Knowledge is the first thing that will separate you from all other job seekers who are using the Internet. Knowledge will help you stand out from the crowd. When it comes to genuine and true awareness of how to use the Internet for job searching, there is 100% validity in the old adage, knowledge is power. Let me share this power with you to help you create or fix your personal brand while seeking new employment.
Where to Start Online
The essential first stop online for all job seekers with professional experience should be LinkedIn. There you need to fill out an online profile and showcase your uniqueness. There you spell out clearly and succinctly what you do professionally.
Registration online at LinkedIn takes only a couple of minutes.
You can choose the free version. But, I recommend that you upgrade to the premium job seeker version because doing so will help you stand out from the crowd on LinkedIn. You get what you pay for. Free is fine. Just don’t expect the best possible experience on LinkedIn if you opt for the free version.
Ignore everyone who claims that LinkedIn is not necessary for a job seeker with professional experience. Those who dismiss or diminish LinkedIn are not to be taken seriously. This one online service is essential for any job seeker with professional experience.
Personalized Coaching and Training
If you would like personalized help in setting up your LinkedIn presence, please contact me.
I will help you with personalized assistance. I will share my experience and lessons learned using LinkedIn as a job seeker with professional experience with you in a one-to-one coaching relationship specifically to help you advance your job search.
This is a very low price that will give you great value: You will gain access to knowledge, and that knowledge will empower you in your job search. Plus, you won’t have to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars like I did to gain this knowledge.
You still will have to seek your own job, however. I do not provide that service because I believe there is no substitute for one finding their own job through their own efforts.
But, I am skilled at coaching and training professionals. I have many lessons learned that I bought and paid for our of my own pocket. I will share this with you in a personalized and targeted way at a very low one-time price.
Online Networking
I also recommend Ned’s Job of the Week as an online place to network with others. This is a free service. Connecting with others through Ned Lundquist’s website will put you into a valuable group of over 11,000 people!
What to Avoid Online
My experience has taught me to avoid the online job boards such as Monster that require you to pay a fee for access. There are so many job boards online today. Those that ask for you to pay for access are there to make money for the owners and not necessarily to help you find a job. Don’t spend your money on job boards.
Only pay for LinkedIn, which has all the published job listings that you will need.
I also recommend that if you are professional with years of experience you should not pay anyone to help you get a hired. Such services can cost you several thousand dollars and a percentage of your new salary. Unless there is an iron-clad guarantee that such a significant financial investment will be fully refunded to you if you do not actually land a job using this service, you should just avoid these services completely.
Preying Upon Your Emotions
If you are a professional and you are over the age of 30, a job search is an emotionally taxing experience. Let me be honest with you: Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid this reality of an emotionally taxing experience. Many who sell their services online will prey upon your emotions during this highly vulnerable time for you. I hope you can steer clear of anyone who preys upon your emotions online while you are seeking new employment. You will not feel better if you spend money with someone who is only out to make a buck and not necessarily to help you find a job. You will feel worse. I promise you that.
If Facebook launches their own online service for job seekers, you should take a look at that. This is only rumored as of late July. But, do to the sheer number of Facebook users, I recommend that you at least take a look at any Facebook job seeker service if one is launched.
In my next blog post, I will cover part two of online job search best practices to help you create or fix the best possible personal brand for yourself.
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