LinkedIn - the world of online networking!

LinkedIn is a great resource for professional networking online.  Since networking should be a huge part of your job search, connecting on LinkedIn is both beneficial and a necessity in today’s job search toolkit!  If you don’t already have an account, you should definitely get one!  The website is easy to navigate and setting up your profile is easy because you can upload your current resume and edit from there.  Technology is becoming a crucial part of our lives, be assured, potential employers will check out your online presence and being on networking websites will benefit you.

Cool things about LinkedIn:

·         Your resume is online for potential employers to view; this includes a summary of your skills/experience and chronological information about work history and educational history.

·         You can request recommendations from former co-workers/managers, etc.  These recommendations are posted directly on your profile.

·         You can see who has viewed your profile and there is a chart showing the number of views per month; this allows you to see if an employer who you have submitted your resume to has checked you out online!

·         You can connect with a ton of people that could potential be your next boss or know of job leads!

·         You can connect with people who can provide you useful information about various industries, hiring practices, and other information.

·         You can connect with groups related to your profession for tons of information sharing and advice.

·         Get up-to-date information about various companies and what jobs they have available.

·         View others profiles that are in your same/related occupation and see what type of training/skills they have that you may require to enhance your employability!

·         Get introduced to professionals that may assist you with your job goals (ie: HR department recruiter) through your own contacts

·         Access the Learning Centre at any time to answer any questions about the website, navigation, how-to, etc.

Strengthening your Employability

With spring-time right around the corner, why not freshen up your employability!

While you are unemployed, its a great time to take advantage of any workshops, seminars, short-term training and classes that may be available to you to strengthen your employability and give you that edge above other candidates. There are many tools on the internet that allow you to view occupations and the requirements for working in those occupations.  Its a good idea to make sure that you are up-to-date on any professional development that will make you more employable. 

In our segment about Career Exploration we provided links to websites that assist with exploring occupations.  These websites are also useful for determining the skills/experience needed for certain occupations and you can use these sites to research the newest professional development, skills and qualifications needed for employment in your specific industry.

~Sunny & Sassy