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What To Include On Your LinkedIn Profile

6/6/2023

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Your LinkedIn Profile: Purpose

While your resume is a concise 1-2 page marketing piece intended to showcase your skills as they apply to a specific job, LinkedIn is your professional billboard to the whole working world. 

When actively searching and applying for a job, you’ll include your LinkedIn profile on your resume. Hiring managers and recruiters will often view your profile to see which connections you might have in common and to learn more about you in general. Furthermore, recruiters may source you (invite you to apply or interview for an opportunity) based on the content of your LinkedIn profile.

Whether you are actively applying for a new job or simply building your professional network, it's a good idea to review your LinkedIn profile regularly and make updates to ensure your information is current and complete.

Your LinkedIn Profile: The Basics

Filling in these fields on your LinkedIn profile will make it an even more valuable tool as you build and grow your professional network:
​
  • Profile Photo: This is the primary image, displayed in a circular frame, that represents you on LinkedIn. It should be a headshot—a photo featuring a recent picture of you focused on your face. You don’t need to suit up for this either. Just make sure you’re pictured solo and you look pleasant and hirable.
 
  • Background Photo: When someone views your LinkedIn profile, they’ll see your Profile Photo, front and center, and your background photo along the top of your profile. Be sure to include a background photo aligned with your professional brand. You can even use a tool like Canva to add personalized details to your background. 
 
  • Headline: Your headline defaults to your last job title. I suggest updating it since this is such a high-value space. Consider including your target job title first, then including additional keywords (like skills, focus areas, and your field). Realize that when you comment on someone’s post, they will see your name and the first part of your headline. 
   
  • Experience: Here, you can highlight your recent work experience. For each job, fill in the required fields, including dates of employment. For the description, I suggest putting a sentence or two about what you did and including keywords to highlight your skills further. 
 
  • ​Education: Include the schools attended and degrees earned here. I suggest leaving off years since they are an indicator of your age. Including your schools here is a great way to later connect with people who attended that school.

​Your LinkedIn Profile: Next Level

Here are a few ways to make your LinkedIn profile even more impactful: 

  • ​​About Section: The About section is at the top of your LinkedIn profile and gives you a chance to tell. If you're job searching, this is a great place to include details about who you are and what you are looking for in your next role. You also have room to add additional bulleted points if you like. Write this in the first person (using “I” language) and further showcase who you are professionally. 
 
  • Customize Your Profile URL: By default, your LinkedIn profile's URL (web address) will be long and not very meaningful. You can customize your URL to make it friendly. I suggest using some version of your name. This minor update will look more professional on your resume—and make your profile easier to find. 
 
  • Emojis: While you don't want to add too many cutesy emojis, using these tiny graphics is a nice way to break up longer  bodies of text. By using a unique graphic for a bulleted list, an envelope next to your email address, or a splash of color to divide up long bodies of text, you can leverage emojis to liven up your profile and posts. 
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  • Skills: Within LinkedIn, you can select up to 50 skills that will be included on your profile. This is another great opportunity to look at keywords included in your job listings for your target role. You can even indicate which skills you used in each job you listed. 

Learn More

  • A Full List of LinkedIn Emojis
  • How To Customize Your LinkedIn Profile URL
  • How to Add and Remove Skills on Your LinkedIn Profile
  • Royalty Free Photos You Can Use on LinkedIn
  • Free LinkedIn Banner Maker from Canva
  • LinkedIn Algorithm Explained & How It Works
  • The Layoff Lady: I Just Got Laid Off--Now What? ​
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Prioritizing Job Applications

5/9/2023

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

So Many Openings!

​Depending on your chosen field, and your desired work arrangements, there are a lot of jobs for which you could apply. While remote work availability gives us many more work options, figuring out how to prioritize open positions can be overwhelming.

Here is my process for evaluating open roles and prioritizing those which I will submit an application. 

Searching for Available Jobs

As of this article's original publication date, I just searched on Indeed.com for the job title Training Specialist. This search generated these results: 
  • 43 jobs listed within 25 miles of Omaha, NE.
  • 588 jobs categorized as remote. 
​
By any stretch of the imagination, I cannot apply for 631 jobs this week. 

Time to Apply and Available Time

Once I decide to apply for a given role, I take about 30 minutes to research the company, customize my resume, and complete my formal application. In a given week, there are 7 days, which is 168 hours. There are not enough hours in a week for me to apply for that many jobs.

Even if I somehow managed not to eat, sleep, or do even the most basic self-care, I could only apply for 336 jobs. 

Closer to the realm of feasibility, if I decided to dedicate a full 40 hours per week solely to applying for jobs, I could apply for 80 jobs—but definitely not well. There are also so many other valuable activities (meeting people and professional development being two of the most important) to be done during job searching that this is probably not the best way to spend 40 hours. Working this long and this hard can also put you on the fast track to burnout.

Even dedicating 20 hours solely to applying for jobs, possibly meaning you could apply for 40 jobs in a given week, is most likely overkill.

More Is Not Necessarily Better

​The more jobs I try to apply for in rapid succession, the less effective I am. While applying for jobs is in some respects, a numbers game, it’s not as easy as applying to all the jobs and knowing that one will work out. This strategy often causes people to waste time applying for roles where they are not very qualified.

A better strategy is to prioritize jobs that are the best match for your skills and what you want and focus on applying for those well. Instead of solely applying for jobs, spend time building your skills, making new connections, and planning for contingencies. 

In any given week, my goal is usually to apply for three jobs. However, if I see several great opportunities or have not searched for a job in a while, I may apply for as many as six. Beyond that, though, my application quality suffers. ​

Prioritizing Applications

​To apply for jobs well, you need to determine the best way to prioritize your applications. Instead of the “spray and pray” approach, think through what you want and apply with more purpose. This approach favors quality over quantity and will help you focus your efforts on where you can get better overall results for your time investment.

Step 1:  Know Key Characteristics of What You Want

Early in your job search, it’s essential to do at least a little soul-searching and be able to articulate what you want. This may include revisiting your values, identifying your strengths, and thinking about the work you want to do.
 
For example, earlier career Brenda would have a list something like this on what she wanted from a role:

  • Training specialist or related position.
  • Within 25 miles of home or 100% remote with up to 25% travel.
  • Full-time role with benefits and within my established salary range.
  • Opportunities for promotion and advancement.
  • Working in the software, finance, healthcare, or insurance industry.
  • I would rather focus on training design and delivery than only delivering training that other people have designed.
  • I would prefer not to have my main focus be compliance training, developing eLearning, LMS administration, resolving help desk tickets, writing technical documentation, dealing with customer complaints, or recordkeeping.

Having a stated list of preferences, and continuing to hone it as you learn more, is your first step in determining which jobs to target. 

Step 2: Narrowing Your Search

Let's go back to those 631 search results from my Training Specialist searches. By adding additional search parameters, we can narrow our results to jobs that  more specifically meet our specified criteria:

Starting with those 43 roles in Omaha: 
  • Specifying a full-time role takes me down to 37 jobs
  • Putting quotes around "Training Specialist" (to specify those actual words need to be in my results) takes me down to 19 jobs
  • Showing only jobs posted within the last two weeks takes me down to 12 jobs

Starting with those 588 remote jobs:
​
  • Specifying a full-time role takes me down to 391 jobs
  • Putting quotes around "Training Specialist" (to specify those actual words need to be in my results) takes me down to 102 jobs
  • Showing only jobs posted within the last two weeks takes me down to 45 jobs

Step 3: Quick Job Listing Review

Now that I have a more reasonable number of jobs to go through (12 and 45--57 total), I start to do a cursory review of the short descriptions of each role. 

No
  • I rule out these jobs because the job titles show the roles are outside of my area of focus: Cement Manufacturing Safety Training Coordinator, Auto Glass Repair Specialist (Paid Training), and Clinical Training Specialist (for a registered nurse).
  • I rule out one because it is a longer commute than I want, one requires a license I do not have (or want to pursue) and one in a field that doesn't interest me. 
  • I rule out a few because the stated salary is significantly outside of my target salary range. 

Yes
  • Those that appeal to me at a glance, I add to TealHQ. Teal is a free service to track jobs, note progress on applications, and make notes on interactions. One feature I especially like with Teal is that when you add a job, it notes keywords included in the job descriptions and any listed salary range.
  • I add jobs including Technical Training Specialist I-III (remote/Hybrid), Commercial Lines Training Specialist, and a few Training Specialist roles.
  • ​For now, I add jobs that interest me into TealHQ. However, I err on the side of adding something for further consideration.

I have now reduced the number of jobs that interest me to 31 roles.

Step 4: More Detailed Job Listing Review

Now that I have those 31 jobs in Teal, I look more closely at the following:
​
  • Identifying the work arrangements (onsite, hybrid, remote) and comments about these within the job description.
  • Ensuring I have the required and many top skills listed.
  • Assessing if the roles look like a good overall fit.
  • Noting any information about salary range.

I remove jobs where I am not eligible. This includes the following:

  • A required credential I don't currently possess or want to pursue.
  • A hybrid role in a state where I do not live. 
  • An organization who can not hire someone who lives in my current state of residence.

I remove jobs with anything that might be a dealbreaker for me. This includes the following:

  • A focus area that doesn't appeal to me.
  • A commute that I won't be happy with longer term. 
  • A job description that asks for a wide variety of skills with a low salary.

For the remaining jobs, I give them an initial rating of 1-5 stars and make notes on any areas I might want to explore further.

I now have 18 jobs in Teal. 

Step 5: A Little More Research

Next, I investigate a few things outside of the immediate job descriptions. 

  • I visit LinkedIn and see if I know anyone with a specific company who could give me additional information, put in a good word for me, or refer me for a role.
  • For a remote role that doesn't include a list of eligible states, I search LinkedIn to see if a remote company has people currently living in my state of residence. This may indicate if they can hire people in my state.
  • I follow the company on LinkedIn and follow anyone involved in the hiring process.
  • I click the apply link to ensure it works, the position is still open, and they are still accepting applications.
  • I do a quick Google News search on the organization to see if and how they show up in the news. 
​
Now, I have 13 jobs In Teal.

Step 6: Customize a Resume and Prepare to Apply

​From the 13 jobs I have listed, I will apply for the jobs I'm most excited about and continue to reassess other openings listed. I will also add, remove, reprioritize, and take notes on specific roles as needed. 

Learn More

  • The Layoff Lady: Career Planning - Figuring Out What You Want To Be Next 
  • TealHQ.com
  • The Layoff Lady: Job Listing Challenges - Remote, Hybrid, and Onsite Labels
  • The Layoff Lady: Let's Talk Money - Your Target Salary Range
  • The Layoff Lady: I Just Got Laid Off--Now What? ​
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Asking for Help Using LinkedIn Messaging

4/11/2023

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Messaging With Your Connections

One of the benefits of having connections on LinkedIn is that you are able to directly send them messages. This is also a feature that I've seen used poorly on several occasions. Let's look at how to use LinkedIn messaging effectively to continue to build professional relationships. Let's also look at some guidelines for how to use this feature well. 

The Value of Mutually Beneficial Relationships

To have successful professional networking relationships, make sure those relationships are mutually beneficial. Networking is about give and take. Make sure that you are adding value along the way. This includes sharing useful content, congratulating people on their accomplishments, and answering one-off questions when people are asking for advice. In short, be a good LinkedIn neighbor. If you give more than you take, your LinkedIn connections will be more likely to want to help you. This is the real secret to successful professional networking--make sure it's a two-way street. 

Messages That Add Value

When you contact people directly, be sure your messages are not all you asking others to do things for you. Here are a few types of messages you can send to your connections that add value to the relationship and give more than they take:

  • Wishing them a happy holiday
  • Congratulating them on a promotion, job, degree, personal milestone, or accomplishment
  • Thanking them for sharing useful content that helped you personally
  • Thanking them for helping people in general
  • Checking in on them to see how they are
  • ​Telling them it was nice seeing them at an in-person or online event
  • Following up on a previous topic of conversation
  • Offering help on one of your areas of expertise
  • Sharing a resource, article, or piece of information that would benefit them

Make sure you are not THAT PERSON who only reaches out when they need a favor. 

Direct Asks For Help: Worst Practices

Asking for help is an art. First, you need to be willing to ask for help. Next, you need to craft your ask in a way that you have a higher likelihood of getting that help.
Here are the most significant issues I’ve seen with how people ask for job search help:
  • Connect and pitch
  • Making a big ask early on
  • Making a vague ask
  • Making an ask that is disproportionate to how well you know someone
  • Making frequent asks
  • Being aggressive in asks
  • Re-asking too many times
  • Not being able to hear no
  • Being angry if they don’t get what you want

The Worst Asks 

Even though I am, by nature, a helper, here are the types of requests I receive via LinkedIn messages that will not get much of a response from me.

  • Can you get me a job at your company?
  • Can you introduce me to people?
  • If you hear of any openings, let me know.

​Why are these not good asks?  For one, these are big asks. These are also the types of requests that would require me to do a lot of investigation to be truly helpful.
  • I’m not going to magically get you a job at my company. Being hired isn't quite as simple as that.
  • I’m also not going to go through my list of professional contacts, prioritize who I think you should meet, and facilitate multiple introductions.
  • I will also not be your personal job searcher and send you roles—partly because there is no guarantee that my assumptions based on our past experience working together will align with your current job search goals.
​
When you ask people to help you, put in your work first. Then, when they know you are committed to being successful, they are much more likely to help you clarify details.  

Direct Asks For Help: Better Practices

Here are a few better asks, but may only work with connections who you know very well and who you have helped in the past:
​
  • Would you review my resume?
  • Would you review my LinkedIn profile?
  • Would you refer me for a position at your company?
  • Would you pass my resume on to your connection, the hiring manager?
  • Would you meet with me for 30 minutes to discuss [a professional topic]?

​These requests are specific, which is better, but each is still a sizeable request. The first two may be time intensive. The next two involve me putting my reputation on the line to recommend you for a role. The final one requires a block of my time on my calendar. Depending on our interactions prior to these requests, my response may vary from “of course!” to no response at all. 

Again, remember to make sure your asks are aligned with how well you know one another. 

Direct Asks for Help: Best Practices

Asks are better when they are more specific and less time intensive. It’s also helpful if there is context. Here are a few asks that are more likely to get responses. The requests earlier in this list are more likely to get a response than the ones later on:
​
  • I just made a job search post on LinkedIn. Would you be willing to visit the post [link here] and like, comment on, or share this post to help me boost my signal?
  • I’m considering applying for the Associate Project Manager position with Super Cool Company. How do you like working there? Would you recommend it as a workplace?
  • I am working on a career transition from being a software trainer to a project manager. What do you like about your current role as a project manager? What skills would help me in that role?
  • I am working on a career transition from being a software trainer to a project manager. I see you’re connected to Alonzo Johnson, a project manager with Super Cool Company. Would you be willing to facilitate an introduction between us on LinkedIn?
  • I’m considering applying for the Associate Project Manager position with Super Cool Company. As I get my application materials together, I’d appreciate your insights on the company and how to position myself for success. Would you be willing to have a 15-minute phone call sometime over the next week to talk?
  • I’m considering applying for the Associate Project Manager position with Super Cool Company. As I get my application materials together, I’d appreciate your insights on the company and how to position myself for success. Would you be willing to have a 30-minute virtual coffee zoom meeting sometime over the next week?
  • I’m considering applying for the Associate Project Manager position with Super Cool Company. As I get my application materials together, I’d appreciate your insights on the company and how to position myself for success. Would you be willing to meet for a coffee at the local coffee shop of your choosing? The first cup is on me!

People Get To Say No

Remember, when you are asking for help, people will tell you no. More likely than telling you a direct no, they may just not respond. Ever. Keep in mind that job searching, like sales, means that you're going to hear a whole lot of no on the way to that one yes you need. When you need a specific thing, it's useful to ask multiple people for help to give you a better chance of getting a response. It's also not personal. We're each on LinkedIn using it to varying degrees and all trying to accomplish our own goals. 

Making sure that you are making the relationships mutually beneficial will make it much more likely that people will respond to you and want to lend you a hand when you need it. 

Learn More

  • The Layoff Lady: Growing Your Professional Network: Adding LinkedIn Connections
  • The Layoff Lady: Using 1:1 Networking Meetings for Job Searching
  • The Layoff Lady: Growing Your Professional Network: Attending Webinars
  • The Layoff Lady: I Just Got Laid Off--Now What? ​
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Strengthening Professional Relationships: Interacting With LinkedIn Posts

4/4/2023

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Getting To Know Your LinkedIn Connections

Connecting with someone on LinkedIn is a great way to start a formalized relationship with someone in your professional network. While that is a great start, deepening those relationships is a helpful next step to get more value out of LinkedIn. Let's look at a few ways to do just that. 

Interacting with Posts

Interacting with  posts on LinkedIn is a great way to continue to build relationships with your connections and demonstrate your professional value. Not only is this a great way to build your credibility with many connections at the same time, it also gives you an opportunity to showcase your knowledge without having to choose the initial content for the post. You can also use your comments to interact with others and even use this as a starting point to invite other commenters to connect. 

Adding Your Reaction

The easiest way to interact is by adding a reaction to a post. With a click of a button, you can like a post or select from the other available responses. When you react to a post, your name will be listed on the post as well. This is an easy way to have people see your name and affiliate it with the content you liked. Adding your reaction also helps more people see the original post. 

Commenting on a Post

An even more valuable way to interact with a post is by commenting. Once you have connected with someone, reading and commenting on their posts is an excellent way to build on that relationship. This way, they are starting the conversation, and you are helping expand on that content by adding your ideas. In addition, you can comment on other people's comments and share additional value. 

​You can thank the initial poster for sharing the idea, add your thoughts, share your experiences, and illustrate how you have used the concept in practice. Commenting on posts also gives you an inroad to connect with someone else who is also interacting with that post. Commenting is a great way to interact with others in your profession, build credibility, and make more meaningful connections. It also helps to achieve one of your LinkedIn goals of showcasing your knowledge and also sharing valuable information. 

Reposting

If someone posts something of value to your connections, you may want to comment on the post itself and then consider reposting it with your comments. When you repost content, first, you'll see anything you typed, then LinkedIn will include the entire original post. This helps the original post get additional views and also enables you to share useful content with your network.

​When I repost content, I usually include "Thanks [original poster] for sharing this information!" To include the original poster's name, include the @, then type the first part of their name, and choose their name from the options provided. (This is often called an "at mention." This will tag them in the post so they can interact with your new post, which will help boost the number of people who see the post. 

Sharing Your Own LinkedIn Posts

Sharing content on LinkedIn is a great way to engage with your connections, add value to your professional relationships, and promote who you are and what you know. Unfortunately, very few people ever post anything at all--which is a huge missed opportunity to differentiate yourself from others in your field. 

Another question that comes up is the frequency of posting. I recommend posting on LinkedIn no more than twice per day and posting one to four times per week. Use your favorite search engine for recommendations on the best times and days of the week to post to get the most views on your posts.

As for content, you don't have to write a lengthy, original manifesto to post on LinkedIn and make an impact. ​Personally, most of the content I share on LinkedIn includes some version of the following:
​
  • Context: A sentence or two framing the information I share and presenting its value.
  • A Resource: A link to an article, post, or eye-catching graphic.
  • Keywords: 2-4 hashtags to make my post more findable.

Once you make a post, be sure to like any comments other people make on your post and even reply to each comment. The more likes and comments you receive on your post, the more people will see it. This will continue to build your professional brand and add value to the networking relationships you are fostering through LinkedIn. 

Learn More

  • The Layoff Lady: The Why and What of Posting on LinkedIn
  • The Layoff Lady: Growing Your Professional Network: Adding LinkedIn Connections
  • ​The Layoff Lady: I Just Got Laid Off--Now What? ​
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Growing Your Professional Network: Adding LinkedIn Connections

3/28/2023

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Your Professional Network

When I think about building my professional network, adding new LinkedIn connections is one of my markers of success. I use LinkedIn as a tool to create, build, and maintain my professional relationships. 

Turning People You've Met Into LinkedIn Connections

When I first started using LinkedIn, I connected with people I had met in person. At that time, my network mainly included the following people: 
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  • Family and friends
  • Current and former coworkers
  • Current and former business associates (vendor contacts, customers, contractors)
  • Colleagues from professional development groups
  • People I met in person or via phone/webinar in a business setting
  • People I met through introductions from my current professional connections

Creating New Professional Connections

When the pandemic hit, I realized I needed to shift my approach, or I would not meet anyone new. I also realized that since more companies were open to hiring remote people, I needed to broaden my network beyond the people I would encounter in person. In addition to the people I used to connect with, I now also started proactively sending connection requests to the following types of people:
​
  • Other members of my LinkedIn groups
  • People in my geographical area
  • People in the field of learning and development
  • People who work for companies that interest me
  • Recruiters
  • People with common interests or experiences
  • People with mutual connections
  • People who presented at sessions I attended
  • People who attended online sessions that I also attended

Again, the more people I meet, and the more people I connect with who know about my professional value, the better I will be able to find a new role that meets my requirements more quickly.

Opportune Times To Connect

I often connect with people when there are specific reasons to connect that are noteworthy, including the following:
​
  • People recently laid off:  I empathize with their job loss, mention job search-related resources, and invite them to connect.
  • People recently hired: I congratulate them on their new role, mention our commonality, and invite them to connect.
  • People who just completed a degree, certification, or other educational program: I congratulate them on their accomplishments, mention any commonality we have, and invite them to connect. 

Personalizing Connection Requests

In the vast majority of cases, I personalize a connection request when I send it. When connecting with people I’ve met in person, I always remind them of where we met, include details about our meeting, share helpful information, and invite them to connect.

Personalizing the request becomes even more critical if I send a connection request to someone I have not met before. I want to promote the possible value of that relationship.

I include the following components when personalizing a connection request:
​
  • Greeting: Hi, [person’s first name spelled correctly].
  • Personal Note: Include details on how you met, compliment them on a previous post, share a helpful tip, comment on their situation, or point out something we have in common.
  • Invitation to Connect: I’d like to add you to my professional network. and/or Let’s connect!
  • Signature: [Your Name] 

Here are a few examples of what I might include as a personal note in my personalized connection requests.

  • I see that we both attended this morning’s ATD-Nebraska webinar. I’m new to Omaha, and I’m excited to connect with L&D professionals in the area.
  • Thanks for your recent post on tips for engagement in webinars. Personally, I get a lot of value from having people share answers to informal questions in the chat. Now, I have a few new techniques to try!
  • Sorry to hear about your recent layoff. I also have a background working in SaaS startups in the software space. Let me know if I can help you make connections during your job search. 
  • I’m also in the field of L&D focusing on technical training. Hearing how your team uses short-form videos to engage new employees was great.
  • I see you’re currently in Madison. I lived there for about ten years before I moved to Minneapolis. I have fond memories of biking around Lake Monona and Lake Mendota.

Learn More

  • The Layoff Lady: Using 1:1 Networking Meetings for Job Searching
  • The Layoff Lady: Growing Your Professional Network: Attending Webinars
  • The Layoff Lady: I Just Got Laid Off--Now What? ​
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Your Weekly Job Search To Do List

1/3/2023

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by Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

A Harsh Truth About Job Searching

Job searching is hard. One of the things that makes it particularly challenging is that you can't actually control when you will get a new job. The whole process takes as long as it takes. To make all of that waiting bearable, it's helpful to focus on the aspects of your job search you can control. 

Measuring Success

My "day job" is working in the field of learning and development. One of my goals is to make sure that the performance support initiatives I'm designing (a class, a handout, a video) actually help solve a problem in a way that can be quantified. There are two kinds of indicators to help measure success: leading indicators and lagging indicators. 

Lagging indicators are what we all typically want to focus on. If I'm delivering a training session for salespeople on how they can sell a given product, the lagging indicator after training would be that they sold more of the product than they did before training and that more people spent more money on that given product--ideally being able to state who did what using dollar amount or percentage of improvement. One trick is that I can’t control how salespeople use the information presented in training or that individuals want or need to purchase the product. They are also lagging indicators because those results take a bit to show up. However, this is what success is supposed to look like. 

Leading indicators are where it's more helpful to focus. These are the easily measurable, countable, check-off-able items that are predominantly within your control. For this example, my leading indicators of success would be that we held a training session, having a list of who attended the training session, how they performed on an assessment based on the content covered, and that they received a job aid that contained talking points on the content covered. I can control all of these things. Of course, these leading indicators don't necessarily guarantee I'll achieve my lagging indicators. Still, they show that I'm going in the right direction and help position those salespeople to achieve the sales numbers we hope to see.

Job Search: Lagging Indicators

Within the context of my job search, here are the tangible markers of success that I want to see:

  • Getting a current employee to refer me for a specific job at their company.
  • Getting someone to put in a good word for me with a potential employer.
  • Getting an initial interview.
  • Getting follow-up or final interviews.
  • Getting a job offer.

All of these are lagging indicators. They are awesome because when they happen, they are definitive, and you know you have made legitimate progress toward getting a job. The trick is that many of these things happening at all--and what the timing might look like--is out of your control. 

Ways to Achieve the Bigger Goal

While I can't directly make those lagging indicators happen, I can focus on strategies to position myself for more success in those areas, including the following:
​
  • Build or strengthen networking connections with people who work in my industry or for a possible employer.
  • Position myself well through my LinkedIn profile and resume.
  • Apply for jobs that are a good fit for me.
  • Improve my skill set so I am a more logical candidate for a job.
  • Present myself well in writing, over the phone, and face-to-face.

Job Search: Leading Indicators. 

Now, to turn those squishier ideas into leading indicators (which are specific, countable, check-off-able things I can put on a to-do list), here are items I can actually do in a given week:

  • On LinkedIn, spend 30 minutes each weekday engaging with posts.
  • On LinkedIn, post two to five times to showcase my expertise. 
  • On LinkedIn, send five requests to connect with new people. 
  • Identify at least five jobs that meet my job search criteria.
  • Apply for at least three jobs. 
  • On LinkedIn, follow pages for each company where I apply.
  • Take part in at least one professional development activity per week. 

Having this list of tangible actions to take keeps me on track to achieve my goal of starting a new job.

Keep On Doing The Right Things

Some weeks, you do a lot of waiting, which makes you feel like you are terrible at everything and will never work again. Other weeks, people seem to be falling all over themselves to talk with you about yet another amazing job opportunity. During those weeks, you feel like this is all easy and you can do no wrong. 

During those slow weeks, it's helpful to remember to keep on doing those right things. Fine-tune as needed and know that your best strategy is to keep on keeping on. Put in the work, then trust the process. 

Learn More

  • What’s The Difference Between Leading and Lagging Indicators​
  • 8 Habits of Highly Effective Job Seekers
  • The Layoff Lady: I Just Got Laid Off--Now What? ​
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Creating Your Career Transition Support Team

12/6/2022

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by Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Don't Go It Alone

Life is challenging when nothing in particular is happening. When you're going through a job change (especially one you didn't plan), it's even harder. While I'm a fan of self-reliance, I also know the value of finding people who want to support you and letting them do it. You're not weak for needing people. You are smart for planning ahead for what you will need.

You Need Help Because This is Hard

I have been through a post-layoff job transition 7 times, and it is difficult each and every time. There is the fear that it will just never end and you'll be drifting for eternity trying to find paid work where you can pay your bills--much less in a job you want. You worry that you'll have to settle for something that may be even worse than the worst job you've ever had. You also worry that you'll run out of money and not be able to pay your bills and lose everything you own and everyone you've ever loved. While your rational mind knows this is all pretty unlikely, there will be moments when it all seems hopeless. That's where your support network comes in. 

No matter how resilient and downright badass you are, doing this alone makes it way harder. 

People Want to Help You: Make Sure to Let Them

As an extra added bonus, people want to help you!

I'm always inspired by people who come out of the woodwork to check on me, tell me about an open position, thank me for helping them once upon a time, or offer to refer me for a role. Everyone has struggled with something at one time or another, and someone has helped them. Let other people help you. 

Building Your Team

It also takes a village to get you through a career transition. Relying on one person for everything is all kinds of stressful. Know that people want to help, and it's a matter of figuring out what you need, letting people know, and reaching out to people when you need it. Going through a job search is challenging even in the best of circumstances. If you're starting from a layoff (especially the part where someone else got to make a big, uninvited life decision for you) it can be even more challenging. 

Types of Help You Need

Here's a starter list of the types of help you may need during your job transition. More specifically, here is some of what I needed. Use this as a starting point and add details as it helps you:

  • ​Emotional Support: You'll have all the feelings. Figure out who you can talk to about what. Sometimes you'll laugh, sometimes you'll cry, sometimes you'll vent, and on the most trying days, maybe all of the above. 
  • Communication: Just telling people what is up can be draining--because people. Realize, too, that you telling them about your situation may result in them inadvertently trying to allay their fears that the same thing will happen to them. Find a friend who can help you spread whatever news there is to convey. Telephone. Telegraph. Tell a Karla. Find those people who love to connect with others (and even share some of the same social circles) and enlist their help.  
  • Sounding Board: When you're making big decisions--or doing something you don't do very often, having someone to talk things through will is mission critical. Personally, I don't even always need my sounding board people to say much--just to sit there and listen (or at least just not talk over me) as I talk myself into or out of the idea I'm considering. There is so much value to writing or talking through ideas as you choose your next steps.
  • Logistical Support: Sometimes, you'll need a hand figuring things out. Maybe it's having someone to watch your kids for a bit so you can have a phone interview. Maybe it's help with a ride if you're having car trouble. Whatever it is, it may seem small to them, but it'll solve a problem for you. 
  • Fun: There will be many, many times when you just need a distraction. Watching a movie. Having coffee. Talking about non-job search related things. Having a conversation where you don't have to be "on" and can just chat with someone. It doesn't have to be elaborate. It just has to be a welcome break from all those "shoulds" to be something other than a job-searching human.
  • Cheerleader: You also need someone to give you a pep talk. Whether it's someone who'll send you a quick "You've got this!" text or someone to remind you to take a deep breath and tell them your remarkable story, remember that encouragement is essential. They can also help you celebrate successes and remind you of your innate value when you're struggling.
  • Accountability: You'll also need someone to help you keep on track. It may be as easy as them asking if you applied for that job you talked about. Or asking you if you updated your resume like you said you would do. I have people I text saying I'll do a given thing just so I have written it down, and I have the peer pressure to help me follow through. 
  • New Ideas: There is a certain amount of trial and error when looking for a new job. Whether it's optimizing LinkedIn, figuring out how to network with new people, finding the best way to position your work experience, or where to find jobs, there's a lot to learn. Whether you tap into someone who works in that industry, or a hiring manager, or a resume writer, figuring out how to be a more effective job searcher is useful. 
  • Connectors: Each of us has people in our personal and professional networks who seem to know all the things and/or all the people. Let them help you connect with helpful people, job leads, or ideas when you need them. 

Who Can Help

When it comes to help, I start with my inner circle--close friends and family. I'm also sure to widen my support team beyond them, too.

I also move beyond that immediate group. I interact with my LinkedIn connections. I tap into online groups including job search groups, The White Box Club, and even LinkedIn groups focusing on networking or a content area (like sales enablement).

I interact with in-person membership groups like ATD or the Omaha OD Network. Or I seek out non-work connections through social Meetup groups or activities. Sometimes, I just spend time in coffee shops to indirectly interact with other people. It's a matter of figuring out what you need and finding a person to help.

Asking for Help

Know, too, that there will be times when you need to straight up reach out to someone because you need help. Each person will have their areas of interest and expertise, so be sure to keep that in mind when asking for help.

It's helpful to consider who you might contact for different needs. Here are a few cases where I reach out to different people to ask for help:
​
  • Before a job interview, I will text my daughter, telling her I have a job interview. She will then text back words of encouragement.
  • If I need non-job search social interaction, I'll reach out to my former "lunch ladies" coworkers with a link to my Calendly and ask if they're up for a catch-up conversation (then they can pick a time that works for them for us to chat.)
  • If I'm having a rough day, I'll reach out to my best friend via text or phone to talk a bit. 
  • If I'm unsure if my resume is clear, I'll contact a former coworker for his insights on what I might want to change. 
  • If I want to talk shop but not directly job searching, I'll contact a LinkedIn connection I haven't chatted with in a while and see if they are up for a virtual coffee meeting. I get to have a fulfilling interaction with another person and glean a few professional insights, too. 

Learn More

  • Five Ways to Strengthen Your Support System
  • The White Box Club​ on Meetup
  • The Layoff Lady: I Just Got Laid Off--Now What? ​
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Using 1:1 Networking Meetings For Job Searching

11/15/2022

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by  Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

The Value of Professional Networking 

When it comes to job searching, professional networking is a critical component of success. Ideally, you make initial connections with people through LinkedIn (maybe even after meeting them in person or at an online group event). While this is a great start, there is value in building relationships beyond that initial connection. A 1:1 meeting can significantly strengthen a networking relationship​ and help you learn how you and your new connection can help one another succeed.

About 1:1 Networking Meetings

So what exactly is a networking meeting? Back in the day, I remember hearing people talk about doing "informational interviews." In short, if you were interested in having a particular job or working with a specific company, you would contact an organization or individual and ask if they would meet you for an informational interview. In this 1:1 meeting, which could take place via phone or in person, you might learn about the company, what they are looking for, skills to acquire, and more. It also allowed you to start to build a relationship with a company--or a possible advocate in the person doling out said information. 

Fast forward to now. Today, a networking meeting is typically between you and another person deciding to spend a half hour-ish together. This meeting, sometimes called a coffee chat, could happen virtually via Zoom or in person, often over coffee.

If you're job searching, the typical focus will be on how to progress in your job search. Someone may agree to a networking meeting because you have things in common (like a field of work, background, professional goals), because they are generally committed to helping people when they are job searching, or because you have a mutual acquaintance to ask that person to meet with you to help you out.

Networking Meeting = Informal Interview

Whenever you have an opportunity to meet one-on-one with someone, remember that you are taking part in a type of informal interview. Whenever I meet with someone in career transition, my goal is to help them figure out their next steps, offer advice (if they ask and are interested), and give them ideas on further steps they might take, including who they should speak with next 

While I go in with this idea, the amount of help I'll provide also depends on how this networking meeting goes. Ideally, we have a good, productive conversation, and I think to myself, "I totally want to help this person more."

If the meeting goes well, I'll refer them to specific resources that might benefit them (like a networking group they might want to join, a company to check out, someone to follow on LinkedIn) and even put in a good word for them to have a networking meeting with someone else who might get them closer to their goals.

In addition, if it goes REALLY well, this is a person who I'll refer to others for openings, pass on job opportunities, and maybe even hire someday. If the meeting doesn't go well, I'll share a few resources, but I may not be willing to help them as actively moving forward. 

Remember, any interaction you have with people will impact their desire to help you in the future.

Types of Networking Meetings

Here are a few common types of networking meetings: 
  • Talking about a particular job opportunity with a specific organization. Usually, the goal of that meeting is to gain insight from someone who works at that company to help you decide if the company sounds like a good fit, how to tailor your application to the organization, or even get a referral in.
  • Talking about someone’s career path to gain insight into what you might do to get into a specific job or field. In this case, you might ask someone about how they got into a particular role—like a manager or an instructional designer or a digital marketer---with the goal of you figuring out what next steps you might want to take to get to a similar role.
  • General job search career advice. In this case, the person you’re meeting with knows that you are in a career transition and is willing to help you figure out your next steps. This could be them recommending job titles that you should look into, companies they know who are hiring, or people you might want to talk to in order to get closer to your goal of finding a job. Sometimes, this meeting might lead to the person saying, “I think you should talk to  [SuperCool Person] who [can help you with an area where you need help].

​Networking Meeting Best Practices

Here are a few best practices for networking meetings:
  • Thank the person for meeting with you and for their input.
  • Let the person know your goals for the networking meeting.
  • Let the other person talk. Remember, you're there to learn from them. Be sure to listen to what they have to say!
  • Ask them for the advice they wish they had received.
  • Ask them for their recommendations on the next steps you should take.
  • Ask them what you can do for them. Remember, they typically meet with you because someone they value asked them or they genuinely want to help. Be sure to return the favor!
  • Be ready to help that person in the future--whether it's liking one of their LinkedIn posts, sharing a post they made, or helping them promote a job opening they have. Be a good LinkedIn/professional networking neighbor. 
  • Send them a quick thank you message afterward and reiterate any next steps you talked about.
  • Follow up with anyone who they introduce you to. Even if you end up not doing a lot with that connection, be sure to be professional about it all. 

​The True Power of Networking Meetings

When people talk about how they "networked" into a new job, typically, that means they leveraged their initial connections to help make inroads with new contacts, who helped them get closer to a new position.

​The holy grail of networking meetings is when the person you meet with agrees to introduce you to someone else they know who could help you. That process repeats until you're talking to a hiring manager or influencer who can help you get an interview for a job. Having good networking meetings is a critical step in that process.

Learn More

  • How Networking Speeds Your Job Search
  • The Layoff Lady: I Just Got Laid Off--Now What? ​
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Job Layoff Fear: An Alternative to Worry

10/18/2022

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by  Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Managing Job Anxiety

Recently, I was at a professional development event learning about the finer points of corporate training. During networking time, I talked with a woman who had been previously laid off, then called back to work for the same company (which is rare for my chosen field). What was her biggest concern? In short, she was trying to figure out how to be happy in her new/old position and not constantly worry about the possibility of getting laid off again. 

To Worry, or Not To Worry?

Here in the land of having been laid off from various and sundry positions many, many times over the course of my career, I know from being worried about job loss. Granted, the first time I was laid off, an involuntary job loss was outside of my realm of possibility since it had never personally happened to me. After that, though, once I knew it was a thing, there were many times when I worried about being laid off. Maybe it was concerns about market performance, new management, rumors about reorganization, or other things that caused my anxiety to kick in.

An Alternative to Worry

Way back when, I had two operating modes when it came to work: “I’m happy with my job” mode and “I need to find a new job right this minute” mode. “I’m happy with my job” mode included excelling at my day-job with a side order of inactivity. “I need to find a new job right this minute” mode is when I started to network, look for career opportunities, dust off my resume, highlight my skills, and look to make a change in the very near future.

Now I realize that I needed to change from those two to an all new “working professional” mode—which is a both/and way of being. As a working professional, I still excel in my current role, but I also remember to keep my skill set up to date, continue to make ongoing professional connections, and have a career plan B (and up through about J, honestly) just in case I need it. Regardless of my employment status, this mindset serves me well and helps me live my life without focusing on fear.

Learning and Growing

Once upon a time, I planned to be a high school English teacher. While I didn’t end up teaching in a school setting, I use that skill set to help adults who work for businesses learn the knowledge, skills, and abilities that enable them to excel professionally and personally.

I’m a lifelong learner, and I literally learn for a living—and help others do the same. I’m always learning new technology, reading up on adult education theory, and gaining insights from those around me.

​In addition to having a formal background in education, I also attend regular professional development meetings, and I constantly read in and outside of my field. I make sure I can speak intelligently about trends in business, education, and beyond. Staying current and continuing to learn and grow keeps me doing well in my current position and future ready. In an ever-changing world, continued professional growth is the best way to manage whatever happens next.

Building (and Tending) My Professional Network

People talk a lot about “networking.” Too often, I think networking is depicted as a superficial act that involves shaking a lot of hands at a nametag-laden event where people dread the next day’s “would you like to buy something from me” calls. As an introvert, I approach networking differently. My goal is to build mutually beneficial relationships with people. These relationships are an opportunity to share information, help one another out, and feel more connected.

I keep track of my network using LinkedIn. In the beforetimes (aka pre-pandemic), I would typically meet people in person first, then connect with them via LinkedIn. Now, after I interact with someone via webinar (at a professional development meeting or after we work together for the first time), I invite them to connect on LinkedIn.

​I've also taken a more proactive stance on online networking out of sheer necessity. Regardless of how that connection comes into my life, from there, I’m happy to help a friend of theirs look for a new job, or talk with one of my connections about how they might want to design their technical certification program, or answer a question about a job applicant who is a former coworker of mine. I expect to help people in my professional network out, and know that they will be willing to do the same

​Contingency Planning

Regardless of the role I’m in, and even if it seems to be going well, I always have a backup plan, and a backup-backup plan, and then a couple more backup plans after those. After many layoffs and the unique challenges of each, I have a broad sense of the types of situations (like figuring out the healthcare exchange and determining when it made sense to do short-term contract work) I may need to mitigate. This means being ready to manage possible adversity or taking advantage of opportunities as they become available.

In addition to being proactive with my network, some things I’ve thought through have made me better equipped for issues as they arise. Here are a few of the things I’ve contemplated:

  • The recruiters/connectors who I call if I find myself unexpectedly in transition
  • My options for short or long-term contract work in my field
  • My interim budget if I am laid off, and how/when to tap which kinds of resources
  • Different health care scenarios, including COBRA, a ridiculously high deductible health plan, or the “be careful” option
  • My 6+ months of unemployment plan, including work outside of my field, to pay core bills

Learn More

  • How To Deal with Layoff Anxiety (Harvard Business Review)
  • The Layoff Lady: I Just Got Laid Off--Now What? ​
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Growing Your Professional Network: Attending Webinars

10/4/2022

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by  Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Network Building in the Beforetimes

Pre-pandemic, "networking" typically meant attending in-person events, shaking a few hands, and having a somewhat meaningful conversation with another human. While in-person opportunities are available again, it's still a good practice to continue to build your network when interacting with people online. 

Enter the Webinar

Like many people, I have attended (and delivered) approximately a bijillion online meetings, trainings, and interactive instructor-led sessions. I've been approaching these sessions with a mind towards not just attending, but also making new connections. Although the process differs from in-person interaction with people, I have managed to connect with more people (and often form more meaningful connections) than attending in-person meetings and “working the room.” As someone who runs introverted and communicates effectively in writing, this was an opportunity to turn webinars into a bonus network building exercise.

Your Personal Webinar Branding

When attending a webinar, I make sure that people are able to see who I am, my full name, and a picture if at all possible. I use the same photo I use on LinkedIn so that people associate me with that picture. I also make sure that my first and last name are present so people have a chance of being able to find me after the session--or will recognize my name. 

In addition, during the webinar, I interact during the session. This usually involves commenting in the chat when prompted--which is also an opportunity for other attendees to see my full name. During any small group interactions, I'm sure to turn my camera on so people can see my face, hear my voice, and see my name. If the presenter asks people to share out loud, I usually turn on my camera, and share my thoughts. Again, this is another opportunity for people to hear my voice, see my face, and see my name. Each of these "impressions" helps people start to get to know me at least a little bit. 

Finding Potential Connections

During the a webinar, I often take a screen shot of the participant list, and a gallery of attendees if people are on camera. Whenever possible, download the chat from the session. This helps me identify who was active in the webinar and gives me additional information on anything they might have shared during the session. I often make notes on notecards during sessions to help me remember who might have said what and key content covered. All of these details can help me when interacting with attendees later on when I send LinkedIn connection requests. 

Researching Potential Connections

After attending a webinar, here is my process for adding new LinkedIn connections:
  • Refer to the list of attendees at a webinar.
  • Search for each person on LinkedIn.
  • Skim their profile for things we might have in common or ways that we might be able to help one another.  These might include our geographical location, people who we both know, their industry, their current role, if they are looking for work, and if they had any recent activity (posts, articles, or likes) on their account.
  • Decide whether or not to send them a connection request.

Personalizing a Connection Request

Personalizing connection requests is a great way to start building a relationship with a new professional contact. Here are the key components I include:
  • Personalized greeting
  • ​Statements on what we have in common 
  • Invitation to become part of one another's professional network
  • Optional: suggested next step
    • Offer of job searching help
    • Suggestion on something in particular to do
    • Sharing additional information
    • Suggest a phone call or virtual coffee meeting
  • Signature

Connection Request Examples

Here are a few examples of messages that you can use to invite people to connect. Currently, LinkedIn allows you to include up to 300 characters when personalizing connection requests. 

Hi, Jen. I see we both attended today’s White Box Club meeting. ​I’m also in career  transition and seeking a new role in learning and development. Let's connect!

I'm also always up for a 30-minute "virtual coffee" meeting to discuss how we can help one another as we job search. 

--Brenda

Hi, Jack. Great to interact with you a bit at this morning's Excellence Share. I love sharing ideas with fellow L&D professionals. Let's connect!

--Brenda

Hi, Javier. I see we both attended today's "Sales Enablement Best Practices" webinar. I definitely enjoy learning from this group. 

Since you mentioned that you are job searching, be sure to check out The White Box Club on Meetup to help you as you find your next role.


Let's connect!

​--Brenda

​After The Initial Connection

How do you further nurture that relationship? Here are a few ideas.
  • React to other people's posts.
  • Comment on other people's posts with your insights.
  • Share someone's post to your feed and @mention them to thank them for sharing the information.
  • Send a quick message to a connection sharing helpful information they will appreciate. 
  • Congratulate people on their career milestones and successes.
  • Wish them a happy holiday/Friday/weekend on occaision.

Continue to Build The Relationship

After connecting with people initially, be sure to continue to nurture those connections. Posting useful content, and occasionally messaging people is one way to do that. Ideally, you can add value to the relationship before you are in a position where you need to ask those individuals for help. 

Learn More

  • How to Network on LinkedIn Like a Pro
  • The White Box Club Group on Meetup
  • The Layoff Lady: I Just Got Laid Off--Now What? ​
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