LinkedIn is a business network.
It is not Facebook, nor is it kindergarten. But there are a growing number of people on LinkedIn who seem to want to ban people from doing business on LinkedIn, and just have nice, non-business discussions.
Well, here are a few etiquette tips people should know when dealing with LinkedIn:
1. LinkedIn is a business site, NOT a personal one. This is why we don’t have pictures of people drunk, in bathing suits, or hanging with friends, but pictures of people in suits and ties and the like. We do business on this site. If you don’t want to do business, go to Facebook or some other site. Those of us who are serious are here to do business.
2. You do not have the right to not be offended by what you don’t want to see in your Inbox. If you don’t want to get notifications from your groups, turn off that option. Go to your group. Go to the second tier bounce bar. Select “More.” Select “Settings.” Turn off group notifications. It is that simple. Then when you want to look at the group, go there. See? No more pesky e-mail clogging up your Inboxes.
3. Just because you don’t want it doesn’t mean it’s SPAM. Many people enjoy seeing posts about employment or events. Those looking for jobs especially enjoy seeing posts about employment and networking events. Just because you don’t want to see it doesn’t make it SPAM. If you’re interested in a discussion or article, read it. If not, click past it. You don’t have the right to deny someone who might be unemployed help through an article about employment, or event unless you’re the group owner.
4. Unless you’re the group owner, don’t move a discussion. It is both unethical and immoral to do so. Don’t. Let people decide for themselves if something is useful or not.
5. People are going to utilize you if you’re connected to them. Sending out an update to your 1st degree network is not SPAM, nor is it a “mass e-mail list.” If you don’t want to know about the people you’re connected with, don’t connect with them. If you’re going to be connected to someone, you’ve gotta help them.
6. Your opinion is not the only one. All of us can be wrong. Believing differently doesn’t make one wrong nor a demon.
7. If you’re nasty, expect nasty responses. Although I usually reply to nastiness pretty mildly, many people don’t and you aren’t in your rights to expect them to.
8. Don’t deliberately anger someone well-known and well-connected unless you’re willing to take the consequences. If you are stupid enough to torque off someone who has loads of connections in your city and is very well-respected, you probably deserve the closing of doors that will happen to you. Just a few words from someone well-connected can ruin your career before it gets started. A word to the wise.
LinkedIn is the real world.
It isn’t Facebook. It isn’t Twitter. It is a live ammo game, and the game is business. If you aren't ready to follow proper LinkedIn etiquette, run home to mommy before you get hurt. If you want to play, put on your big boy or girl pants and play by the rules.
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The leaves are changing, the kids are back in school, and that familiar chill is in the air. You think it's the perfect time to look for a job, and it is! But are your job search fears preventing you from making that leap?
It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?
Are you feeling spooked yet?
Believe it or not, there's no need to be afraid of the job search process! You can land your dream job with the right tools and strategy. You can find a job that won't give you nightmares. Here are three spooky secrets every job seeker should know as they look for a job this fall.
1. An Effective Job Search Starts With An Interview Bucket List
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Despite your fears, you've decided to take the plunge and look for a new job. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I start?" The answer is simple: start by creating an interview bucket list.
An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Are you passionate about a company's products or services? Do you feel connected to its mission? Can you relate to its values and beliefs as an organization? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, that company probably belongs on your interview bucket list.
Once you create an interview bucket list, you'll be able to conduct a targeted job search, one with direction and a foundation upon which everything else will be built. An interview bucket list helps you focus your job search and networking strategies on the right opportunities, making it easier to get your foot in the door at one of your dream companies.
2. Your Job Application Needs To Disrupt Hiring Managers
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In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers. You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter.
A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience—adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview.
Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter. To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.
3. Employers Hire You Based On 3 Things
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You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).
Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer.
Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.
Want To Learn More Job Search Secrets?
As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.
We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.
The competition is fierce, and there are a lot of factors that are out of your control. But the one factor you can control is your job search strategy, the tools and tactics you use to land a job.
If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp, a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.
In this video workshop, you'll learn:
- How to use backchanneling to get directly to hiring managers.
- The secret to using a connection story to stand out against the competition.
- How social media can be your secret weapon to get job interviews.
- The resume format that is getting job seekers more job interviews.
- And, a lot more hacks for job search success!
Let us show you the secrets to getting a new, better-paying job you actually love. Sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp today.
Are you ready to land the job of your dreams (and leave the job of your nightmares)?
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