that’s not creating positive results can revive some of the energy you may have lost throughout the process.
Volunteer For More Experience
Volunteering while you’re unemployed has several benefits. For one, it gets your mind off of your job search for a while. You also have opportunities to network with other volunteers, even though you may not volunteer specifically for that reason. Volunteering also gives you an opportunity to add to your resume. Your executive resume writer will always suggest including volunteer experience on your resume, especially when it’s during a time you’re unemployed, since it shows potential employers you are always active.
Take Breaks And Keep Your Goals In Front of You
Sometimes it can get to the point where you need to forget about your job search for a day or two and refocus on your goals. You can only try to write resumes that get you hired so much before eventually burning out. Clearing your mind occasionally is essential when you’ve lost some motivation. Starting fresh the next day can work wonders for your mentality and attitude toward your job search.
Professional Resume Services is one of the top resume writing services because we stick with our clients throughout their job search. We understand there are many different aspects of a job search and they are all equally important. If you’re at a point where you’re stuck in your job searching efforts and need some advice, feel free to give us a call at any time.
If you’ve gone through a job search recently, or are actively looking for a job, you likely know the importance of having SEO relevant keywords on your LinkedIn profile. One question many professionals have is where exactly to place those keywords. This is a valid question and an important one to understand to make the most of your SEO efforts. Just like writing an effective resume, developing your LinkedIn profile in a way that helps you show up on top of the search results will help you be discovered more easily. Here are three of the most important spots on your LinkedIn profile to focus on SEO relevant keywords.
Your Professional Headline
Many people overlook their professional headline as being a valuable section for SEO purposes, mainly because it has a character limit. The best resume writing service will suggest using specific job titles from previous jobs, as well as other similar job titles. Employers may designate different job titles for essentially the same responsibilities, so you want to make sure you’ve got all of the relevant titles covered. When your LinkedIn profile has the specific keywords a recruiter searches for, your chances of being discovered will increase significantly.
The Summary
This is an area that people don’t often utilize for SEO purposes. Not only do you create an interesting and engaging summary, but you can also keyword load it because really, what you do on a daily basis consists of a lot of keywords. When you talk about your career in summary terms, you’ll be (briefly) talking about what you’ve done, what you are best at, and how you can do this for them. If you are laser-focused on a specific role, use the wording you see in specific job descriptions of roles you are interested in.
Job Titles
You should never be inconsistent with your past or current job titles across your resume and online profiles. The best resume writing service can help you add relevant keywords to your title for SEO purposes, without raising any questions as to the consistency of the information you provide. Again, job titles are different at various companies, so the more relevant ones you can fit in, the better your chances are of being found on LinkedIn.
Professional Resume Services is known as the best resume writing service because we focus on more than simply writing an effective resume. While the best executive resume format is critical, we understand it’s not the only aspect to consider to increase your chances of landing an interview. Your LinkedIn profile requires just as much attention as your formal resume, and we can help you with both. Never hesitate to reach out to us if you need assistance in either of these areas.
Spending time on LinkedIn profile development can set you up for success in many different ways. One of the main benefits of LinkedIn is it gives you a platform to demonstrate your personal brand. Too many executives believe they don’t need to focus on their online brand since they have a good reputation within their company. However, you still have to maintain a good online reputation in the event of a job change or to even look good for your current company. Here are some effective ways a professional LinkedIn profile writer can help you boost your online brand through the LinkedIn platform.
Optimize Your Profile Header
When you’re learning how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, you have to consider Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Your profile header should contain terms employers and recruiters will search for. You only have 120 characters in your profile header, so leave out any fluff and only use terms that reflect your brand closely.
Write Useful Information In Each Section
Original content is highly underrated. For one, the more useful information you have on your LinkedIn profile, the better the chances are of you incorporating relevant keywords and getting discovered. Original information is also valuable when you write it geared toward your target employers. Anyone who reads your LinkedIn profile should have a strong grasp on who you are as a person and as a professional, and those are exposed with solid writing skills and providing relevant information.
Expand Your Network
One key to effective LinkedIn profile development is to expand your network so you’ll have more connections. When you have more than 500 connections on LinkedIn, your profile will show up earlier in the search results and give you a better chance of being discovered. Utilize these connections to your advantage by interacting with as many of them as you can, which will help build your personal brand in the process.
Be Active
You can’t simply create a LinkedIn profile and expect to automatically boost your online personal brand. You have to be active by posting updates frequently, creating original content, interacting in groups and commenting on other articles. The more you share your knowledge and expertise, the more you’ll naturally boost your brand and your name will be widely known across different industries.
Create Original Content And Comment on Others
Any professional LinkedIn profile writer will suggest writing blogs or other pieces of helpful information, as well as commenting on other original pieces of content. You never know who will find your expertise valuable and it could lead you to opportunities you didn’t even know were available. No one will know you’re an expert in a certain area unless you let them know, and writing and posting articles or blogs are great ways to do so.
At Professional Resume Services, we believe LinkedIn is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to boosting your online personal brand. Your LinkedIn profile should be one of the first results that show up when you do a Google search for your name. If it isn’t for you, then be sure to contact us for assistance on optimizing your profile to enhance your brand.
Doing your homework prior to going into a job interview can be the difference between being considered a viable candidate or having your resume pushed to the side. Companies want to hire someone who shows they are willing to do their due diligence in order to make a quality decision. Writing resumes that get you hired is great, but those resumes don’t guarantee you are a perfect fit for any given job. Here are important points to research about a company prior to going into a job interview.
Learn About Key Team Members
You can find out the names of key team members of a company by looking at the company’s LinkedIn profile. Take this a step further and learn a few interesting facts about those people as well. Discover what college they attended, how their degree led them to the role they have and anything else you deem to be relevant. When you research professionals at a prospective employer as much as they research you as a job candidate, you’ll be more likely to make a great first impression.
Understand Mission Statements And How To Apply Them
Knowing a company’s mission statement is important in a few ways. For one, you shouldn’t work for a company if you don’t agree with their mission and values. You also should demonstrate to an interviewer how your work ethic, personal ethics and daily actions fit what the company represents. Having this information in your LinkedIn profile is one thing, but it’s also important to be able to give examples during your interview.
Check The Latest Industry or Company News
When you’re able to talk about the latest news within the company or the industry they operate in, you’ll earn some solid points with the interviewers since it shows you’ve come prepared. The best executive resume writing service can help you relate your past experiences to the company you’re interested in on paper. It’s up to you to follow-up on those experiences with action by demonstrating you’re ready to get started working for them right away.
Know The Company Structure
A LinkedIn profile of an interviewer or a company doesn’t give you the total picture of a company’s structure. The title “executive” means different things to different companies, so if you aren’t able to figure out how the company is structured by searching online, then don’t hesitate to ask them in the interview. You need to make sure you fit within the structure so you know exactly what your role is if hired.
Professional Resume Services does much more than simply write resumes that get you hired. There’s no specific action you can take that will magically land you any job you want, and the work doesn’t stop once your resume is created. Doing your due diligence on a company will help you master the interview and put yourself in a great position to get the job. For more tips like these, feel free to contact us at any time and we would be happy to work with you.
The New Year brings a perfect opportunity to revisit your goals from the previous year and set new ones to strive to achieve. As an executive, one of your goals may revolve around enhancing your career in different ways, which may include improving your c-level personal branding. Your personal brand isn’t something you can just create and then leave it alone. It’s a constant effort throughout the days, weeks, months and years, and sometimes it needs to be revamped if it gets too stagnant. Here are some things to look for to determine whether your c-level personal branding could use a boost.
How Has Your Reputation Changed Recently?
When it comes to personal branding for senior level managers, reputations can change throughout the course of the year. The hope is your reputation will change for the better, but sometimes poor decision-making can lead to a less-than-desirable new reputation. The good news is you can repair your reputation by focusing on c-level personal branding improvements. You may have to go out of your way to help others and demonstrate your expertise, but these small daily steps will go a long way in repairing your reputation and brand.
Evaluate Your Accomplishments From The Past Year
Think about the various developments that occurred throughout the past year. If you received more job responsibilities or achieved new accomplishments, then your LinkedIn profile needs to reflect them. No matter how different you may feel as a result of these achievements, those differences won’t be reflected in your personal brand unless you make them known. Your LinkedIn profile is the perfect way to do so by being active, posting new content, interacting with others and always promoting your brand.
Effectively Revamping Your Brand
Revamping your brand comes down to offering expertise to others they can’t get anywhere else. This can come through posting original content on your LinkedIn profile, making suggestions for improving the workplace, being more approachable, making new connections, volunteering, learning new skills and much more. The more you become a go-to resource for certain topics, the quicker your brand will be clearly demonstrated and revamped in the ways you want it to be.
Professional Resume Services believes c-level personal branding is one of the most important aspects of finding a job for executives. It takes time and effort to build and maintain your brand, but it’s well worth it for many reasons. This New Year, focus more on creating the brand you want by helping others and the benefits will start showing up in more ways than one. And never hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns about how to effectively revamp your personal brand.
With a lot of discussions revolving around the importance of having a completed LinkedIn profile, it’s easy to ask yourself whether it’s even worth the time to visit executive resume services to craft a quality resume. Sure, employers put a high priority on looking at a job candidate’s LinkedIn profile, but they also still want to see a formal resume in most cases. In fact, sometimes the HR department requires a copy of a candidate’s resume just to complete their hiring process, even if they already know they are hiring the candidate. Here’s why you should still prioritize writing an effective resume when searching for a new job.
Use LinkedIn To Make Your Resume Appealing
Any good LinkedIn profile writer will use the platform to entice employers to want to reach out and ask for a resume. The idea of your LinkedIn profile is to give your audience a wide view of your skill sets, knowledge, accomplishments, experience and more. This is the place to be more generic about this type of information, but be specific enough to intrigue the reader. Then when you get to a point where you send out a resume to someone who has viewed your LinkedIn profile, you can give them more details and specifics about the points they’ve already read.
Why Employers Still Want To See A Resume
Visiting executive resume services is still valuable, since employers want to see a candidate’s resume for formality purposes, if nothing else. With the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) being so common nowadays, it’s important to at least have a copy of your resume available for this purpose. Plus, during a job interview, it’s always good to provide your interviewers with a resume to give them a basis for asking questions. And even better, the information on your resume may even answer some of the questions they have about you.
There Will Always Be A Need For A Good Resume
We may see a time when writing an effective resume doesn’t carry as much weight as it does now, but there will always be a need for a good one. Some employers may prioritize LinkedIn as being their resource for finding potential candidates, with the final decision likely coming from how well-crafted your resume is and how well you handled the interview process. LinkedIn is a critical component of a job search, but you still have to give your executive resume plenty of attention as well.
Professional Resume Services knows how to create a perfect balance when it comes to the information you put on your LinkedIn profile, as well as your executive resume. These are two separate components of any job search, but they also have to be consistent with each other to make the biggest impact. Doing this can be time consuming and very detailed, so never hesitate to reach out to us if you need assistance in any area.
Getting involved in your community is much more than just helping others, even though that is the main benefit. Too many people think they are too busy to volunteer, or even think there are plenty of volunteers already so they aren’t needed. However, what if we told you volunteering in your community could help your job search, give you something else to put on your executive resume biography and boost your personal branding at the same time? The best professional resume writers preach this all the time for these reasons.
Boost Your Credibility
You may be a credible executive within your industry, but no one else outside of it knows that. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to get out in the community and show your talents as well. Offering your services for sale at your job is your career, but offering them for free through volunteering efforts can boost your credibility tremendously.
Meet New People
When talking to the best professional resume writers, they will always promote the importance of networking. The truth is many executives aren’t very fond of going out of their way to meet new people since it sometimes doesn’t feel organic. Volunteering is completely different. Your purpose for volunteering is to serve the community, and you’ll inevitably meet new people along the way. And if you happen to be searching for a job during your efforts, you never know if you could be connected to your next employer somehow.
Fill In Employment Gaps With Volunteering
Another way volunteering is beneficial is by filling in employment gaps in your executive resume biography. Employers typically don’t like to see gaps in employment for more than a few months. However, if you are able to fill in those gaps with volunteer projects, you’ll likely be forgiven and your chances of landing your next job won’t suffer. In many ways, volunteering can demonstrate your personal brand and your soft skills, while portraying you as a well-rounded person overall.
Open Your Mind To New Options
Finally, your volunteering efforts may open your mind to options you’ve never considered before. This may not apply to you if you’re happy with your current career, but it does if you’re unemployed or looking for a new job. Happiness with any job comes from being satisfied with the work you do, and being fulfilling and meaningful. The connections you make while volunteering, along with the volunteer work itself, can help you open your mind to new opportunities if you feel like you’re stuck.
Professional Resume Services does much more than simply write resumes that get you hired. Our team focuses on the big picture with every executive in order to help them find the most satisfying career path for them. Every individual is different, and sometimes volunteering is a great way to learn more about yourself and your passions. Feel free to contact us at any time to learn more about the connection between volunteering and your executive job search.
