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LinkedIn useful for advancing career
DOWN on your luck? When looking for a job, the old adage 'it's who you know' has never been more true because online social networks are rife with opportunity for job seekers.
And for professional people in the Isle of Man that means LinkedIn.
I've been on LinkedIn since early 2006, but it wasn't until late last year when I noticed an active Isle of Man community developing.
A business-orientated social networking site, LinkedIn was originally launched in May 2003 and now has more than 39 million registered users spanning 170 industries.
Much like Facebook allows you to collect 'friends', this site allows users to maintain a list of contact details of people they know and trust in business, referred to as 'connections'.
You build up a network of direct connections, creating larger collections of second and third degree contacts.
For example, I've got 223 connections at this time, which links me to more than 2,385,800 people.
I can request an introduction to any or all of them, if I want. The idea is to use your LinkedIn network to find jobs, business opportunities and potential employees.
The site offers lots of opportunities to network with the larger community too.
There are speciality groups you can join; there are a number of such groups with an Isle of Man focus. You can pose or answer a question, email contacts directly and find events and job adverts.
Thanks to the recession, people are signing up to LinkedIn in droves; it has a million new members every two weeks.
Not that the concept is new. For decades sociologists have known that people's careers tend to advance through ties – friends of friends – rather than just through those 'who you know'.
In the internet age this trend is called the 'kindness of strangers effect' and is based on the assumption that people will help each other, share information directly, or otherwise post it for people they scarcely know.
'LinkedIn is not only a great resource to seek out a job but also invaluable in terms of helping you to secure your new role.
'LinkedIn allows candidates to connect and interact with potential employers as well as gather research into not only the professional background of companies but also those that may be interviewing you,' said Cristina Hoole marketing and PR director, Europe at LinkedIn.
'This gives you a fantastic advantage over those that are going in 'cold' and increases the chances of your walking away with your dream job!'
Start by filling in your profile. Describe yourself in words that a recruiter might use and highlight your specific talents, experience and accomplishments. Link to your blog, website or a longer biography.
Then don't dive right in. Once you've established your LinkedIn profile, just lurk for a while to see how people interact and learn the personality of the communities you are interested in.
See who is active, what they talk about, how they interact, before making your presence known.
When you do start to interact, remember that like most social networks, LinkedIn is mainly about sharing, not selling.
People never appreciate shameless self-promotion.
Approach members politely and whenever possible go through a mutual connection. Offer them help.
For example, you could send them a link to an article you think they might find interesting, based on the information posted to their profile.
Keep your communication relevant to each specific connection. No spamming!
Don't forget that your interaction in social networks is being watched by many.
Employers are looking to find new candidates it's true, but they may also be disposed to eliminating existing ones.
Some employers pay to get access to more information on LinkedIn and this could work against you if your employer sees you touting for work among competitors.
Remember that ultimately, social networks are about people, not jobs. Seek out friends of friends with jobs similar to what you are looking for. Approach them through a referral and offer them something of interest, perhaps some relevant research data you've found online.
It's always helpful to have someone inside who can make sure your CV is seen by those making hiring decisions.
LinkedIn can help you prepare for interviews too.
You can learn a lot about the organisation and the individuals you'll be meeting.
If you're very clever and know who else is on the shortlist, you can find out about them too, so you can position yourself favourably.
But remember, your competitors will be doing the same!
Of course, the Isle of Man has its own online professional network too. Despite its name, manxgraduates.im is open to professionals of all ages in every stage of career progression.
For students, this platform provides a way to keep in touch with mates, find out what life is like at UK universities, find holiday jobs and a good job in the Isle of Man after graduation.
For other professionals, Manx Graduates is a source of job information and career opportunities and employers and recruiters can find candidates and potential employees quickly and easily.
It's early days for Manx Graduates, which was launched just late last year. But as more people get involved, it will become an increasingly relevant resource for people in the Isle of Man.
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Sherrilynne Starkie is the managing partner of Strive Public Relations, a strategic communications consultancy serving the Isle of Man. Visit her business blog, www.strivepr.com/notes or follow her on twitter.com/sherrilynne
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Weather for Isle of Man
Tuesday 07 February 2012
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