As important as a well-crafted executive resume is, it’s far from being the one component of your brand that will help you stand out. The times have changed significantly over the last decade or so, and the importance of personal branding for senior level managers has never been higher. This is especially true when it comes to online branding. You may have a LinkedIn profile, a website, blog, social media accounts or a combination of them, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a strong online brand. Here are some ways to help you determine whether your online brand is strong enough to compete in the job market today.
Search For Your Name And View The Results
It doesn’t take much effort to search for your name on the Internet, but what you find could prove valuable. If you have to scroll through several pages of results to find anything about yourself, then you need to work on your online brand. The type of information you do see about yourself is what makes up your online brand, whether you like it or not. In order to improve your image, you could start with a LinkedIn profile service to help you at least get your LinkedIn profile stronger. From that point, you can slowly work on reshaping your image.
Create Engaging Content Regularly
One way to start the process of strengthening your online brand is to create engaging content on a regular basis. Post thoughtful and original articles on your social media accounts or website and promote engagement with others. It’s valuable to visit a LinkedIn profile service from this aspect, since the professionals there can help make your content reach as many people as possible. When you are consistent with creating unique content and providing valuable information, people will start recognizing you and your online brand will start taking shape.
Be Consistent Across All Platforms
Consistency is critical when it comes to personal branding for senior level managers. A recruiter or hiring manager wants to look at your LinkedIn profile, your website and social media accounts and see the same overall message. If there are any doubts or concerns about your actual brand, you may be hurting your chances of landing the job you desire or even being recognized by the right people. Professional Resume Services does more than just help you with your executive bio. We want to help you make your name relevant by providing tips and advice on unique content, brushing up your resume, LinkedIn profile and much more. The importance of a strong online brand can never be understated, and we always keep it in mind when working with executives. If you ever need help shaping your online brand, feel free to reach out to us at any time for advice.
LinkedIn Questions Surrounding an Executive Job Search
Anyone who is in the middle of a job search has likely heard about the importance of their LinkedIn profile. However, simply having a profile isn’t good enough. Your profile can be the difference in landing an interview for a job or getting passed over. That’s why many executives turn to LinkedIn profile development services today to ensure they aren’t making any critical mistakes. Here are some of the most common questions about LinkedIn that we’ve answered to help your job search.
How Can You Use LinkedIn For A Job Search?
LinkedIn is the largest professional online network, and a large percentage of employers used the platform to make their next hire. With that being said, it’s best to utilize a LinkedIn profile writer to help you use relevant keywords and phrases, and to help make your profile as complete as possible. If you want to do it yourself, go over the job descriptions you are looking at and make sure they match up with what is in your profile. Connect with other professionals in your industry to learn more about them and any possible opportunities available. LinkedIn groups are also valuable, since they are full of like-minded people, allow you to demonstrate your personal brand to others and expand your network.
Is Quantity Better Than Quality When it Comes to Connections?
There are plenty of benefits to having as many connections as possible. Your profile will rank higher in the search results, and your message will be displayed to a larger amount of people as well. You may also find someone in your network who works at a company you are interested in, or who knows someone who does. That is the point of LinkedIn… to network. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people. Most are very receptive and generous with their time and information.
Can You Perform A Confidential Job Search on LinkedIn?
The best LinkedIn profile development services can help you adjust your settings in order to conduct a confidential job search. This involves turning off notifications, limiting who can see your connections, viewing other profiles without those people knowing and more. Many executives search for jobs while still employed, and you can easily keep your search confidential through LinkedIn.
Why is A Profile Photo So Important?
No executive LinkedIn profile is complete without a professional profile photo. If you choose not to include one on yours, a potential employer has no choice but to believe you are trying to hide something. And it’s important to note that LinkedIn is not the platform to put a photo of your family or pets. Keep it simple and professional with a formal headshot for the best results. Professional Resume Services provides LinkedIn profile development services to help make your profile as strong as possible. It’s one of the most important platforms for helping make your job search successful, so the time you spend on it is well worth it. We are here to help in any way we can, so never hesitate to contact us when you need assistance in any aspect of your job search.
The Ultimate LinkedIn Tips to Bring Your Profile Up to Date
Simply having an executive LinkedIn profile won’t do you much good. In fact, having an outdated profile is sometimes worse than not having one at all. If you aren’t sure how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, you aren’t alone. The good news is you can work with a professional LinkedIn profile writer (look no further!) to evaluate your current profile and help you strengthen it so you’re always prepared for the next opportunity that comes your way. Here are some basic tips to bring your profile up-to-date that people sometimes overlook.
Create And Share Unique Content
Creating unique and engaging content is invaluable today. People always look for an expert they can trust, and if you are that person then your personal branding will skyrocket. Brand yourself as an expert in your field and watch your reader engagement climb. Plus, consistently sharing your content on your executive LinkedIn profile shows you’re involved with your career and are a valuable resource for current information. You will also benefit from your profile ranking higher in the search results due to the amount of unique views your content receives.
Build Your Number of Connections
The more content you share, the more connections you will earn. An executive LinkedIn profile that’s up-to-date will always have a significant number of connections with new ones coming in every day. Your network can see when you make a new connection, depending on your privacy settings, so you’ll gain some credibility from that aspect as well. Never hesitate to target other professionals in your industry and reach out to them to connect.
Be Active And Share Updates
Once you’ve worked with a professional LinkedIn profile writer to complete your profile, be sure to stay active as much as you can. This could mean posting a new article every couple of days and sharing updates about your career, or making a new connection. These updates will help you remain on the radar to your connections, so your profile won’t turn stale. You could also consider being active in LinkedIn groups to promote your personal brand. Just be sure not to be overly active to the point where people get tired of seeing you post all the time. As with everything, balance is key. Professional Resume Services is here to help you when you aren’t sure how to optimize your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is such a valuable tool to have, whether you’re actively searching for a new job or not. Just having a profile that’s up-to-date will help you get recognized, and you can continue working on it to build your personal brand. If you need any help with your LinkedIn profile, don’t hesitate to contact us at any time for assistance.
One of the main concerns executives have regarding their network is how to restore it when they’ve neglected it for a while. It’s typical for this to happen when you have a steady job you’re comfortable in. However, not all is lost, you can restore and strengthen your current network at any time. Updating your LinkedIn profile is a good place to start, and then you can go from there. Here are some of the best ways to restore and strengthen your network if it has gone stale.
Begin With Personal Branding
Don’t reach out to people in your network until you’ve solidified your personal branding strategy. This involves targeting and researching other professionals to determine whether what you have to offer will meet their specific needs. And you also have to know what you want in return. People enjoy helping people, so provide value and you will receive the rewards you want in return.
Reach Out To Current Connections
You’ll quickly realize other executives understand when you haven’t reached out to them in a while. A quick apology for not staying connected is sometimes all it takes to rekindle the relationship. Of course, if your intentions are to eventually ask them about possible job or business opportunities, then don’t waste a lot of time with small talk. Finding some balance in your communications is important and can improve your personal branding when you do it the right way.
Build New Relationships
Once you’ve reconnected with several professionals, start expanding your network to include new people. View the LinkedIn profile of different people in your industry and see if you have similar interests. Don’t hesitate to invite them to connect, as other professionals are usually always willing to expand their network as well.
Be Active on LinkedIn
Having a stale LinkedIn profile isn’t a good idea if you want to have a strong network. Being active on LinkedIn simply means talking to people privately, communicating in LinkedIn groups, sharing updates, posting new content and more. You don’t have to spend a significant amount of time on a daily basis with your LinkedIn actions, but when people know you’re engaged, they will more likely connect with you. Professional Resume Services has a team of professional executive resume writers ready to help you with every aspect of your job search. The importance of having a large network today can’t be understated. Sometimes revamping your LinkedIn profile is all you need to get back on the right track of having a strong network. To learn more about how we can help you strengthen your network and boost your personal brand, don’t hesitate to contact us at any time.
Networking is valuable whether you’re actively looking for a job or not. If for some reason you believe building your network doesn’t bring any value to your personal or professional career, then there’s a chance you may be doing it wrong. Having a solid LinkedIn profile is one of the most effective ways to make new connections. But how you approach each of those connections could be the difference between them being a viable resource or just another name. If you’re going to spend time with the top rated resume writing services and attending networking events, then it’s best to do it the right way. Here are some of the mistakes executives make when networking.
Talking Too Much
It’s human nature to talk about yourself, since no one knows more about you than you. However, when you’re networking, it’s better to allow the other person to do the talking and just be a great listener. Of course, you have to throw in a story or two or build on the points the other person makes, but try not to take control of the conversation. Similarly to executive resume writing, using the right words is better than using a high quantity of words.
Not Talking To Enough People
It’s also human nature to find an interesting person and spend the entire evening talking to them. The point of networking events, though, is to talk to a variety of people to get your name out there more. To help you with this, take a look at your LinkedIn profile before the event and see which of your connections are attending a certain event. Write down a list of names or make a mental note about them and seek them out at the event. When you’re a LinkedIn connection with someone, they should at least see your face as being familiar, at the very least. Even if you just introduce yourself and hand out a business card, it’s better than not speaking to that person at all.
Neglecting to Follow Up
Even if you’ve done the first two points to perfection, not following up with them will make all of your efforts disappear. You don’t have to call, email or text them right when you leave the event, but consider visiting their LinkedIn profile afterward and thank them for the opportunity to talk to them. At that point, you can invite them to other events or see if they would like to get together with you individually to talk more. You don’t necessarily have to follow up with every person you talked to at the event. But you should follow up with the people you connected with the most. Professional Resume Services wants to help enhance your networking efforts. We are one of the top rated resume writing services because we cater to each individual’s needs. Whether you need help with executive resume writing, cover letter writing or just need networking tips, we are here to help. Don’t hesitate to contact us at any time for any tips or advice as it relates to your professional career.
Is There Such a Thing as Too Many LinkedIn Connections?
When it comes to LinkedIn profile development, sometimes executives have more questions than answers. It’s actually a good thing to have questions, though, because not developing your profile enough won’t benefit you much. One of the most common questions is whether it’s possible to have too many connections. The answer varies depending on who you ask, but the short answer is “no, but it depends.” When you work with a reputable LinkedIn profile writing service, they will help you get the right amount of valuable connections, which is more important than the quantity of connections. Here are some things to consider when it comes to the number of connections you have.
Who To Connect With
When learning how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, you have to keep your connections in mind. You want to provide some sort of value on your page, so people will want to reach out to you. But who exactly should you connect with? These people can include:
Hiring managers at companies you’re interested in working for
Recruiters in your industry
Past and current co-workers
Friends and colleagues with similar interests
Fellow alumni
Business owners, clients or vendors you’ve worked with in the past
These are just a few of the types of people who are considered valuable connections. Simply sending a connection invitation to random people won’t do any good, and no LinkedIn profile writing service will suggest it.
Create A Personalized Message With Each Connection
Making every connection meaningful is easier than it sounds. When you send an invitation to connect, you have the opportunity to send a personalized message to the recipient. Take advantage of this! There’s no need to write an entire story in your message, but a couple of sentences demonstrating your interest in connecting with them will go a long way. If you do this with every person you connect with, then each one will be valuable, no matter how many invitations you send.
Benefits of Having More LinkedIn Connections
The bottom line is, the more connections you have on LinkedIn, the more visible your profile will be. As long as you’ve spent a good amount of time on your LinkedIn profile development, then there will be many more benefits compared to disadvantages from having this high number. When you have more than 500 connections on LinkedIn, your profile will rank higher in search results, so more people will be able to find you. Having this many connections also gives you a platform to be able to spread your value and personal brand to more people. Professional Resume Services is here to help with your LinkedIn profile development. Having a large number of connections is great, but how you treat those connections will make a difference in their value. If you’re ever in need of assistance with your LinkedIn profile, don’t hesitate to contact us at any time.
3 Ways Executive Branding Can Help Your Potential Employers
When you think about personal branding for senior level managers, it’s only natural to think about your own career and how it benefits you. However, the company you work for also plays a large role in your own branding and vice versa. An important and overlooked factor in c-level personal branding is exactly how it impacts your current or potential employers. The strongest companies today have the best leaders at the top whose brands align with the company mission and values. Here are a few ways executive branding can benefit your employers.
Boost Your Company’s Brand Recognition
Associating a person with a company is becoming more common nowadays. Consumers want to be able to relate and engage with a brand. So when you have established a solid brand for yourself, the company you work for will benefit from it as well by having a cohesive brand recognition. An interesting concept is when an executive leaves one company for another, and how the move impacts both companies. Most of the time the actual person isn’t affected much, but consumers have a decision to make whether to follow a person or to be loyal to a company.
Create Trust For Everyone
Trust is essential to boost your c-level personal branding. There’s no surefire way to damage your company’s reputation than by being seen as an untrustworthy person. On the other hand, when a company has a reputation of trustworthiness, and your brand is aligned with those values, everyone as a whole will benefit. Authenticity is essential in today’s business world, since consumers can identify a fraud from a mile away. The more people who believe what you say, the more trustworthy you and your company will be.
Expand Reach Through Connectedness
One way to boost personal branding for senior level managers is by being engaged with your LinkedIn profile. Connecting with others online is a great way to increase brand recognition, trust and expand your company’s reach. Simply being active on social media in engaging ways will naturally improve your brand. Just be careful with everything you put on the Internet, since one misstep can damage the brand you’ve worked so hard to build. Professional Resume Services is here to help executives with their c-level personal branding. Whether it’s by optimizing your LinkedIn profile or creating a stellar resume for a networking event, we are here for you when you need us. To learn more about executive branding and how it can benefit you and your company, feel free to reach out to us at any time.
In the past, having a strong personal brand was seen as a luxury to put yourself ahead of your competition. However, as technology and the digital world in general has advanced, boosting your c-level personal branding is a necessity to keep up with the competition. And if you aren’t careful, your brand will be shaped for you. Personal branding for senior level managers doesn’t happen overnight, and you can’t stop working on it once you’ve reached a certain point. It’s an ongoing process that needs nurturing and attention at all times. But why is this so important? Here are some things to consider about designing your own personal brand.
Manage Your Reputation
Your online reputation means more than just about anything else today when it comes to c-level personal branding. People can say whatever they want to about you on the Internet. Managing your reputation means seeing what is being said about you and taking the necessary steps to clean up any of the negative comments and build on the positive ones. And any time you are active on social media, make sure every single comment or post reflects your brand in the way you want it to be perceived.
Create Content Based on Your Brand
Many executives write books, articles or blogs to boost their c-level personal branding. It doesn’t necessarily matter which one you choose, but it does matter how the content is presented and perceived. Content creation is a great method for increasing exposure, but using the right means for sharing the content is also important.
Have Instant Credibility For Future Jobs
When you’ve designed your brand effectively and manage it appropriately, you’ll have a ton of credibility for any future job you hold. Combine your c-level personal branding with using the best executive resume writing service and your options will be wide open as far as potential employers. Of course, if you’re currently happy at the job you have now, then you can still continue to boost your credibility to enhance your brand and the company’s brand.
Design Your Brand So Others Don’t
When it comes to personal branding for senior level managers, if you don’t work towards designing your own brand, then other people will do it for you. This is a challenge many executives with high visibility have. With the digital world we live in today, people are more expressive than ever before. Opinions can quickly be perceived as factual, and can quickly damage your reputation if you don’t manage it and constantly work to design it. Professional Resume Services takes pride in being the best executive resume writing service, but we are more than that. We want to help our clients with every aspect of a job search, or simply provide tips on how to boost their brand. Our focus is always on helping you achieve your goals, so feel free to contact us at any time to see how we can do so.
In the past, having a strong personal brand was seen as a luxury to put yourself ahead of your competition. However, as technology and the digital world in general has advanced, boosting your c-level personal branding is a necessity to keep up with the competition. And if you aren’t careful, your brand will be shaped for you.