How Confident are You in Finding a Job After Graduation?
This is the second post in a series to help recent college graduates and current undergraduates get jobs. "Should Recent College Graduates & Current Undergraduates Learn LinkedIn?" is the first in this series.
I reviewed the six videos in the LinkedIn Grad Guide Video Series. The six (6) LinkedIn Grad Guide videos are in post #1 of this series. Here are my favorites videos with their key points summarized.
LinkedIn Grad Guide Video 2: Building Your Professional Brand
1. Grad school admissions officers and recruiters Google you before deciding to meet you in-person.
2. 70% of employers rejected a job candidate because of information they found on online.
3. 85% of employers say a candidate's positive online reputation influences their decisions.
4. "It's no longer enough to simply have a resume. Students now need a professional online presence." — Holly Paul, former US Recruiting Leader, PriceWaterHouse Coopers (now Chief Human Resources Officer, Vocus).
5. Ask you professors, campus job managers, and internship supervisors for LinkedIn Recommendations.
LinkedIn Grad Guide Video 4: Building a Professional Network
6. 70% of jobs are found through networking.
7. Write a brief, polite, and personalized "connection request" when asking someone to be part of their LinkedIn network.
- Don't Use LinkedIn's Generic Invites. The generic invitation message "I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn" isn't enough.
- Generic LinkedIn Invites Usually Get Deleted. Personally, I reject all generic invitation requests (especially if I've never met the person). Unless, I know the requester really well, the generic LinkedIn invite leads to automatic deletion.
LinkedIn Grad Guide Video 5: Turning Relationships into Opportunities
8. A 4-Step Template for Asking Someone to Network with You
This template doesn't guarantee acceptance of your invitation. But, following these steps helps differentiate your LinkedIn invitation from the generic "I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn" requests.
- Use the Subject Line Wisely. Mention your connection to the person in the subject line.
- Write a Concise Intro. Keep your introduction to who you are and your reason for connecting.
- Make Your Ask. Never directly ask someone for a job; Ask for general career advice on a particular industry or company.
- Say Thank You. Politely thank the person for considering your request.
9. Ask Your "1st Degree Connections" for Introductions to "2nd Degree Connections"
Look for mutual connections to a job opening or a person within the targeted company. This is especially important when you don't have a direct link or "an in" with someone connected to an opportunity you're want interested in.
LinkedIn Grad Guide Video 6: Researching and Prepping for the Interview
This MUST WATCH video is required preparation for informational interviews (e.g., someone who might not be directly connected to a job opportunity), and the all-important first, formal interview.
Why? Recruiters say knowledge about their company is one of the most important factors in landing a job.
10. The 4 Types of Information to Know When Preparing for a Job Interview
- General Company and Employee Information: the company's mission, products, services, and markets
- Industry / Competitive knowledge: the company's industry and its competition
- Insider Secrets: knowledge about the company's culture / mindset that only "an insider" (usually a current or former employee) can provide
- Ongoing Updates: keeping up-to-date on company news (and its relevant competitors)
11. LinkedIn's Company Pages Can Identify Potential Interviewers
Along with general company information (what the company does, number of global offices, available jobs that may interest you, etc.), Company Pages can identify important information about your potential interviewers:
- Educational Backgrounds: the interviewer's college major(s) and alma mater
- Company Career Paths
- Common LinkedIn 1st Degree Connections Shared with the Employee
- Social Media Participation (do any of your potential interviewers use Twitter or publish personal blogs)
- Things You and the Interviewer Share in Common
Demonstrate you did your homework by not only researching the company but also by learning about the people participating in the interviewing process. Identifying things you and your interviewer(s) have in common (and tactfully discussing them at appropriate points during the interview) can positively differentiate you among other applicants.
12. LinkedIn Groups Can Help You Learn Important Industry Knowledge
During the interview, you'll want to be conversant in a number of key topics about the company's industry such as:
- The "industry lingo" used by people working in that line of work
- Relevant news events affecting the company (and its competitors)
- Key people within the industry
Demonstrating your industry knowledge is HUGE. Leverage LinkedIn Groups to your competitive advantage and further differentiate yourself!
13. You May Have a 1st Degree LinkedIn Connection (or a 2nd Degree LinkedIn Connection) Who Can Share Important Insider Secrets
Remember, a 1st degree connection is someone you're already directly connected to in LinkedIn. A second degree connection is someone you are not directly connected to (but one of your 1st degree connections may be connected to this person).
2nd degree connections are vitally important because your 1st degree connections may be able to provide a "warm referral" to them. And, that provides you another competitive advantage over other interviewees competing for the same position.
More importantly, 1st and 2nd degree connections can reveal important "tribal knowledge" available only to current or former employees (e.g., valuable "insider secrets") like:
- Company Culture
- The Employee Traits the Company Values
- Company Leaders You Should be Familiar With
Conclusion
Remember, it requires a lot of people "to say yes" during the hiring process but only one "to say no."
Therefore, minimize your risk and maximize your opportunity by investing 30 minutes investment to study these videos.
Please stay tuned for post #3 in this series (around 2 weeks from this post's publication). I'll summarize books by marketing gurus that can help recent college graduates or current undergraduates build a professional online presence.
Your Turn: What do you think of the advice in the LinkedIn Grad Guide Videos? How well do you think the LinkedIn Grad Guide Videos can help recent college graduates (or current undergraduates) find full-time jobs and internships? Let me know in the comments.
Tony Faustino is a marketing and corporate strategist. He writes about how The Internet reinvents marketing strategy for organizations and individuals in his marketing strategy blog, Social Media ReInvention. Follow his tweets @tonyfaustino or circle him on Google+.
Photo Credit: by MAURO CATEB via flickr
Note: This is post two in a series sharing resources to help new college graduates and current students land full-time jobs or internships. If interested, here are links to other posts in this series:
Posted with Blogsy
Thank you for this article.