Page 204 - Social Media Marketing for Dummies

various groups dedicated to your industry. So what else should you do to market
yourself? Following are some ideas that you can try when you are actively looking
for a job:

» Look at your profile as an employer would.
If you have been on LinkedIn for a while and you are starting a job search,
you want to evaluate your profile as an employer would. Review it carefully
to make sure that the chronological order is accurate and matches your
profile. If you seek a design job, make sure that you upload PDFs, images,
presentations, and anything else you want to show off. This ability to upload
almost any format makes it easy to show off multimedia content you have
created.
» Create a unique presentation.

In addition to anything you have done with your résumé to make it look
better, think about showcasing a presentation that you’ve done. Programs
such as Prezi can be used to develop something unique. You can also link to
SlideShare (http://www.slideshare.net), which is now owned by LinkedIn,
or post a video. It’s worth repurposing your best work and showing it off. You
need a way to stand out, and this will help.
» Reexamine your keywords.

You may have chosen general keywords when you first signed up. Now that
you know specifically what type of job you are searching for, add keywords
that will help you get found by your preferred employers.

» Create a list of companies you would like to work for.
Even if you aren’t targeting a specific company, making a list of potential
companies will help you. Do some research on what jobs they have open
and where you might fit in. It will give you ideas about how to improve your
profile. If you do have a target list, look for someone in the company whom
you might be able to approach to discuss the company.
» Target your recommendations.

If you’ve been reticent about asking for recommendations, now is the time to
actively seek out people whose endorsement speaks directly to the job you
want. LinkedIn makes adding a recommendation easy, so it’s not an onerous
request.
» Mine your network.
Look at the second- and third-degree contacts in your network and see
whether you want to ask for introductions. That’s where the power of LinkedIn
is really demonstrated. Get started immediately because this could take some
time. Not everyone has the same sense of urgency that you do.

188 PART 3 Reaching Your Audience via Mainstream Social Platforms