This interview first appeared on OpenColleges.“Most students I talk to are seniors with five people in their LinkedIn network. This is a huge mistake.”1. What is your number 1 tip for getting a job after finishing study?Don’t wait until your final months to get serious about your career. I did that. I waited until my last week and made some pretty bad choices out of desperation. (Like following some girl I barely knew to Ja...

Inevitably, in every audience I speak to, there are people who find some reason NOT to follow my advice on using social media for their job search.Sometimes these people really want jobs but are overwhelmed. Sometimes they simply don’t want to get a job and change their situation.As long as you are willing to adopt NEW ways of doing things, NEW things will happen.To help you identify where your resistance may be coming from...

On a retina tracking headmap that was released a few years ago, your current position is viewed first, after your picture and headline. That means what you claim to do now defines you and your candidacy. If you are unemployed, it can be difficult overcoming this challenge. What do you put as a current position when you don’t have one? Here’s an unfortunate truth, recruiters tend to favor people who are currently e...

I remember the first job interview I had as a soon-to-be-minted MBA. It was with a financial investment firm in the suburbs of Boston.The first two interviews were fine, normal, followed the script. But the third and last interview didn’t.My interviewer wore a full beard, not common in the financial industry. And he looked at me, pushed my resume away and said, “What’s a job you took that’s not on this resume?”I told him ho...

I understand. Your industry isn’t on the list of available industries on LinkedIn. Mine isn’t either. The problem is that this little tid-bit of data you’re leaving off makes it hard for your audience to figure out what you do. In fact, my eye often goes to a profile’s Industry before I decide to accept a connection request or reply to an InMail. The Industry provides the context needed for someone to relate to you. The pro...

I won’t lie to you and tell you that your Education section the most important section of your profile. It’s not. Even for students. By itself, it’s not. But as a whole, leaving this part out makes your entire profile seem incomplete. Back in the days when you could judge your profiles completeness based on a percentage, this section was worth 20% of your overall score. When you leave it out, you’re giving readers of your p...

I was reading Chris Brogan‘s newsletter and really resonated with a paragraph of his about how using the same message across all social media platforms is just wrong. He didn’t spend much time on it, though, so I want to elaborate. By the way, Chris Brogan is at the forefront of social media and internet marketing. He’s been blogging since 1998 and is considered by many to be one of the leading internet marketing gu...

I tell my clients that they will be Googled as surely as it will rain in Portland. The latest survey said that 81% of employers WILL Google candidates. Online reputation management is a critical piece of your online job search. There is just no getting around it. Quick story, when I Googled my name 1 year ago, I was a convicted felon and a prolific New York Gynecologist, neither profession was something I wanted to be conne...

Ever hear the expression, “It’s easier to get a job when you already have one?” Well, it’s true! When I was at Cisco back in 2008, I had recruiters contacting me almost every single week. As soon as I was laid off, they disappeared. Advertising to the world, “I’m looking for a job” is the fastest way to scare recruiters off. Somehow “unemployed” became synonymous with “unemployable”. This type of unemployment discrimination...

Last week, I received an info interview request from a stranger as a direct message on LinkedIn. Despite my very busy schedule, I decided to take his call. Over the weekend, I asked myself, “Why did I agree?” Let’s take his email apart and put it into four essential elements so you can use them in your own LinkedIn networking communications. Networking with strangers on LinkedIn can give you great results if you’re...