Don’t Avoid LinkedIn

By Larry French

Logo provided by LinkedIn

If you are seeking work or trying to re-invent yourself in this present economy you need LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a valuable online tool for networking. It’s one of the biggest and fastest growing means by which recruiters and employers are seeking out new employees today. LinkedIn has become the world’s largest professional network on the Internet with more than 150 million members in over 200 countries and territories. Are you LinkedIn? If you aren’t, you need to be.

Don’t Miss Out

I was struggling in my own job search before I found LinkedIn. The success that I’ve had using LinkedIn spawned this series of articles to spread the word to other job seekers. LinkedIn is not a social meeting place, but instead is a business oriented hub for business networking. Businesses, employers and recruiters are more likely to be interacting with other professionals on LinkedIn making it a more credible tool for a job seeker trying to market him/herself.

You should check out this article, Recruiters Say: Avoid LinkedIn At Your Peril, http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2012/05/11/recruiters-say-avoid-linkedin-at-your-peril/

Use All Resources

For more advice and help in your job search go to the CBE One-Stop Employment Division website at http://www.onestops.com/newindex.asp and check out the resources, such as the Job Seekers and Customized Services tabs. Schedule an appointment to meet with one of the staff to discuss your job search strategy and begin re-inventing yourself. Find the CBE Blog link and also check out the other articles posted to help you in your job search.

Larry French is a novelist, speaker, editorial writer, and content provider of Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, and Mathematics curriculum. He is now seeking a publisher for his first novel, Time Will Tell, The Awakening which blends his love of history and science and is set during the American Civil War. http://www.linkedin.com/pub/larry-french/12/213/534 Read about his work at, LARRYFRENCHHISTORICALNOVELIST.NET

The Power of Your Elevator Speech

Posted by: Darlene Duncan CWDP, JSS, CCC, JCTC, JCDC
Training Coordinator

Some of you may be wondering, what is an elevator speech? An elevator speech is usually no more than 30 seconds. If you’re a job seeker, your elevator speech should inform the listener of who you are, what you do and how you might be an asset to the listener’s organization.

For ten tips on this topic click here.

It’s springtime! Need some extra help improving your concentration?

By: Lori McMullin, APR

Director of Business Operations & Communications
Center for Business Excellence

Most of us love springtime.  Remember, when you were in school and you caught “spring fever?”  You know, it’s so beautiful and invigorating outside, you find it harder to concentrate?

Now, we have to contend with “spring fever” and the fact our brains are bombarded with thousands of messages daily.  Here are some tips to help improve your focus:

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/optimumhealthessentials/a/Concentration.htm

What Not to Do with LinkedIn

By Larry French

LinkedIn is a valuable tool for networking. It has become the premiere venue for professionals seeking to make contact with others in their field. LinkedIn is also an effective means to use in your job search strategy. As I write this I am reminded of how using LinkedIn helped me find my present job.

Don’t Misuse It

LinkedIn can and does work for you. Make sure you don’t abuse it. LinkedIn is not a social network, like Facebook. Because of the professional nature of most those who use LinkedIn, it has managed to stay professional. In your own use of LinkedIn, it’s a good idea to keep your social/personal networking separate from it.

You don’t want to make the mistake of using LinkedIn while on the job either. If you’re working to expand the business aspects of your job, that’s different. However, you don’t want to use LinkedIn at your job to look for another job. That could lead to trouble. For more wise advice regarding this, check out this article, http://www.internetserviceproviders.net/blog/2012/10-reasons-linkedin-can-cause-problems-at-work/ shared by LinkedIn member Jessica Miller.

For more advice and help in your job search go to the CBE One-Stop Employment Division website at http://www.onestops.com/newindex.asp and check out the resources, such as the Job Seekers and Customized Services tabs. Schedule an appointment to meet with one of the staff to discuss your job search strategy and begin re-inventing yourself. Find the CBE Blog link and also check out the other articles posted to help you in your job search.

Larry French is a novelist, speaker, editorial writer, and content provider of Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, and Mathematics curriculum. He is now seeking a publisher for his first novel, Time Will Tell, The Awakening which blends his love of history and science and is set during the American Civil War. http://www.linkedin.com/pub/larry-french/12/213/534 Read more about his work at, LARRYFRENCHHISTORICALNOVELIST.COM

10 Things You Need To Do While You’re Unemployed

Posted by: Darlene Duncan CWDP, JSS, CCC, JCTC, JCDC
Training Coordinator

Being unemployed leaves you with a great deal of time on your hands. If you’re not sure what to do with all that time, besides job searching. Here are some productive ideas for you, take a class to learn or improve on a job skill, use the time to come up with ideas or start a professional blog.

For the details on these ideas and more read the article by clicking here.

LinkedIn Can Work for You!

By Larry French

This series has explored how you can establish yourself a LinkedIn Profile. It’s also featured brief articles on the various features LinkedIn offers you as tools in your own job search strategy. All of us who are job seekers can benefit in some way through the offerings LinkedIn has. If you’re serious in your job search, LinkedIn can be one of your most effective tools to get a specific job.

As I’ve stated in previous articles, I had to come to the realization that my work search methods from 20-years ago weren’t working in our current market place. I began looking at LinkedIn as a tool to get myself back into the job market. Thanks to LinkedIn, I now have a job. My personal journey to success may be different from the one you take. All of us are individuals. We each have specific needs, dreams, and goals that vary. The one thing we have in common is the need to succeed in what ever course we’re pursuing in the job market. Using LinkedIn you too can make it.

Thank You for Your Service

Cover from FALL 2011 USAA Magazine

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of those servicemen and women coming home. We all owe you for the sacrifice you gave in your service. Now that you’re home and rejoining the job market you too may want to take a look at LinkedIn.

The use of Keywords and wording in resumes and job descriptions may pose an initial challenge to transitioning military personnel. Don’t let the jargon discourage you. All of us have had to look at everything in a different perspective in these times. It’s not really all that daunting a task cross-referencing your skills. USAA magazine had an extremely helpful article in their 2011 Fall edition for transitioning servicemen and women, http://usaamagazine.com/fall2011/ . The article, On The Job Front provided pages for you to De-Jargon Your Resume, showing how tasks and jobs in the military can be translated into civilian application. For example, if you worked in reconnaissance that could be translated to data collection, survey, and analysis experience.

Adapt for Success

If you’re just getting started in your search to get back into the work force you’ve got lots of resources to help you. Check out the CBE and PRO-NET. Go to the CBE One-Stop Employment Division website at http://www.onestops.com/newindex.asp and check out their resources, such as the Job Seekers and Customized Services tabs. Schedule an appointment to meet with one of the staff to discuss your job search strategy and begin re-inventing yourself.

Larry French is a novelist, speaker, editorial writer, and content provider of Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, and Mathematics curriculum. He is now seeking a publisher for his first novel, Time Will Tell, The Awakening which blends his love of history and science and is set during the American Civil War. http://www.linkedin.com/pub/larry-french/12/213/534

Overcome Your Shyness to Become a Proficient Networker

Posted by: Darlene Duncan CWDP, JSS, CCC, JCTC, JCDC Training Coordinator

The self-imposed barrier of shyness is something to which I can definitely relate. It wasn’t that many years ago that it was impossible for me to even consider speaking before a group of people of any size. Even one-on-one interactions were difficult for me. Then one day I realized that if I wanted to succeed in promoting my books at books signings I was going to have to get over myself. With that goal in mind I joined Toastmasters. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would speak before audiences ranging from a few people to 300 people. However, I speak before a group of 34 at least once a week and I have presented to an audience of 300 people. If I can overcome my shyness to do what I needed to do, then you can do the same.

Networking is just a label given to the act of meeting people and connecting with them for your mutual benefit. While social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) has reduced the amount of face-to-face networking, it still needs to be an integral part of your job search. If you have a self-imposed barrier of shyness and feel that you’re not a good networker, you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone.

Whether it’s a simple social gathering or a formal networking event the advice in Dawn Rasmussen’s article can help you overcome that self-imposed barrier of shyness.

Your success at networking depends on your willingness to push yourself out of your comfort zone and put forth the necessary effort to succeed. I’m not saying you have to like networking. I am saying it should be a vital piece of your job search strategy and you need to become proficient at it.

Click here to read an article on overcoming shyness to improve your networking skills.