This is the most important one as you not only have to persuade them that you are the best candidate, but you must also gauge for yourself whether this is the best job for you.

In short, you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.

5 Important Questions to Ask in a Second Interview

You don’t want to be in a new job search too soon, so use this interview to determine if this opportunity is a good fit for you.

Here are some key second interview questions to ask to gain a competitive edge over candidates and also help you decide if you really want this job.

1. What is the biggest challenge someone will face in this job in the first 6 months?

Hopefully you asked this question before as it is the most important question to ask in an interview.

It helps you to identify their immediate “pain.”

This also allows you to describe how you have successfully faced and managed similar challenges before.

2. What are the biggest obstacles I would face in meeting this challenge?

Although you have dealt with this obstacle before, the people and conditions are probably different so ask the interviewer’s opinion as to what obstacles you would face.

There are generally three types of obstacles: people, systems and processes.

Finding out which of these is the biggest obstacle lets you open a dialog (remember people hire people they like so turning the interview into a conversation is important) about your ability to influence changes in these areas.

This question can also be a good way to start a discussion, brainstorming with the interviewer about the best tactics to use in their organization.

3. Who had this job before?

It is important to know whether this is a newly created position or if someone had this role before.

If it is not a new role, then you want to know what happened to the previous person in this job.

If the Previous Person Was Promoted

If they got a promotion, that’s good news as it shows you could have growth here. Ask what results they produced that earned them the promotion, and how long they were in the position before they were promoted.

If the Previous Person Was Terminated

If they were let go, then you should ask what caused their termination:

• If it was for performance issues then try to determine what went wrong. Perhaps the goals were too lofty or they were ineffective in advocating change.
• You also want to know how long they were in the position before being let go as that tells you a lot about the corporate culture.

This is an important area. It lets you gauge the kind of manager you would have. Assuming you are speaking to the manager at this point, ask what went wrong and what they would have done differently.

There are generally two kinds of managers: (1) those who hold you accountable but do not particularly assist you, and (2) those who partner with you to help you navigate the waters to success.

Remember that the number one reason someone likes or hates their job is their manager so you want to determine what kind of manager they are.

Also, and if you can, try to find the person on LinkedIn and connect with them to hear their side of the story.

For example, Bill was newly hired into a branch manager role and immediately faced a serious customer issue where the work performed missed the deadline and was of a poor quality. The customer was demanding a refund.

Since this was before Bill’s time, he called his boss who essentially told Bill that they were not giving a refund and they were not redoing the work so “figure it out Bill” was what he was told. They were essentially holding him accountable for a problem he did not cause and were offering zero guidance or assistance as to a remedy. This is when Bill realized he chose the wrong job.

4. How is job performance in this role measured?

It is important to know if they have tangible, measurable goals for this position:

• If they do not, then your growth could be at the mercy of a subjective opinion.
• If they have goals, ask them what they are and try to determine if they are achievable.

Ask about the past performance of others in the job and their success in meeting the targets.

Determine how the goals are set, by whom, and whether, in the manager’s opinion, they are attainable.

Don’t forget to find out the timeframe to achieve these goals.

5. How would you describe your management style?

This is where you start to determine the kind of manager you would have in this job. Try to learn if you would be working for a micro-manager or an abusive boss.

Ask whether there are regular meetings or reports required and their frequency. Try to determine how much interaction you would have.

For example, if they tell you that you would have a meeting every day, then this might be a micro-manager who will make you crazy.

Other questions include “How would your staff describe you?” and “How would you describe your dream employee?”

For example, Sue asked this question of her future boss and was told: “I have a lot of things on my plate so I will not be micro-managing you. I have one golden rule: I expect you to deliver a high level of quality on time and if you think you are not going to be able to do that, then let me know in advance so we can jointly create a solution.” Sue heard this and took the job.

Bottom Line on Second Interview Questions to Ask

Asking these questions should help you build stronger rapport with the decision makers and let you determine if this is the kind of position you want.

More Job Interview Tips:

• Smart Answers to Interview Questions
• 50+ Good Questions to Ask the Interviewers
• 45 Questions You Should NOT to Ask in Job Interviews
• Interview Preparation with Smart Google Research
• 50+ Google Searches to Avoid Bad Employers and Pending Layoffs.

About the author…

Don Goodman is a triple-certified nationally recognized career professional (Expert Resume Writer, Certified Career Coach, and Job Search Strategist) with over 20 years of experience helping thousands of people quickly land their next job. Don graduated from the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University’s Executive Program.
More about this author…

The post Questions to Ask in the Second or Third Interview appeared first on Job-Hunt.

A common question that will be asked in a job interview is “Why do you want this job?”

Consider this as your opportunity to position yourself and gain a competitive advantage over other candidates.

Walk in well-prepared to give a solid answer.

A good answer requires some forethought and preparation that will make it easier to answer this question for other opportunities, too. This preparation will also help you focus your job search, essential for success.

[MORE: Smart Answers to Interview Questions and Job Interview Answer: Why Do You Want to Work Here?]

Prepare for Job Interview Success: Why Do You Want This Job?

First of all, even if the question is not asked, you should clearly know why you really want the job.

I often work with clients as a career coach to help them determine their next career move.

To help my clients consider what is important to them and where their career should go next, I introduce a simple tool called the Career Matrix.

Use a Career Matrix to Determine Why You Want This (or Any) Job

Applying the Career Matrix to this new opportunity will help you determine why you want this job and the others you interview for.

To create your Career Matrix:

1. Write down the four to six things that are most important to you in a job.

For example, money is always on the chart so start by putting down the amount of money you would like for a new position. Then, ask yourself what else is important to you. These could include:

• Salary/compensation.
• Customer-facing activities.
• Variety of work.
• Being part of a team.
• Working for a company with a good reputation.
• Working for a company which is growing rapidly.
• Additional training opportunities.
• Opportunities for growth in 3 years.
• Company stability.
• Using specific tools or technologies.
• Recognition.
• Camaraderie.
• Commute length.
• Work schedule.
• Whatever is important to you not on this list.

Note: Do not put down a good boss or good benefits as those are a given.

Remember that these areas are identified for your insight and not necessarily for you to share with the employer. Use them to help you develop your answer to this job interview question. (More on that below.)

2. Now prioritize your entries.

If making a specific salary is most important to you, then rank that #1. However, if you are willing to sacrifice some money now for continued training, then training has a higher priority.

3. Evaluate your current (or former) job and the job you are interviewing for.

After ranking all your categories, now evaluate your current/former job on a 1-10 scale for each category in the chart and see how it ranks. This helps you see clearly why you are not happy in your current position and will give you an indication of why you are interested in the new opportunity.

When you have completed the Matrix for your current/former job, consider how the job you are interviewing for meets your needs. Make note of those points where the new job fits your preferences.

The Career Matrix sounds simple, but it does require some personal insight.

I coached a woman who was doing great in her job but was seriously unhappy and did not know why. As a data analyst, she was chained to her desk with little people interaction and never heard a kind word about her performance.

In coaching, we discovered that she was an extrovert, liked interacting with a variety of people, solving problems, and being recognized. Suddenly, it was clear why she was not content in her current position — and what would be important in her next job.

Use the Career Matrix as a good tool for you to evaluate the position you are interviewing for and the other opportunities you are considering.

Best Answers to “Why Are You Applying For This Job?” Should be Based on Your Needs and the Employer’s Needs

Now that you know what is important to you and how this opportunity fits your needs, let’s consider what is important to the employer, and why they ask this question.

Simply put, employers want to know whether you are a good fit for them. Retention is a major issue for companies as it costs them tens of thousands of dollars to replace someone, and get them up to speed.

Consequently, employers are looking for someone who is:

• Enthusiastic about the position and the company,
• Likely to be a long-term player.
• A good fit for their corporate culture.
• Someone that others will enjoy working with as a team mate.

Thus, your response needs to show:

• How your skills match the role.
• Your enthusiasm for the job.
• How you fit into the culture.

Even if it’s true, do not mention salary, hours, or commute as the primary reasons you want the job.

Those reasons will not impress an employer with your fit for their job.

Your exercise in building the career matrix will allow you to show that you have given some real thought about what you are looking for and what jobs would be a good fit.

Sample Answers to “Why Do You Want This Job?”

Some good responses are:

• I learned a long time ago that doing the same thing every day is not for me as I enjoy problem-solving in fast-paced environments. I am also a people-person who likes to build relationships. Based on what you have told me, I would be the point-of-contact with customers resolving issues and overseeing their product delivery. So every day would be different and interesting. I would get to know my customers and build long-term relationships with them.
• I am looking for a company where I not only enjoy what I am doing but I can also grow into new positions. I am very good at what I do, but in the computer field there are always new tools and technologies coming out. I want a company that allows me to learn more and expand my capabilities into new areas. The fact that you sponsor a week of training every year and that most of the people I’ve met have been here more than five years shows me that we share the same values.
• To be honest, I do not enjoy politics at work where each person is trying to outdo the other to get attention. In my perfect world, I would work with my team mates where we all are focused on a common goal and support each other. I was impressed by your team-building and employee recognition programs as they indicate we share the same values.

NOTE: Saying “we share the same values” is a great closing line!

A final statement can be:

A great job is one where I am excited about coming to work, and that’s what I think this position offers.

Bottom Line with Answering the Question “Why Do You Want This Job?”

Taking the time to do the Career Matrix you will understand yourself better and align your career with what is important to you. You will not only be able to give an excellent answer to this job interview question, you will find this insight very useful in the future.

Keep your Matrix, and update it as time passes — perhaps every year as part of your New Year’s activities. The Matrix will help you navigate to the best promotion or next job for you, with this employer or with a different employer in the distant future. And it allows you to frame your answer to this question, whenever you are asked it.

Check out 3 Steps to Interview Success: Build Your Interview Checklist for another way to analyze your interest and match with a job.

Answering the Common Job Interview Questions:

Questions About You:

• What Is Your Greatest Achievement or Accomplishment?
• Tell Me/Us About Yourself
• Why Should We Hire You?
• What Do You Want?
• Why Do You Want THIS Job?
• What Is Your Greatest Weakness?
• What Is Your Greatest Strength?
• Why Do You Want to Leave Your Current Job?
• What Is Your Current Salary?
• What Are Your Salary Expectations?
• When Can You Start?
• Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?
• Smart Strategies to Answer to Behavioral Interview Questions
  • Tell Me About a Time When You Failed
  • Tell Me About a Time When You Were Successful
  • Tell Me About a Time When You Motivated Someone
  • Tell Me About a Time When You Convinced Your Boss

Handling Special Career Situations:

• Why Did You Quit Your Last Job
• After a Layoff: Why Did You Leave Your Job?
• After Being Fired: Why Did You Leave Your Job?
• Explain Your Gap in Employment

Questions About Them:

• What Do You Know About Us?
• How Did You Find This Job?
• Why Do You Want to Work Here?

Questions for You to Ask Them:

• Do You Have Any Questions? — choose from 50+ good questions to ask them
• 5 Absolute Must-Ask Questions for the End of Your Next Interview
• The Second Interview: 5 Key Questions to Ask
• 45 Questions You Should NOT to Ask in Job Interviews

Interview Preparation:

• 3 Steps to Interview Success: Build Your Interview Checklist
• The Winning Difference: Pre-Interview Preparation

About the author…

Don Goodman is a triple-certified nationally recognized career professional (Expert Resume Writer, Certified Career Coach, and Job Search Strategist) with over 20 years of experience helping thousands of people quickly land their next job. Don graduated from the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University’s Executive Program.
More about this author…

The post How to Answer: Why Do You Want This Job? (with Samples) appeared first on Job-Hunt.

This article will describe the key elements that should be in an IT Executive resume.

Did you understand what the organization needed?

As you move up the IT management ladder, you transition from being a technical overseer to more of a business driver.

Sure you have to make sure the IT initiatives are well-executed, but at the very top, you are the company’s expert on how to get the most out of technology. That makes you both a business strategist and technology-focused change agent.

To do this effectively, you need to know the business and its core business levers.

That means that your IT Executive resume should showcase how you partnered with executives and line managers to understand the markets, competition, opportunities, and threats as well as the internal business work and data flows.

Armed with this expert knowledge, you would go on to show how you improved the company’s performance through the evangelization and savvy use of technology.

How did you improve the technology landscape?

Once you’ve shown that you can identify the areas where technology would be valuable, now you have to show how you managed its use.

Talk to a company’s managers about their technology wish lists and you will have a rather long list. Now you have to have the business processes in place to organize that list.

• Did you establish a business case justification process that measures the ROI from IT investments?
• Have you been part of committees that help business units quantify and understand the impact of technical initiatives in a consistent manner?
• Importantly, do you have the interpersonal skills and talent to drive stakeholder consensus and buy-in when there are disparate opinions?
• Have you diplomatically managed relationships with frustrated user communities whose initiatives did not make the cut?

Your ability to build these business partner relationships with your stakeholders is critical to your effectiveness (and success) so prepare to highlight your talent in this area.

How did you implement solutions?

So far, you have shown how you have been instrumental in defining and prioritizing your firm’s key initiatives and their expected return.

Now you have to show on your resume why the next employer should have confidence in your ability to implement these solutions. This is important because the majority of projects and large scale programs are still over budget and not meeting their timelines.

Yes, you can highlight specific initiatives like ERP installations, virtualization, and green programs, but that doesn’t really answer the question.

Here you want to speak to proven, best-in-class processes and methodologies.

• Did you setup or improve a PMO?
• What effect did that have on cycle times, quality, and internal/external customer satisfaction?
• Did you introduce Agile/Scrum or other new tools and methodologies into the mix?
• Did you shorten learning curves through strong change management?
• Did you establish a consistent, secure and scalable architecture?

Here you have to give your next employer the confidence that you will improve the delivery of solutions. Of course, you should quantify as much as possible the impact of such efforts, proving that the expected ROI was realized.

Validate your story

Now that you have shown that you have the talent, prove it by highlighting some key initiatives.

Here it is important to remember your audience, the executive decision maker and what is important to them.

A migration from Vista to Windows 7 is lovely but is that a strategic initiative that supports your theme?

Think in terms of the CEO’s key goals: sales, profits, market share, and risk management, and speak to those goals.

In this economy employers want to know how you increased sales or saved money through reduction in actual costs and productivity improvements.

• Did you improve customer engagement on the web sites that translated to sales increases?
• Did you help marketing break through into new markets through localization or new systems?
• Did you establish safe and brand-supportive practices for using social media?
• Are you effectively protecting the company’s data?

Bottom Line

Compare this to most IT executive resumes that start by stating I am a great manager (aren’t we all?) and then lists major projects. Take the next leap up and make your resume showcase your skills along these lines and you will see a dramatic improvement in your job search results.

About the author…

Don Goodman is a triple-certified nationally recognized career professional (Expert Resume Writer, Certified Career Coach, and Job Search Strategist) with over 20 years of experience helping thousands of people quickly land their next job. Don graduated from the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University’s Executive Program.
More about this author…

The post Key Elements of an IT Executive Resume appeared first on Job-Hunt.

From a job seeker’s point of view, what is the difference between a job board posting and a tweeted opening?

The Twitter posting is now, current, and immediate whereas the job board posting could be around for weeks or months. Also, since not everyone has adopted Twitter into their job search, you will have less competition.

There are literally thousands of new postings daily, so here are some tips on how to incorporate Twitter into your job search strategy.

Twitter “Job Board”

www.Tweetmyjobs.com
See openings from thousands of channels and employers. Enter the kind of position you are seeking and see tweeted requests from such companies as CitiGroup, Accenture, Verizon and hundreds of others.

Employers Distributing Their Job Postings on Twitter

Part of your job search strategy should include identifying 10-30 firms that you are really interested in. Many of these are prolific job posters; examples include @SearsJobs, @CitiJobTweets, @Accenture_Jobs, and @JobsatIntel. Make sure you follow these firms so you can ensure you receive the latest postings.

See Job-Hunt’s Twitter list of 500 employers recruiting directly on Twitter to find more employers. Also, use Twitter’s search function to see if one of your target firms has a Twitter account for recruiting..

Recruiters Sharing Leads and Job Postings on Twitter

There are literally thousands of organizations seeking talent through Twitter. Here are some of the best ways to find them. Remember to follow those companies you are targeting.

Example: @sfmobile jobs shows jobs for the Mobile Web and Digital Media in Silicon Valley, Seattle, LA and NYC.

Key Advice: You can quickly become overwhelmed with all the sources of job postings, so start by focusing on those job posters that best fit your needs.

Sources of recruiters and employers recruiting on Twitter:

• Jim Stroud’s massive directory of recruiters on Twitter, both independent and in-house
• JobMob’s list of 400+ Twitter accounts sharing job postings and other job leads

Using Hashtags to Find Postings and Leads

The # hashtag is a great way to find job openings by just doing a simple Twitter search. For example, when we search on #projectmanager, here is a sample response:

Example: Project Manager – Windows 7 Migration needed in Newark, NJ! #projectmanager #windows7 #jobs http://bit.ly/8yiuljgolfiytoj

Identify the hashtags that best fit you and use them regularly. A great resource for searching for hashtags include www.Twemes.com and www.hashtags.org where you can also see how frequently tweets using that hashtag are posted.

Use hashtags associated with:

• The technology you do (e.g., #windows7 #linux)
• Your preferred industries (e.g., #telecom #finance)
• Your preferred applications (e.g., #WP #Mastercam)
• Your specialties (e.g. ecommerce, SEO)
• Employers on your target list (e.g., #apple #google)

Other good generic hashtags include:

#job
#jobs
#jobpostings
#jobangels
#ITjob
#ITJobs
#Tech
#digitaljobs
#softwarejobs
#jobs
#jobsearch
#jobseekers
#jobhunt

Bottom Line

If you want to reinvigorate your job search, incorporate these Twitter tips, and start communicating with hiring managers.

About the author…

Don Goodman is a triple-certified nationally recognized career professional (Expert Resume Writer, Certified Career Coach, and Job Search Strategist) with over 20 years of experience helping thousands of people quickly land their next job. Don graduated from the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University’s Executive Program.
More about this author…

The post How to Use Twitter for Your IT Job Search appeared first on Job-Hunt.

You worked hard and graduated…only to find that the job market is not quite what you thought.

Now, you need a powerful resume that will get you in the door so you can apply your recently acquired skills in the real world.

Be sure to customize your resume for each opportunity you are applying for.

Here are some important tips to make sure you get noticed.

What Is It You Want to Do?

Like any battle or market, success requires focus, and focus requires a clear goal — know the job you want and, even better, a list of employers you thing you would like to work for.

Although you took courses in both programming and networking, you need to decide what path you are pursuing: Programming or Infrastructure Support.

It is rare that companies want someone who can do both, so decide right up front which direction you are taking.

Then, improve the effectiveness of your resume by following these 7 tips:

  1.  Avoid Traditional Resume Objectives  

Objectives like “to grow my skills in a forward-thinking company” are out. Skip them.

Instead, use a resume headline containing the job title you are seeking. So just put “Entry-Level Programmer,” “Junior Network Administrator,” or “Help Desk / Technical Support” at the top of your resume, as appropriate for the job you are applying for, of course.

  2.  Categorize Technical Competencies  

You need to have a Technical Competencies section that shows what you know and supports keyword searches. Organize these by topic such as:

• Languages
• Operating Systems
• Protocols
• Tools
• RDBMS
• Methodologies

Important: Even though you had exposure to programming and networking, only put the competencies relevant to your target position. For example, if you are seeking a network support role, do not put Java and programming languages here as it is confusing.

At the beginning of your career, it is okay to put in things that you do not have that much experience in, but do not overstuff it with things you really don’t know.

  3.  Showcase Your Learning in the Experience Section (Plus a Key Trick)  

Since most of your IT experience is through your training, you need to really showcase your learning. A good tip is to detail your education on your resume in the same way as you would list a job.

Here you can detail the courses you took, how many hours of training you had, and the technologies you learned. Refer to your detailed curriculum (but don’t just repeat it) to refresh your mind regarding subjects and technologies covered.

Key trick: Go into detail about the hands-on projects you completed as part of your training, as below.

For example:

University of Tennessee
2016 – 2020
IT Student

Inventory Control Project: Developed engaging user interface to capture physical inventory counts, update inventory database, and produce discrepancy reports. Technologies used include Oracle 12c, SQL, Java, and Perl. Earned top scores for quality and on-time completion.

Doing this lets you really detail the IT experience you gained as part of your education. Note: include these projects in the Projects section of your LinkedIn Profile, too.

  4.  Stress Transferable Skills  

This is where most people fall down. If you have held non-IT jobs, then these need to be highlighted on the resume. Don’t just list your roles here, use this to highlight the core skills you demonstrated that would be relevant to an entry-level IT position.

Remember that the most important skill an employer looks for is good communication skills.

Other important traits to stress are:

• Ability to work independently
• Customer-service mentality
• Track record of getting things done on time
• Attention to quality and accuracy
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and priorities

So, if you were a Bartender or Waitress, stress your ability to build rapport with a variety of personalities, perform in a fast-paced environment, and build customer loyalty through exceptional service.

  5.  Include Appropriate Keywords to Get Past the ATS  

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are used by many companies and this is the software that scans your resume and ranks it according to the keywords the company has listed. If you submit your resume over the web (not my first choice), your resume will go through the ATS, and if you do not get a good score here, you may not be seen at all by a human being.

Start by reviewing the job description and make sure you have their keywords in your resume.

This can be a bit tricky. For example, here is a recent posting for an entry-level programmer.

• Any previous experience with C++, Java or any other OO based language (even with school projects)
• A strong desire to learn new tools and techniques
• Strong computer science theory and fundamentals knowledge
• Open to work in different technology environments and platforms

To get past the ATS for this job, you should incorporate the phrases above to get a good match.

  6.  Add Testimonials  

Finally, you can add a little oomph to your resume if you have any testimonials from professors or employers. Putting “Grace is the consummate customer service professional who delights the customer” can be just what you need to stand out.

  7. Confirm Qualifications with LinkedIn  

Most employers Google job candidates and compare the resume with the LinkedIn Profile. “Prove” (and demonstrate) the truth of the content of your resume with the content of your LinkedIn Profile. LinkedIn is the best place to be professionally visible for your career.

Be sure your Profile is complete (a.k.a. “All Star”), and focus on the keywords appropriate for you. Read Social Proof: Linked(In) to Your Resume and 5 Reasons LinkedIn Is Not Optional for New Grads for details.

The Bottom Line:

Use these tips to land that important first job that launches your IT career.

More About Successful Resumes (and LinkedIn Profiles)

• Guide to Job Search for New Grads
• 3 Strategies to Improve Your GPA (Even After Graduation)
• Guide to Effective Resumes and Cover Letters
• Sample Resume: College Student in Business Administration
• Sample Resume: New Graduate in Accounting
• 3 Smart Tips to Beat the ATS Systems
• 5 Reasons LinkedIn Is Not Optional for New Grads
• Grab Recruiter Attention with LinkedIn Projects
• “Social Proof” — Required for Successful Job Search
• LinkedIn Job Search Guide

About the author…

Don Goodman is a triple-certified nationally recognized career professional (Expert Resume Writer, Certified Career Coach, and Job Search Strategist) with over 20 years of experience helping thousands of people quickly land their next job. Don graduated from the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University’s Executive Program.
More about this author…

The post 7 Critical Resume Tips to Launch New IT Professionals appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Using LinkedIn, I showed you how to compile a list of possible companies to join. The next step is to learn more about the organization and determine if it is a place you really want to join.

This article will introduce you to tools and techniques that help you know about the company’s issues and culture so you can narrow your list down further.

Visit the Company Website

The first thing to do is to visit the company web site and go to the About Us section. Here you can review the company history, products, and services. This will give you some basic information. Make sure you check out the News and Press Release section. This provides recent information about the direction, financial status, events, strategic partnerships, and important wins.

Tip: If they have a section on partners, check that out too as you may want to add one of their partners to your list of companies to target.

Check out the Company Blog

If the company has a blog, definitely check it out and see if there are discussions on topics that are related to your field. Also see if there are recent events, product announcements, or expert guidance provided. It is also worth noting if employees contribute to the blog or if it is only a designated writer – this tells you something about their culture.

Tip: If you find a discussion on a relevant topic, join the discussion. I have several clients who demonstrated their expertise in an area by responding to blog discussions which resulted in their being contacted by the company.

Find the Company on Twitter

Do a Twitter search to see if the company is actively tweeting. If they do, make sure you follow them. Again, see if there are discussions you can join and make a note of the subjects and people who are tweeting. Are they employees or customers or both?

Seeing customers tweet tells you more about their culture, and you want to check out the tone of these tweets.

Find the Company on Glassdoor.com and Vault.com

Glassdoor.com is one of my favorite sites and is a MUST in your research. It provides the following:

• Free, anonymous reviews of thousands of companies
• Salaries that are being paid
• Reviews of the company culture
• Evaluations of the top executive
• Actual interview questions typically asked

For example, you can see how employees rank the company by Career Opportunities, Compensation & Benefits, Work/Life Balance, Senior Leadership, and Culture & Values.

Vault.com has many of the same features so check the organization out there too.

Do a Company Search on LinkedIn

Many companies have special pages on LinkedIn and you should definitely visit them. Here you can see your connections at the company, new hires, promotions, jobs posted, related companies, and company statistics. Some important notes to make are:

1. People Who Looked at <the company> Also Looked At: You may find other firms that interest you that you hadn’t considered.
2. Recent Departures: How long were they there? Where did they go? A lot of recent departures should definitely be noted and researched. Same thing if you see that people are leaving after a short stay.
3. Job Openings: Are they advertising jobs? Some companies only advertise jobs on LinkedIn so check these out.
4. Your Connections: Who works there who is in your network? More on how to leverage this later but clearly you will want to talk to the people who know the company from the inside and perhaps network into a position.
5. Employees: LinkedIn will show you the people’s profiles so look for people in similar jobs and see what their background is. Where did they come from? How many years of experience in your field do they have? This gives you good insights on the credentials you will need.

Tip: Make sure you follow the company so you are alerted to updates and news.

Google, Google Alerts, and Google News

Search both Google and Google News for the company name. Pretty basic but you never know what will show up.

You can set up personal Google Alerts to keep you up-to-date, and a personalized Google News page can be a quick place to check to see what’s developing with your target employers.

Using these tools will help you further define your list of targeted firms.

More:

Part 1 of Proactive Job Search – How to Identify Potential Employers with LinkedIn
Part 3 of Proactive Job Search – How to Contact Potential Employers

About the author…

Don Goodman is a triple-certified nationally recognized career professional (Expert Resume Writer, Certified Career Coach, and Job Search Strategist) with over 20 years of experience helping thousands of people quickly land their next job. Don graduated from the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University’s Executive Program.
More about this author…

The post How to Research Potential Employers appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Here are some tips on how to make sure you stand out online.

First and foremost, decide how you are branding or positioning yourself.

Do you want to be perceived as having expertise in:  Cloud computing? Mobile applications development? Enterprise architectures? An IT Executive leading global initiatives? Or perhaps a top-drawer Network Engineer?

This is important because you must be consistent in how you present yourself.

Building Your Online Presence

There are two parts to building an online presence.

The first is establishing yourself on key sites, and then, secondly, creating online activity and content.

There are increasingly more sites where you can build a presence, and this article will focus on just the top sites.

First, the 3 Key Sites

1. LinkedIn

The first place employers will go is LinkedIn where they can see just about everything about you as LinkedIn can also incorporate your online content from Twitter and your blog if you have one. Make sure your profile is 100% complete, that you have at least 3 references and your profile is compelling and brand-supportive.

See LinkedIn for IT Professionals to see the 10 key elements of a good LinkedIn Profile and Job-Hunt’s free Guide to LinkedIn for Job Search.

2. Twitter

Yes, the 140-character tweet is here to stay. Don’t wait any longer and grab your name on Twitter while you still can.

Major firms are posting jobs on Twitter, and those who follow and engage in conversations with people at the company are in the best position to get noticed. Identify the companies you are interested in and see who is tweeting. Search relevant hashtags, follow the appropriate players, and start intelligently responding to tweets so you can build followers.

See Job-Hunt’s free Guide to Twitter for Job Search for additional information.

3. Facebook

I will admit I have not yet accepted that professionals need a Facebook page as I see that more for personal information then business. Nonetheless, Facebook is pushing hard to be accepted as a business networking site and many companies have Facebook pages.

My guess is that the reasons to have a Facebook for business page will be more compelling in the next 12 months, so start familiarizing yourself with how targeted companies are using it and join the conversations as relevant.

Check out the articles in Job-Hunt’s free Guide to Using Facebook for Job Search for more information.

Second, Building Activity by Providing Content

Once you are on the core identity sites where people can see your profile and credentials, you then need to develop content that supports your brand and positioning. This is primarily done by blogging, tweeting, and article writing.

Attract potential employers and new networking contacts by becoming active and visible in your area of expertise:

• If you can write articles, publish them (or republish them) on LinkedIn Pulse, giving you a much stronger presence. From your LinkedIn home page, click on the “write an article” link to submit your writing. LinkedIn will automatically add your 3 most recent posts near the top of your Profile, so anyone who visits it can find them. And, of course, your posts are linked to your Profile for those who find a post first.
• A quick way to get noticed is to go to Amazon and comment on a relevant book or other product. If mobile computing is your field, read the newest or most controversial book on that topic, and submit a well-reasoned and documented review. Or provide a thoughtful review a new product (after you have used it). Because Amazon is a very high-ranking site your comments will move you towards the top of the list when someone searches on relevant topics.
• Find the top bloggers and sites relevant to your topic. Start following them in LinkedIn and Twitter and respond to their posts. If someone comments on the latest developments or technology in your field, adding something that embellishes their statements helps build credibility for you.
• If you want to really establish expertise, start your own blog, and make sure you post good articles 2-3 times per week to start.
• You can connect your LinkedIn Profile to your blog posts and also to your tweets. LinkedIn also has a Status bar that allows you to put out a quick note to LinkedIn followers regarding relevant topics.
• Note too, that LinkedIn has over 2,000,000 groups and you can join up to 50, so join the appropriate groups and see the Active Discussions. Now you can post a question or answer others so if someone is asking “How do you…” you can respond. LinkedIn also lets people rank answers and a few “Best Answer” ranks can really help.
• YouTube is another high-ranking site and, just like blogs, you can post comments. For example, Cisco has videos on cloud computing, and you can post a comment about each.
• If you have given speeches or presentations or have access to ones you like, consider putting it on YouTube (make sure you have the “rights” to it first). But be careful here: if you are showcasing yourself, make sure the video is short, strong and well-done.

Bottom Line on Building an Online Presence to Help Find a Job

Your online identity and presence will make a powerful difference in your job search, so follow these tips and separate yourself from other job candidates.

More About Building Your Online Presence

• Building Your Online Personal Brand
• Build Your Personal Brand by Blogging on LinkedIn
• Gain Both Visibility and Credibility on LinkedIn by Publishing
• Build Your Professional Reputation with Twitter
• Guide to LinkedIn for Job Search
• Guide to Twitter for Job Search
• Guide to Facebook for Job Search
• Guide to Personal SEO
• Guide to Personal Online Reputation Management

About the author…

Don Goodman is a triple-certified nationally recognized career professional (Expert Resume Writer, Certified Career Coach, and Job Search Strategist) with over 20 years of experience helping thousands of people quickly land their next job. Don graduated from the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University’s Executive Program.
More about this author…

The post How to Build Your Online Presence To Help You Find a Job appeared first on Job-Hunt.

But first…

Before a company brings you in for a face-to-face interview, they will often have a phone interview.

This is typically done by the internal HR or the external recruiter, and the purpose is generally to do an initial screening.

To reduce the costs of recruiting, many firms are now using the phone interview as an in-depth review of your career, catching many job hunters off-guard, so you should be prepared for these as well.

Preparing for Phone Interviews

Here are some tips so you can be at your best.

  Focus on Your Goal  ►  Another Interview  

Simply put, your goal is to get an offer to move to the next round. This is true whether you are interested in this job or not.

If the job is not high on your list, then consider this a great opportunity to improve your skills. You might also hear something in the discussion that could change your mind so approach every interview as if this is your dream job.

  Understand the Type of Interview  

Find out in advance who you will be interviewing with and how long you should allocate to the discussion. If you are speaking to an HR person and they say it will take 15 minutes, then it is a screening of candidates. If they tell you to reserve an hour or more, then you should look at this in the same way you would look at an in-person interview.

Tip: if you are speaking over Skype, make sure you know whether it is a video interview or not. Don’t be caught in your pajamas.

  Know About the Company  

When I interviewed candidates, the first question I would ask is “What do you know about us?” If it was clear that the person did little research, it was very unlikely that the person would be selected.

There are a ton of resources, so go online and find out as much information as you can about the company. Look at their recent press releases. Know their revenue numbers and key competitors. Check out the backgrounds of executives, and look at any key statistics. If it is a startup company, then see if you can find out who the venture capital investors are and how much money they have raised.

  Know Thy Interviewer  

Now, go to LinkedIn and check out the background of the person who is interviewing you as well as the background of the hiring manager and their staff. Here you can see how long they have been there, where they came from, and any connections you might have in common.

Especially for the hiring manager and their team, see what groups they belong to and any discussions they may have joined. This helps you identify their core areas of interest.

  Preparing for Interview Questions  

Be ready for everything from the expected “What are your strengths?” question to the tougher “How would you handle this situation?” question that is used to determine your experience and how you would approach a problem.

  ► IT Technical Questions

For hands-on technical jobs, employers will typically want to know about:

• Your technical skills
• Problem solving skills
• Analytical thinking and problem solving
• Ability to deliver against detailed technical specifications
• Customer service attitude
• Ability to juggle multiple priorities

  ► IT Manager Questions

For Senior IT positions, you should expect questions exploring:

• Your ability to assess the current state and make recommendations
• Your experience managing a large department
• Your ability to design and deliver high-profile initiatives
• Your understanding of the company’s core functions
• Your skills and experience with the development of IT strategy
• Your track record driving improved IT organization performance

  Behavioral Interview Questions  

Many companies use an interview technique known as Behavioral Interviewing that asks you to give specific examples of situations they have encountered. An example might be “Tell me about a time you didn’t meet a deadline, and how you handled it.”

Some typical questions here might be:

• How you deal with conflict or disagreement with your team members.
• How you would approach your boss with a problem (answer: state the problem and then offer solutions)
• What you did when a co-worker’s efforts caused the project to fail
• How have you saved a project or customer?
• What criteria would you use when deciding to escalate a call to higher level support?

The tougher kind of questions, for which Microsoft is famous, are those that are designed to see how you approach a problem. “How many manholes are in Manhattan?” is a good example of this, and you would need to think out loud about how you would determine an answer.

  Employer Specific Questions  

Good resources to check out are Comparably.com and Glassdoor.com where you can sometimes find the questions that interviewers at some of the top firms like Chevron and General Dynamics ask.

Two basic questions that you need to be ready for are:

1. Why did you leave (are you leaving) your job?
2. What is your salary expectation?

Regarding leaving the company, no matter what, do not get into criticizing or finger-pointing. A generic answer like a management reorganization or downsizing is generally fine.

Regarding salary, they need to know whether you fit their budget, so you can’t really ignore this entirely. Nonetheless you do not want to price yourself too high or too low so a good answer is:

The job and the challenge are really what’s most important to me, and I would expect a competitive salary. What range have you budgeted?

Handling the Phone Interview Itself

When the actual interview occurs, remember these key tips:

• Do not speak on a cell phone, and make sure your cell phone ringer is off. Also turn off call waiting.
• Clear the room, and let everyone know you are not to be disturbed.
• Don’t smoke, chew gum, eat, or drink. Keep a glass of water handy, in case you need to wet your mouth.
• Keep your resume in clear view, on the top of your desk, or tape it to the wall near the phone, so it’s at your fingertips.
• Have a short list of your accomplishments available to review.
• Have a pen and paper handy for note taking.
• Use the person’s title (Mr. or Ms. and their last name.) Only use a first name if they ask you to.
• Take your time – it’s perfectly acceptable to take a moment or two to collect your thoughts.
• Speak slowly, and enunciate clearly. Give short answers, and see if they want more information.
• Do not be long-winded, or go off topic.
• Do not interrupt.
• Be enthusiastic. Your intonation is all that comes across, so sound energetic and genuinely interested. A good trick is to smile while you speak as it will project a positive image.
• Be prepared to ask intelligent questions at the end of the interview. Not having questions means you did not do your research or you are not interested in the position.

Two Additional Thoughts

Practice your phone interview. Do a mock interview with a loved one or friend.

When the interview is over, follow-up promptly with a thank you letter or thank you email, and also ask if you can call them if you have additional questions.

MORE: For more about phone interviews, read A Top Recruiter’s 9 Secrets for Nailing Your Phone Interview and 9 Keys to Phone Interview Success.

More About IT Job Interviews:

• Ace Your Job Interview: 5 Ways to Build Rapport with the Interviewers
• 3 Must-Do Job Interview Techniques
• What Hiring Managers Really Want in Technical Interviews
• How to Succeed at Phone Interviews
• How to Prepare for Team Job Interviews
• 5 Tips to Ace Your Video Job Interview
• Job-Hunt’s free Guide to Job Interviews

More About Job Interviews:

• Smart Answers to Interview Questions – from the recruiter’s perspective
• Sending Your Job Interview Thank You – with samples thank you notes and emails
• Successful Job Interviews – free Job-Hunt eBook

About the author…

Don Goodman is a triple-certified nationally recognized career professional (Expert Resume Writer, Certified Career Coach, and Job Search Strategist) with over 20 years of experience helping thousands of people quickly land their next job. Don graduated from the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University’s Executive Program.
More about this author…

The post Phone Interview Success Tips appeared first on Job-Hunt.

It is smart to take advantage of those opportunities, given LinkedIn’s popularity among recruiters.

Not being found kills your credibility, and 47% of employers are less likely to contact you for an interview if they can’t find you online.

There are now (February, 2020) over 675 million people on LinkedIn, and this article will show you how to make sure that you show up in the searches relevant to your job search.

Determine the Keywords You Need

Identify the 2-3 keywords that are most important to you. For example, if you are an Applications Developer, then you might want to have both Senior Programmer and Applications Developer as core keywords.

However, you can take this a step further by indicating your areas of specialization, so you might want to add “mobile applications” or “financial applications” to the list.

Review job descriptions for the job you want from the employers you would be happy to work for (your “target” employers).

What job titles do those employers use for the job you want? Which of your qualifications do they specify most often in their descriptions?

Be very careful with job titles! A “CIO” in one firm may be a “Director” or “VP IT” in another, depending on the size of the firm. So, use the titles of the employers you want. A good tip is to combine titles like: “Senior IT Executive | VP IT | CIO | Director of IT.”

To be sure you are using the best keywords for you, read Choosing the Best Keywords for Your LinkedIn Profile.

Where to Use Your Keywords

Now your job is to get these keywords into your LinkedIn profile as much as you can. Having said that, there are certain parts of the profile that carry more weight.

  1. Your Location  

Basic, but very important: Make sure the location in your LinkedIn profile is accurate. One of the first and most important search terms used by recruiters is the candidates’ location.

So make sure your location is correct — either your current location, or where you are planning to be located for your next job.

Be specific! Someone who lists their location in LinkedIn as “United States” will never appear in search results because recruiters search on specific their locations, like Boston or Omaha. They aren’t usually interested in people located somewhere in the USA.

  2. Your Professional Headline  

Probably the most important place to start is your Headline. Most people are not optimizing this as much as they should, allowing LinkedIn to fill in their current job title and employer. But, customizing your headline with the subtle tricks described below will make it much more effective.

These are 220 characters of prime real estate.

You can have job titles and/or a description of your talent. Beyond the keywords, you also want to communicate your key differentiators.

Some good examples include:

• Applications Developer | Senior Programmer | 10+ Years Specializing in Programming Mobile & Web-Based Applications
• Senior IT Executive | CIO | VP of IT | Global Experience | Consistently Deliver a High ROI on the IT Investment
• Network Administrator | Network Engineer | Systems Administrator | Virtualization | Cisco Network Administration
• Help Desk | Technical Support | Desktop Support | Escalated Help Desk Support to Thousands of Users Globally

Sometimes you just want to stuff the same title in the headline as much as you can.

• Network Administrator | LAN/WAN Network Administrator | Senior LAN Administrator | Certified Network Administrator

  3. Your Skills & Endorsements  

Skills are an important filter for recruiters using the LinkedIn Recruiter service, often the second search criteria used (Location is the first). Best, Skills are keywords relevant to the jobs employers are trying to fill.

With Endorsements from your first level connections, you gain both credibility and visibility.

Only 3 Skills are visible on your profile of the 50 that are possible, and you choose those 3 Skills. But, the other skills may easily be seen, and still positively impact the visibility of your profile.

For more information, read Secret to Powerful LinkedIn Profile SEO: Leverage Skills & Endorsements.

  4. Your LinkedIn About  

Formerly called the “Summary,” you have up to 2,600 characters to describe your background in your About section.

You want to include these keywords in here as much as possible – not as a simple (boring and obvious) list of words, but included in sentences that describe your skills and accomplishment.

There are a number of various theories about how to do a LinkedIn profile, and my overall philosophy is that it should NOT be exactly the same as your resume. Rather, it should be enough to express your value proposition and whet their appetite so they will want to call you, while agreeing with the facts on your resume (job titles, employers, dates of employment, education, etc.).

Although LinkedIn eliminated the Specialties section they had in the past, you can still include something similar in your profile’s About section, adding important and relevant keywords.

So, if your specialty was network administration, this would look like:

SPECIALTIES:
Network Administration
LAN/WAN Administration
Network Support
Network Optimization
Network Virtualization
Network Administration Tools
Network Engineering
Cisco Network Administration
Windows Network Administration
Linux Network Administration

The LinkedIn About is often ignored or used minimally by LinkedIn members. Don’t make that mistake! Read 5 Secrets to a Knockout LinkedIn Profile About / Summary for more ideas.

  5. The Experience Section  

Another important area to drive keyword density is in your title and your experience description.

Important Tip: Don’t skimp on the descriptions of your previous jobs!

Too many people include only the job title, employer name, and years of employment. WASTED OPPORTUNITY!

Again, as with the About, you have 2000 characters of space to use to describe each job you have held, so continue to emphasize the relevant experience you have that applies to your profession and the job you want next.

List the technologies you used, the vendors you have experience with, your accomplishments, and the other details (keywords!) that a recruiter may be searching for.

IT Manager, Marketing and Sales Division, Managing US Systems, Example, Inc. 2009 through 2014

Accomplishments included:

• Improved ability of sales team to identify prospects and place/track orders remotely by adapting Citrix tools to allow iPad access to CRM.
• Collaborated directly with the president and VP engineering to take over adjoining space to increase overall facility size by 50% in 2012, expanding remote connectivity for 50 employees including WiFi, VoIP, and VPN capabilities.
• Implemented server virtualization and SAN technology (using EMC’s VNX and CLARiiON) resulting a reduction of physical servers by 33% while increasing overall server capacity by 50% in 2012.
• Used a vast array of additional tools and technologies including Windows Server 2003, 2008, 2012R2, Exchange, tape libraries, VMWare, MS Hyper-V, Citrix XenApp, Active Directory, Group Policy, Cisco ASA, SonicWALL SSLVPN Appliance, and MS SQL

See all those great keywords — and accomplishments — included when this “old” job was described!

Important Tip: Even if your job title does not have your keyword in it, you can always add to it.

For example, if you are a senior user support specialist for a multi-national, you might want to add more to it as follows:

User Support IV, Senior Desktop & Technical Support, Global Systems

Or an IT project manager working with financial systems::

IT Project Manager and Business Analyst, SAP Financial Accounting Systems, Certified PMP and Six Sigma

Important Tip: If you are unemployed, make your current position look something like this:

Position: Senior Network Administrator Experienced in Global Network Administration, AWS, and Cybersecurity
Company: Financial Services Industry

This will appear as Senior Network Administrator Experienced in Global Network Administration, AWS, and Cybersecurity at the Financial Services Industry. Insert your target industry as the “company name. ”

  6. Projects  

When you are in IT, you are often involved in major (and minor) projects, and most other work functions also have projects involved periodically.

Sometimes these projects have official names, and more often they don’t. Internally, these projects may be known as the “fix the accounts receivables tracking” or some other informal name.

Regardless of the name (or lack), describe these projects in the LinkedIn Projects section of your profile.

Don’t risk your job or any confidentiality contract you have with a current or former employer, but within those limits, make it clear what you have accomplished.

Throw in the technical specifications and achievements that you are allowed to make public — more great keywords.

For more information, read Grab Recruiter Attention with LinkedIn Projects.

  7. Your LinkedIn URL  

Given how visible our LinkedIn profiles are, customzing the URL is smart and can add some important keywords. Of course, you can try to get just your name, but with over 700 million users, that is unlikely.

So, instead of having www.linkedin.com/in/johndoe77 as your LinkedIn URL (which may be interpreted is signifying your birth year!), try —

• …/in/johndoeapplicationdeveloper (add your profession)
• …/in/johnjamesdoe (add your middle initial, middle name, or maiden name)
• …/in/johndoemba (add a degree or certification you have earned)
• …/in/johndo212 (add your Area Code or Zip Code)

Or, find some other reasonable variation. Just another way to get better keyword recognition. As a result, if someone does a Google search for LinkedIn your profession or someone in or near your Zip Code, you will be sure to show up.

The Bottom Line

Implementing keyword optimization in LinkedIn is easy, and the impact is almost instantaneous. Focus on your target job and target employers, and watch how these tips help you get noticed. In addition, being active on LinkedIn tells recruiters that you are reachable and, probably, responsive if they do reach out. Hopefully, your activity also demonstrates your written communications skills and proves that you are a knowledgeable and intelligent person who is up-to-date in your field. For more information, read How to Leverage LinkedIn Status Updates for Your Job Search.

More about Keywords:

• 12 Steps to Outrank Your Competitors in LinkedIn Search in 2020 (Personal LinkedIn SEO)
• Guide to LinkedIn Profile SEO
• The Top 25 Keywords for Your Job Search
• Developing Your Keywords
• Your Most Important Keywords

About the author…

Don Goodman is a triple-certified nationally recognized career professional (Expert Resume Writer, Certified Career Coach, and Job Search Strategist) with over 20 years of experience helping thousands of people quickly land their next job. Don graduated from the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University’s Executive Program.
More about this author…

The post 7 Great Ways to Optimize Your Keywords for a More Powerful LinkedIn Profile appeared first on Job-Hunt.

On LinkedIn, members can join as many as 100 groups, yet most people do not take advantage of this opportunity. The average LinkedIn member belongs to only 7 groups.

LinkedIn Group Benefits

There are 6 compelling reasons you should start joining groups right away.

1.You Can InMail for Free

When you are a member of a group, you are allowed up to 15 InMail messages monthly across all your groups. This alone is a good reason to join a group.

You will benefit greatly from this as you build your network and communicate with other members.

Only the first message sent counts against your monthly quota. Once you have initiated an InMail correspondence with someone, the follow-on messages aren’t deducted from the month’s remaining InMail messages.

[Related: How to Engage More Recruiters and Employers with LinkedIn Groups.]

2.You Distinguish Yourself

By opening and participating in discussions, you add to your personal brand and showcase your expertise which increases your search ranking and employer visibility.

Statistics show that group participants get 4 times more profile views than those who do not participate.

You can describe a recent challenge or technical trick you used, or point to a white paper you wrote.

• Describe your firm’s experience in establishing security for mobile devices, or their success in whatever they do.
• Talk about a work-around you came up with in a Windows migration or some other problem you solved. This is a simple way to build a competitive advantage in the job search world.

Your employer will tend to be more comfortable with your LinkedIn visibility if your are seen promoting their products and services and respresenting them well. You will be helping their reputation which will reflect well on you.

For those in IT, there are dozens of computer-related groups including ones focused on:

• Service Management
• Infrastructure
• Computer Science
• Security
• Governance
• Robotics
• Engineering
• Storage
• Applications Development
• Mobile Platforms
• ERP
• AWS
• Cloud Computing

Don’t stop with the technical Groups. Since you can join 100, also check out the Groups for your location, your industry, your current (and former) employers, your schools and universities, and even your hobbies.

3.You Can Find Jobs

In addition to the groups focused on specialty areas, there are hundreds of companies posting job openings in groups, especially those that are specifically focused on job searching and networking. All Groups have a “Jobs” tab, next to the “Conversations” tab near the top of each Group’s pages where you can find jobs posted.

For IT, check out:

• Jobs: The Software & Technology Group is the largest (nearly 2 million members)
• Information Technology: Jobs, Job Postings & Job Recruiters Group has nearly 300,000 members
• IT Specialist Network Group – 231,000+ members

There are many more, even niche groups focused on cloud computing, big data, mobile application development and IT governance. Much more effective and real-time than job boards, this should be included as a must in your job search plan.

4.Recruiters Look for Talent There

In-house and outside recruiters look for talent in LinkedIn group discussions. They search for thought leaders or people with clear expertise in a specific field or skill set. The more you participate in group discussions, the higher your ranking is on LinkedIn and the more likely you will be to get a recruiter call.

[Related: 7 Ways to Attract Recruiters on LinkedIn, How to Be Found by Recruiters on LinkedIn, 5 Ways to Add Recruiters to Your LinkedIn Network, and How to Be a Successful LinkedIn Groupie.]

5.You Can Get Answers to Problems

Just as you can highlight your accomplishments, you can also pose questions or ask for advice with thorny problems. Thinking of moving to an EMC SAN? Setting up a PMO? Comparing ERP or CRM systems? You can ask the groups about their experience to help you make sound decisions.

6.You Increase Your Network

Once you have built a presence, you will find that people will want to connect with you. These may be recruiters, decision makers and other technical contributors and the more connections you have, the easier it is to network into that next position.

[Related: Successfully Leverage LinkedIn Groups for Your Job Search.]

Finding Groups

Finding and joining groups is easy. From your LinkedIn Home page, follow these steps:

1. Go to the search bar at the top of the page.
2. Type in your subject — for example, IT Security.
3. Click on the Groups about IT Security result, and you will see there are 14,800+ groups for that subject.

So how do you cull that down? The description of each group in the search results will tell you how many total members there are in the group and how many discussions in the recent month. It will also show you how many people in your expanded network are members.

In general, avoid groups with few members and discussions. You can also shorten the list by adding other search terms like IT Security New York (if you want New York).

Once you have found a group you like, click on the JOIN button. Note that some groups allow almost anyone to join while others are more selective. It may be a few days before you get a response in a group that is .

Bottom Line

Far more effective than just posting your resume onto job boards, using LinkedIn groups can enhance your value and awareness to employers.

More About LinkedIn Groups

• How to Engage More Recruiters and Employers with LinkedIn Groups
• How to Be Found by Recruiters on LinkedIn
• 5 Ways to Add Recruiters to Your LinkedIn Network
• How to Be a Successful LinkedIn Groupie
• 7 Ways to Attract Recruiters on LinkedIn

About the author…

Don Goodman is a triple-certified nationally recognized career professional (Expert Resume Writer, Certified Career Coach, and Job Search Strategist) with over 20 years of experience helping thousands of people quickly land their next job. Don graduated from the Wharton School of Business and Stanford University’s Executive Program.
More about this author…

The post 6 Great Benefits of LinkedIn Groups appeared first on Job-Hunt.