If you had to choose one single job search tool in addition to a professional resume to assist in your career success it should be a professional profile on Linkedin. Over 80% of recruiters are searching online for potential candidates and more jobs are found as a result of networking than all other job search tools combined.

Linkedinhas a network of over 90 million users in addition to extensive data for companies, groups and jobs. Available applications include reading lists by Amazon, SlideShare presentations, polls, events and WordPress, to name just a few. If you have not yet created your Linkedin profile, sign up now for a Linkedin Basic account which is free and be sure to customize your public profile URL.   

If you have already established your Linkedin account you may have some questions regarding the basic account which is free versus a paid premium account. A Social Media Examiner article by Linda Coles, 10 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Linkedin Account provides a very informative list of the advantages. You may want to start with #10 Sneak Peeks!

Contact Elite Resumes for a free resume critiquefrom a Certified Professional Resume Writer. A professional resume will provide the ideal content to cut and paste and ensure an impressive Linkedin profile.  

If you are one of over 80 million professionals with a profile on Linkedin, have you checked your Network Statistics lately? Linkedin provides an exceptional social media site for professionals to network, share information, join groups, find company information and present a positive impression to HR professionals and recruiters but it also provides some interesting Network Statistics.   

By selecting Network Statistics located on your Contacts tab you are able to see the total number of 1st degree, 2nd degree and 3rd degree connections as well as the total number of users that you could connect to through an introduction. Also included are the number of new people who have joined your network within the last few days as well as the the total number of users on Linkedin. Following this are Regional and Industry statistics, all of which should be reviewed on a regular basis.    

Need help with your social media presence? Contact Elite Resumes.

There are many professional networking sites which offer exceptional opportunities to expand your professional network and access to a wealth of information. Do not hesitate to investigate the many options available and create your online profile on ZoomInfo, Xing, Google, Naymz, VisualCV, Twitter or a  Facebook Page. However, there is one site that should be considered mandatory, Linkedin. With over 65 million users today, Linkedin has experienced unprecedented growth and is listed as the top resource by HR professionals and recruiters making it the #1 professional networking site.

Establishing a professional online profile is fast becoming the most influential component of a successful career. Whether gainfully employed or in career transition, a Linkedin profile is critical. Opportunity is the key to success and Linkedin will generate opportunities for you if utilized in a proper, professional manner.

Not unlike your resume, the content for your Linkedin profile must be clear, concise and highlight your achievements. Click on the edit beside your Linkedin URL and customize it, removing the dots, dashes and numbers and share the link on  your resume, other online profiles and add it to your email signature. Status updates should be maintained on a regular basis and received messages should be responded to within 24 hours. Join appropriate groups and contribute to discussions. Always remember that networking online or in person involves a balance of giving and receiving in order to establish long lasting, successful relationships. Be confident and honest in sharing what your needs are but don’t forget to advise what you are able to give back in return.

One aspect of Linkedin that you should pay strict attention to is the proper etiquette when requesting to connect with another professional. DO NOT request to add a connection using  the canned text, “I would like to add you to my professional network” without further elaboration. Include an explanation of why you want to add the individual to your network. Advise if you have met them before. If so, where and when? Give them a reason to connect with you. A conscious decision to connect with strangers without explanation could result in the potential respondent selecting the option, ”I don’t know this user”, rather than accepting your invitation. This will then block you from connecting with this individual again and your rating/reputation will be negatively impacted. 

As with any organization, there are rules, policies and a proper etiquette that should be respected and adhered to when establishing and maintaining your professional profile. Don’t miss out on the potential for unlimited opportunities by utilizing Linkedin, the #1 professional networking site.

Have you established your professional profile on Linkedin? For further information regarding an online presence contact Elite Resumes.

Are you one of the 10 million active subscribers on Twitter? Or maybe you are one of the 266 million currently using Facebook? Perhaps you are one of the 47 millionactive users on Linkedin?

These and other online networking sites continue to attract users at a phenominal rate. LinkedIn members increased by 143% in one year and you can be assured that this professional online networking site is being used extensively by recruiters and HR professionals. Can you be found? Even if you are not currently in career transition, creating an online presence and establishing your personal brand could position you within a network of very valuable connections.

Creating your online profiles requires a substantial investment of time and establishing your personal brand is an immeasurable commitment. Since the average job search in Canada takes about 18 weeks and approximately 80% will secure employment through personal associates and business contacts, what better way to initiate those contacts than online?

The search capabilities on most of the online networking sites are extensive and will allow you to easily target specific industries and colleagues. As few as 50 connections on Linkedin have the potential to connect you with friends of friends, (two degrees away) in the thousands and their friends, (three degrees away) in the millions!

What are you waiting for? If you see this as a daunting task, contact Elite Resumes for professional support. Your online profile is a critical component in managing a successful, executive career. 

Linkedin is one of the top, online, professional networking sites. The key word here is “networking” so why would anyone establish a profile on Linkedin and set their contact settings to display:  John Smith…”is not currently open to receiving Introductions or InMail™”?

It really is amazing to see the number of people on a networking site who have chosen account settings that restrict contacts. There is a reason invitation filtering recommends “notify me of all invitations“. For most, the objective of establishing a profile on Linkedin is to enhance your online presence by openly linking in with other professionals and creating a significant network of connections to interact with. 

The success of all relationships, whether friends, family, business relationships or professional networkers, is strongly influenced by a very simple premise: giving and receiving. On Giving and Receiving, Shakti Gawain, Living Life Fully says, “Our abilities to give and receive are at the core of our capacity to create and experience true prosperity..…receiving and giving are opposite energies that are inextricably linked together in the natural flow of life, like inhaling and exhaling. If one aspect of that cycle doesn’t function, the entire cycle ceases to function and the life force cannot move freely. If you can’t inhale, you will soon have nothing to exhale, and before long your body will be unable to continue living.” This is a simple analogy but one that can easily be related to the potential demise of networking if you are solely focused on receiving and not on giving.

First impressions are extremely powerful influences so check your Linkedin account settings to be sure you are perceived as someone who is as willing to give as you are to receive.  

If you have a professional career or are looking for one, chances are you have a LinkedIn profile.  When you created your profile you also generated a URL address that consisted of numbers and dashes, www.linkedin.com/in/m-buckland-749/729/75. You have the opportunity to maintain this address to consist solely of your name instead of the numbers and dashes that were automatically generated. This is an address that I recommend be included with your contact details wherever possible, including your resume. So be sure to make the effort to customize it to your name. Too often I come across someone’s LinkedIn address and it still has the original url that was automatically generated. Check your profile and make sure your LinkedIn url address consists of your name without the dashes and numbers. It only takes a second to show you pay attention to detail and maintaining a professional image. www.linkedin.com/in/mbuckland

Do you have a completed LinkedinProfile? If you are questioning the significance of a presence on Linkedin, please take the time to review the 2009 Social Recruitment Survey Results from Jobvite.

You may not be in career transition today but there’s no guarantee that you won’t be next month, next year or the year after that. Here are a few results from Jobvites’ survey:

80% of the companies surveyed are using or planning to use social networking to find and attract candidates this year. 95% of those using social networking sites for recruiting are using Linkedin. Those using Facebook increased from 36% last year to 59% this year. Twitter is now ranked third with 42% of recruiters using it to source candidates.

Since Twitter was not even ranked last year it is evident how quickly an online presence has evolved into a critical  job search tool that rivals that of a resume!

If you wish to succeed in your job search it is imperative to add an online presence in addition to your professional resume and cover letter. According to these survey results, I recommend starting with Linkedin!

Job search tips and resources are so abundantly available today that the time required in order to read all of them them would probably take you into retirement!  In order to help you sort through the mountains of blogs and articles I’m sharing some tips and resources that I have recently come across from industry colleagues that will be of interest and value to you in your job search.

Alison Doyle has covered job searching for About.com since 1998.  A renowned job search expert and author, Alison shares information on Twitter.com and Using Twitter to Job Search.

Twitter Yourself a Job is another interesting article offering good advice by Jonnelle Marte, published in The Wall Steet Journal.

Are You LinkedIn? As a job search tool, LinkedIn should be at the top of your list but how you use it will definitely have an impact in achieving results.  Louise Fletcher writes, The 7 Mistakes You’re Probably Making on LinkedIn, at Blue Sky Resumes Blog, The inside scoop on getting (and keeping) a great job.

8 Little-Known Tricks for The Job Hunt by Liz Ryan, an internationally recognized expert on careers and the new millennium workplace, includes adding a signature to your outgoing email and linking your LinkedIn profile URL to it. Simple and effective.

And finally, Take control of your own brand, by Lesley Everett, professional speaker and executive personal branding coach.  Whether you are building your personal brand within an organization or independently, ”Who you really are”, “Dress like you mean it” and “Be interested and visible” are all key points to succeeding with your personal brand.

Elite Resumes is committed to assisting you achieve success in your career. Contact Martin Buckland for information on executive career management services including, a professional resume, job search strategies, personal branding, executive coaching and outplacement services.

If you are interested in successfully managing your career, you must have a profile on LinkedIn!  Described as a business-oriented social networking site, LinkedIn has more than 30 million registered users spanning 150 industries.  Their philosophy, ”Relationships matter.  Your professional relationships are key to your professional success.”

As a  job search tool, LinkedIn offers increased visibility and connections and the opportunity to be found by employers or recruiters.  Not unlike your resume, this is a tool providing you with the opportunity to sell yourself. It will be effective if it is professional, accurate and focussed. The information you provide is key to achieving your career goals. But if you do not provide details regarding what it is that you are looking for and what it is that you have to offer, you will miss out on potential opportunities.

Martin Buckland, President of Elite Resumes, “I am passionate about helping the $100k+ executive and those who aspire to become business leaders manage their careers.“

Martin Buckland has 948 connections resulting in 10 million contacts! www.linkedin.com/in/mbuckland