Double the Number of Recommendations on Linkedin

How to ask for — and get — recommendations that will catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.

According to  recruiters and hiring managers who were surveyed. When considering candidates, recruiters do say that they notice these 3 things about recommendations on LinkedIn:

1. They count to make sure there is a strong ratio between the number of connections and the number of recommendations. A large network with few recommendations is a red flag.
2. An equal number of recommendations received to recommendations given is a red flag. It makes it look like the recommendations were mere reciprocity.
3. Recruiters look for quality (meaty) recommendations, and disregard flaky or fluffy ones as not credible.

So, how can you increase your number of meaty recommendations?

How to Ask for LinkedIn Recommendations

Here is a way to ask for a freshly written recommendation without burdening your manager with a one to two  page letter.

• Remind them that a LinkedIn rec isn’t a full letter; it takes only about 10 minutes and doesn’t need to be longer than three short paragraphs.
• Give them something specific to recommend about you. For example, “Would you mind talking about the ATT project we did together and the role I played?”
• Suggest three specific personality or professional traits you want them to mention. For example, “Would you mind mentioning my work ethic, ability to work in teams, and depth of experience working with large enterprise accounts?”

The Anatomy of a Good LinkedIn Recommendation

Being specific in your request will help you avoid the “She’s a good person” type of recommendation. But you might also suggest the following format to help them whip something up even faster.
Qualify your relationship with the person: “I’ve known Jane for 5 years, and during this time, we’ve worked on countless projects together.”
Show that you’ve already taken action to vouch for them: “When I became a manager in the department, I specifically requested that she join my new team.” 
Describe a project they worked on that exemplifies a professional quality such as leadership or initiative: “On a project with ATT, we were in danger of delivering late. Jane stepped up and found three additional resources to share the work. Through her leadership, we saved the project and ... ”
Close the recommendation with a call to action by re-emphasizing those professional qualities: “If you are looking for a super organized, easy to get along with and tenacious project manager, Jane would be my first choice.”

Do you have a linkedin account? lets connect  www.linkedin.com/in/cmoonzwe/

How to Handle Voicemail for a Resume Follow-Up

When you phone a potential employer to follow up on your resume, you may be diverted to the manager's voicemail. If leaving a voicemail message becomes your only option, you should make the message count. This will help ensure that you'll get a chance at actually speaking to the contact.

Tips for dealing with voicemail

When you can’t break through voicemail, leave a short message showing upbeat interest, not desperation — and a time when you will call back.

My name is Maureen Fisher, and I’m calling you because I'm very interested in your Clinical Manager position, I have the skill set and clinical expertise to get the job done. I think you have my resume. If you like what you see, can we talk? I’ll call you tomorrow morning at 11:30 to set a convenient time.

Pronounce your name clearly and say your telephone number at a moderate pace. Give the hiring manager a chance to write it down without replaying the message.

How often should you call? Some job search experts suggest calling every five to ten days. But busy employers insist that — unless you’re in sales or another field requiring a demonstration of persistence — after you’re certain your resume was received, call one to two weeks later, and then no more than once every three to four weeks.

Following up by phone is your most effective tool, but you should, from time to time, substitute contacts by sending notes or e-mail with additional facts about your qualifications, ideas to solve a problem you know the company is facing, a news clipping of mutual interest, or just an expression of our continuing interest in working for the company and the manager. I would also recommend that you attempt to connect with a potential employer on Linkedin

Avoid asking the employer to call you back

Avoid asking that employers call you back. Even if you leave your contact information, the chances of your getting a return call are slim to none. Instead, leave a very brief message indicating that you'll call again at a specific time. You may have to make a dozen calls before connecting, each time again giving a time frame for your next call. The trick is to

·  Set a specific time and keep your word, which makes you look like a reliable person.

·  Use phrases that prevent the target from feeling “guilty” for missing your call after call. (“Please don’t feel bad about missing my call. Afternoons may be better for you”)

Find a hook (an enticing bit of information about your accomplishments) for each time you call back. In the following examples, the hook is in italics:

• Monday ( week 1): Sorry I missed you; I'll try again Wednesday afternoon. I'm hoping to meet and go into detail about my sales channel strategy, which could work very well for you.
• Wednesday ( week 2): Too bad we missed connecting today. I'll get back to you tomorrow to explain how I worked the lost-customer database and reclaimed 38 percent of them as paying customers. Until tomorrow, then . . .
• Thursday (week 3): You undoubtedly have your plate full, which is why you need to meet with me — I’m persistent and I follow through. I'll get back with you next week. I want to help

Tips:

•  Make sure you customize your messages specifically using key words that are related to the job you are interested in.
• Write your script out prior to dialing the number.

Related article: Professional Email Address and Voicemail Message 

The Perfect Elevator Pitch To Land A Job

If you’re looking for a job, one of the first tasks on your to-do list should be crafting an ideal “elevator pitch.” It’s the 30-second speech that summarizes who you are, what you do and why you’d be a perfect candidate. You should be able to reel off your elevator pitch at any time, from a job fair to a  job interview even at a  cocktail party conversation with someone who might be able to help you land a position. Regardless of where you are in your career path, having a well thought out elevator speech is critical.

1. Clarify your job target.
 Nail down the best way to describe your field and the type of job you’re pursuing. Until you can clearly explain the type of position you want, nobody can help you find it or hire you to do it.
2. Put it on paper. Write down everything you’d want a prospective employer to know about your skills, accomplishments and work experiences that are relevant to your target position. Then grab a red pen and mercilessly delete everything that’s not critical to your pitch.
Keep editing until you’ve got the speech down to a few key bullet points or sentences.I recommend  3 to 4 bullet points
3. Format it. A good pitch should answer three questions: Who are you? What do you do? What are you looking for?
 “Hi. I am Jessica Hill. I am an accountant with 10 years experience in the insurance industry and I’m looking for opportunities in the Dallas area with both insurance and finance companies.” That speech would take about 15 seconds. Jessica would then want to use her next 15 seconds to add details about her unique selling proposition, special skills and specific ways she could help a potential employer.
If you are a new grad  Hi. I'am Jessica Smith . I have the experience and the attitude to excel in this production assistant position. I have almost two years of television production experience — including two summers interning at The Ellen Show, where I was exposed to all aspects of TV production and worked so hard the first summer that they invited me back for a second summer and gave me more responsibilities.
4. Tailor the pitch to them, not you. It’s important to remember that the people listening to your speech will have their antennas tuned to WIFM (What’s in It for Me?) So be sure to focus your message on their needs.
For example, this introduction: “I am a human resources professional with 10 years experience working for consumer products companies.” The pitch would be more powerful if you said, “I am a human resources professional with a strong track record in helping to identify and recruit top-level talent into management.”
Using benefit-focused terminology will help convince an interviewer that you have the experience, savvy and skills to get the job done at his or her business.
5. Eliminate industry jargon. You need to make your pitch easy for anyone to understand, so avoid using acronyms and tech-speak that the average person or job interviewer might not understand.
The last thing you want to do is make your listener feel stupid or uninformed.
6. Read your pitch out loud. As Fast Company’s Deborah Grayson Riegel recently pointed out in her article “The Problem With Your Elevator Pitch and How to Fix It,” writing is more formal and structured than speaking. If you’re not careful, your elevator pitch can come off sounding more like an infomercial than a conversation.
Reading it aloud then tinkering with the words will help you sound more authentic.
7. Practice, practice, practice (then solicit feedback). Rehearse your pitch in front of a mirror or use the recording capabilities of your computer, so you can see and hear how you sound.
This might feel awkward at first, but the more you practice, the smoother your delivery will be.
8. Prepare a few variations. You might want to say things slightly differently to an interviewer than to a former colleague. Also, sometimes you’ll just have 15 seconds for a pitch (kind of a short elevator ride), other times you may have a minute or two.
So focus on mastering a few key talking points then work up ways to customize your speech for particular situations.
9. Nail it with confidence. The best-worded elevator pitch in the world will fall flat unless it’s conveyed well. When you give the speech, look the person in the eye, smile and deliver your message with a confident, upbeat delivery.
Get your pitch right and you might soon find yourself riding an actual elevator at your new job.

Reference:  http://www.forbes.com/

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The Department of Labor expands opportunities for all Americans, keep workers safe, and helps ensure workers are able to provide for their families and keep what they earn. The Department is getting America back to work though a wide range of training programs, nearly 3000 One-Stop Career Centers nationwide, and new online tools to connect Americans with good jobs and training resources in their local communities. For further information please see: www.dol.gov

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National Association of State Workforce Agencies

NASWA is a private non-profit association representing state workforce agencies.  State agencies serve jobseekers in various ways, such as: preparing for and finding employment, assessing job skills, understanding local labor market information, facilitating access to job-training, and providing unemployment insurance benefits to eligible workers.  With DirectEmployers, NASWA provides jobseekers and employers the National Labor Exchange, a resource connecting workers to current jobs nationwide.   Please visit www.naswa.org/index.cfm?action=statemap  for further information.

Download the NASWA Annual Report 

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National Association of Colleges and Employers

NACE is the leading source of information about the employment of new college graduates. NACE tracks the job market, reports on starting salaries, and provides job-search resources—including a job posting system, salary calculator, and how-to articles. Since 1956, NACE, a nonprofit association, has been serving college career center professionals who work with students and alumni and HR professionals who recruit graduates for their work forces. Please visit www.naceweb.org for more information

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DirectEmployers

DirectEmployers Association is proud to participate in this partnership to get America back to work by providing job seekers nearly one million jobs from over 90,000 vetted hiring employers through the National Labor Exchange and soon through Facebook.This initiative will be powerful in helping people find and share relevant jobs while making recruitment easier for employers all across the nation. Please visit www.DirectEmployers.org for further information.

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Career One Stop

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Job Corps

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