Do You Have A Skeleton LinkedIn Profile? (How’s That Working For You?)
𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲? 𝗜’𝗺 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗼.
Skeleton profiles are not only filled with missed opportunities to sell yourself to employers or potential clients. They make you look unsavvy. And who wants to hire someone who’s unsavvy?
Robust profiles tell people what you do AND why you do it. On the other hand, Skeleton profiles provide company names, job titles, and little else.
𝗦𝗞𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗢𝗡 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙𝗜𝗟𝗘
🔹 Headline – LinkedIn’s “default” headline, which is your current position
🔹 About section – A few lines that provide little information might even focus on your employer instead of you.
🔹 Experience – Job titles, maybe a few lines about what you did for your employers or clients.
“Nice Girls” Don’t Get Ahead. Strong Women Do.
Although I started my resume writing business in 2014, I’ve been in the career field over 2 decades. Over the years, I’ve read a lot of business books. Some books provide practical advice. Some provide inspiration. A few provide both.
As editor of career intelligence, The Savvy Careerist’s Resource, I had the chance to read the (then) recently published Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office: Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers by Lois P. Frankel, PhD. It was the revised edition of the New York Times best seller Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make which was published a decade before.
I saw myself on many of the pages. Besides practical advice the book is peppered with stories from Frankel’s coaching practice which provide real-life lessons.
As the title suggests, the book is set up as series of mistakes to avoid followed by coaching tips that can be implemented immediately. When I was offered the opportunity to interview Dr. Frankel, I jumped at the chance.
Want To Get Promoted? Up Your Game.
The proverb “all things come to those who wait” was meant to instill patience. The truth is, “everything comes to him who hustles while he waits,” attributed to Thomas Edison, is a better remembrance for those who want to get ahead in their career.
The days of getting promoted because you’ve been warming a chair for X number of years are over.
Today, you need to position yourself for advancement actively.
Build and Nurture Your Network
Whether you’re an executive or a young careerist, it’s easier to move ahead when you have help. Most people think of building a network as making external connections. However, establishing relationships within your organization is equally important, particularly if you’re angling for a promotion.
Attending industry events is a great way to meet new people; however, don’t forget about the people you work with now. Go beyond the company’s holiday party, take advantage of opportunities to meet colleagues at all levels. Work on the company newsletter or volunteer to help with the next event or participate in the “whatever” drive.
Get to know colleagues at all levels. Turn acquaintances into friends over lunch or dinner. I have too many friends, said no one ever.
How To Create A Career Path (And Why You Should)
Working at something you’re passionate about doesn’t automatically lead to job satisfaction. A large paycheck alone won’t necessarily make you happy at work either. It turns out, being on a career path with opportunities to move forward is almost as coveted as getting a raise.
The majority of professionals of all ages, responding to a 2019 CNBC/survey Monkey* online poll, said that more training or learning opportunities would most improve their job satisfaction after a higher salary. Having more paid time off came in second, and a more flexible schedule was third.
The survey noted that dissatisfied workers are more likely to cite a lack of career advancement than not feeling well compensated. “Four in 10 workers give their companies a negative rating on how well they help their employees advance their careers,” said Jon Cohen, SurveyMonkey Chief Research Officer.
How To Establish Yourself As A Thought Leader
A tight job market means tougher competition. People who hadn’t considered moving a couple of years ago are passively looking. Those casually looking have transitioned from passive to active job seekers.
Today, standing out from your competition is essential.
If you’re a senior executive or pursing those roles, one of the best strategies is to have others see you as an authority in your industry, a thought leader.
One way to be recognized as a thought leader is to share knowledge with your community.
3 Career Lessons From The Presidential Election
Today marks one of the most historical elections of our lives. It’s also the end of a divisive election season. One that most of us are eager to see end.
While this is not a political post, there are many career lessons to be learned from this election cycle. Here are 3 things to remember.
Be Careful with Email
My grandmother used to say don’t put anything in writing that you wouldn’t want to see in the paper. Today, that goes for email as well. While it’s unlikely that your email will be hacked by a foreign entity you can’t control who, besides the intended party, will read it.