Top 10 tips for making your LinkedIn profile attractive

LinkedIn is a business orientated networking service that launched pre-Facebook in 2003. By 2006 the service boasted 20 million members and by June 2013, 259 million users were members of the site. Individual users span over 200 territories and thus the site has a wide global reach.  LinkedIn includes a profile page for individuals to show their work and educational stories. A standardised platform online CVs, links to projects, follow companies, join groups, add colleagues and other key networks. 

LinkedIn has is a market leader in online professional networking sites and still has very few contenders. With news of Facebook intending to launch a business facing aspect to the social networking site – Facebook at Work – will it be a real contender to LinkedIn’s reign?

Having an online presence when looking for work or just in general is becoming a key aspect of job searching and career development arena. Having a LinkedIn profile is becoming nearly as important as having an email address, especially for those looking from first jobs to middle management roles. If you are struggling to get started using this tool please read on as LinkedIn’s top tips to a perfect profile will be explained here. 

1. Profile picture is key. Having a profile picture is very important. It shows that you are a real person who has a real face. Some people I have spoken to about LinkedIn are reluctant to have a LinkedIn profile picture, saying things like, ‘people will see how old I am’ and are worried about age discrimination. People just want to know what you look like, to put a face to the name and experiences,  its simple curiosity.  The picture should be a simple headshot in black and white or colour. I would steer away from pictures of you on a night out, in a team shot, with your kids or with bad lighting. The picture should represent you and how you want to be seen in a professional.
   
   
2. Make an impact with your summary. The summary section of your profile is very similar to a personal statement.  This is the time for you to show what you are made of, what you can do and what you aspire to be. Keep it short but sweet and detailed and be sure to include key words. Include information about previous roles key achievements and responsibilities.  This is not a space to write your life story warts and all, save that for your friends.
   
3. Experience isn’t just listing your roles.  I have seen LinkedIn profiles with individuals just listing roles, no words to describe key achievements, deliverables and responsibilities. Write up to 100 words for the more recent roles (over five years). Say what you did and why you were such a valuable employee, what projects did you do? what were you involved with? Remember you need to stand out.  You can also link key projects and websites to each role.                                                                                                                          
   
4. Listing courses, projects and publications gives you credibility. LinkedIn allows you to list courses, projects and publications whilst giving you the ability to link specific websites where you work is displayed.  LinkedIn also allows you to attach the person who you worked on the project with. This is a great way to show what you have achieved and what you have worked on.                                                                                                            
5. Education, languages and key skills make you stand out.  These sections allow you to list your educational credentials and additional information such as additional languages and key skills. The key skills section is important as this is what recruiters search for. It is therefore key to really research what skills your dream role requires and demonstrate how you have them.
6. Recommendations you can get the job done.  Recommendations are what sets LinkedIn apart from other job sites. Having someone who can vouch for you and can show that you have done a good job at x or y company is a great way to create online capital. Receiving recommendations is a little bit trickier. Asking current or ex colleagues to explain how invaluable you were on a project or a task is the way to get them, but not everyone will respond. Maybe start with recommending someone else and then hopefully they will then repay the favour.
   
7. Connections show that you can network digitally. LinkedIn allows individuals to connect and ‘be friends’ with other professionals. Be they current or former colleagues or individuals that work in an organisation that you aspire to be part of. This is not Facebook however, so try and resist going on a massive ‘friending’ spree. LinkedIn tries to limit the amount of random requests people receive but of course this can be bypassed. If you are trying to connect with someone who has nearly no connection to your circles, explain in the invitation why you want to connect with them and this may open doors.                                                                            
8. Group memberships show employers what your interests are. The site also allows you to be a member of groups. There are groups that discuss a wide variety of industry specialisms and expertise. Most groups are open, but even closed ones you have the option to let your application be verified. When you become a member, engage in conversation and start discussions. These are all ways to become noticed.      
9. Following companies keeps you a breast of key trends. Following companies that you are interested in is a way that you can track the activities and goings on. Company pages are so
   
   organisations can update followers with CSR activities, job vacancies and other things that are happening in the industry and the organisation.        
   
                                                                  
10. USE the jobs function. One of the best things about LinkedIn in my opinion is the jobs function. I think it is one of the best ways to find roles. You can search for the usual; location, job title etc. but it also recommends roles based on your current job title and sends you roles every week straight to your e-mail inbox. Some organisations advertise on their websites, LinkedIn and Twitter only so you will find roles on it that would be difficult to find anywhere else. Also LinkedIn allows you to connect with the recruiters more directly.

Therefore utilise LinkedIn, its tools and make sure you keep your profile up to date and you will find great connections and great roles.

Serial Podcast!

If you haven’t heard about this podcast called Serial, where have you been? Probably living your normal life, not overly investing in or obsessing over a random radio, non-fiction story. Serial is a 12-episode podcast about a murder case that occurred in 1999 in Baltimore. 


I’m not one to jump on the bandwagon of popular culture fads. I only just bought a Macbook, didn’t get a Netflix subscription till a couple of months ago and refused to read Twilight. I prefer to wait till I am good and ready to sample such things, when the hype dies down. Serial Podcast was no exception, I was told about it by my friend a couple of months ago, didn’t really understand the premise and it slipped my mind.

It wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago when another friend talked about it that I downloaded an episode on my phone using her home WIFI (I don’t have unlimited data ok) before heading home on the tube. I was instantly hooked and had a great four days of getting to work being enthralled by the real life story. I listened to 11 episodes in four days of binging. The last episode was released last week.

What is a podcast?

A podcast is a downloadable broadcast that can be listened to on the go. This medium has been around for a while but since October 2014 This American Life (a weekly non fiction podcast) launched its spin off podcast show called Serial. This show has become the most popular podcast ever with over five million iTunes downloads.

What’s the story with serial?

Serial is based on a 1999 murder case of an 18-year-old High School Student, Hae Min Lee who was strangled allegedly by her ex boyfriend Adnan Syed. Syed now facing life imprisonment has always professed his innocence, with scanty to no forensic evidence linking him to the crime Sarah Koenig sets out to talk to as many people involved in the case as she can to find answers.

Koenig works with a team but is the narrator, reporter and producer to the 12-part series.  She tries to tell the tale from a variety of perspectives, has regular recorded telephone meetings with Syed, the star and only witness on the prosecution side - Jay, and other students who attended the Baltimore High school. Every episode focuses on a different aspect, the trial, Syed’s Lawyer, his alibi etc. Koenig and her team read reports and pore through evidence. This results in well researched, thoughtful and enlightening episodes. Listeners get the chance to be completely taken in, absorbed by the true life story and are invited try and find out who did it.

Newspaper Cutting

Similar to Orange is the New Black

Serial reminds me of Orange is the New Black, tenuous but stick with me.  Both are true stories about crime, both a very popular, both investigate the harsh realities system, possible injustices and the wide ranging consequences of it. OITNB released in the UK in May 2013 is based on the memoirs of Piper Kerman who spent a year in prison after being convicted of drug smuggling charges. However, the hit Netflix show is controlled in some part by the creator of the memoirs, Kerman herself. She wrote her story, was guilty of the crime and admitted it and is now well known for it. Kerman is in control of how the story is told and how she is portrayed. In contrast, those involved in the Baltimore murder case are not in control neither is the accused, Syed and his family and friends.

Criticisms of the show

While many have hailed Serial as a pioneering series, original reporting, a great narrative; many also have been critical of the show for various reasons.

1. The victim, Hae Lee is never really focused on. Not really Koening’s fault, she contacted her family several times to try and get their input into the show but to no avail. But I can understand why this is a sticking point.
2.  It’s a real, true life event that occurred. It is because this is real, things get a bit tricky, the friends and family of Hae and Adnan are exposed. This awful thing is being dragged up all over again and it must be frightening and upsetting. Some people may think it’s an example of some sort of misery porn, obsessing over a ‘who dunnit’.
3. It has racial stereotyping in it. Some people have criticised Koening’s musings saying that it has a lot of racial stereotyping. The good immigrants being Syed being described as too innocent looking to be a killer and Hae of Korean descent described as popular and intelligent. Jay – an African American Adnan’s acquaintance was described with a surprise, he liked alternative music, not hip-hop and even played Lacrosse! I think there is some evidence of this, but I don’t think this is an overall indictment of the show.
4.  Crazy fans. The fans of the show have gone crazy over it, flocking to the Best Buy shop which is where Syed allegedly called his friend Jay after the murder occurred. 

Conclusion

I think the series is incredible, instantly engaging and thoughtfully reported. Koening and her team have spent  over a year researching this case mainly because she believes that the accused is a nice guy. Having been approached by a family friend of Syed’s to investigate the case she tries her best to be impartial, fair and transparent. She openly is unapologetic for expressing her voice in her reporting, evidence of reflexivity is clear. The show encourages people to think about memories, friends, family and death. With the end of this series, goodness knows what I’m going to do with my time- I’ll probably get over it and reluctantly move on to the next fad.

How to handle job rejections

You have found a job you like,  you have read the description, perfect! You spend a few hours writing your covering letter and your CV. With a high level of anticipation you press send. A few days later you open the email, it begins:

“Thank you for applying to the [insert role]. Due to a large number of applications which closely fit the job description and experience required, we regret to inform you that you haven’t been successful for the current role. Due to the number of applications we cannot offer you individual feedback. We wish you every success in your future job search”.

WE WISH YOU VERY SUCCESS IN YOUR JOB SEARCH?! – when you refuse to give me feedback, how can I improve my job search?

Being a veteran job searcher, I am tired, tired of automated rejection emails, tired of the circus of job applications, tired of what seems like a 'waste of time' applications with rejections within mere hours.

How did things turn into this? Churning applications out like a machine, not an individual but just a jumble of key words and a list of qualifications. Forget the nuances and an individuals personality, it seems that all the employer is concerned about is the potential candidates ability to tick a myriad of dull boxes, or jump through awkwardly positioned hoops. I say, enough!- I'm through with the whole darn thing.

Employers, HR professionals and recruiters it doesn't have to be like this. I understand that you do get a vast amount of applications for each role (sometimes hundreds or thousands). However try and make the application process as easy and informative as possible. It doesn't have to be cheap, free and easy, it can be a meaningful encounter for all if managed correctly.

So HR departments:

•  Try and reach as many candidates as possible, go through agencies (if you have the budget), Tweet and Facebook your search, the wider your search, the bigger the potential pool of excellent candidates
• Be realistic in job descriptions make sure you include the actual day to day aspects of the job. Don't try and make the job sound more appealing to others by fabricating or exaggerating elements of the role
• Try and give feedback- even if its one line- I'm sure that there's software that exists that can do that for you? If not someone invent one!
• Ditch the automated email which sounds highly patronising and insulting, it usually translates to the candidate as, "we found better people than you so don't bother us by asking for feedback because we don't have time to hear your whining".

Candidates

• Tailor your CV as much as you can, so for each role. Edit your personal statement to mirror what's on the job description. If this means having several versions of your CV on your computer than so be it.
• Be as realistic as possible, get as many people as you can to view your CV/ just someone that you trust. In most cases each person will say completely different things, if you cannot deal with criticism or rejection than possible stay away from this step but it is very important
• Do not mispell company or individauls names, your CV will go straight in the bin
• Try and remain as positive as possible- this can be done with a support system of people who are familiar with the job climat when looking for a job. They will offer you the best support and guidance
• Most importantly- keep going- something will happen eventually!

Benefits Street: excellent documentary or poverty porn?

Channel 4 has another reality TV show, expose, documentary.  Move over My big Fat Gypsy Wedding, Benefits Street is the new kid on the block. The documentary makers from Channel 4 spent over a year filming on a street in Winson Green, Birmingham UK where it claims the majority of over 99 inhabitants on James Turner Street are claiming government benefits.  

Many people have criticised the show as 'poverty porn', a way for us "have somes" can stare and jeer at the Dickensian style baddies, draining the state of all of our hard working money. The episodes focus on different themes, episode 1 introduced some main characters of the street, including white Dee, a matriarch of the street whipping everyone into shape and black Dee a woman on the verge of eviction and frustrated at the lack of employment opportunities. 

The episode was also extremely controversial as it depicted a just released from Jail Danny and his junkie friend Fungi on an expedition to find loot to sell for drugs. It showed Danny creating an alarm proof bag and depicted him breaking the security tag for the stolen goods on a bus. Episode 2 showed the cultural mix on the street by featuring a group of Romanians entrepreneurially trying to make ends meet by selling scrap metal much to the dismay of other residents annoyed at the mess this caused.

The show is an interesting depiction of a modern street with problems, but these issues are not so different from those in wealthier, middle class neighborhoods such as: unemployment, absent fathers, immigration, integration, drug abuse and crime. These issues are not just social ills of the less fortunate, they occur in normal people too, just behind closed doors. The show shows a street where people can group together, help each other out. Struggling heroin addict Fungi could always call on white Dee to help him with his benefits claims and hold money for him.  

                                 

Episode 1 showed a gentleman Smoggy who offered basic amenities such as soap, milk and hot chocolate all for 50p. He noticed that many people including himself were struggling and took advantage of a gap on the market. Since the show aired he has been offered three jobs. Some people have said the show portrays a negative image of people on benefits. I know people who live on benefits and they don't live like this. I also spent 3 years living in Birmingham and didn't see evidence "scroungers". People who claim benefits are everywhere, in every city and town in the UK. What the show does do is shows its perspective of what some people on benefits go through and what they face.  

The show has had some major criticism, incensing conservative MPs to use the show as political fodder, cries of child exploitation, claims of poverty porn. I think I understand what the show is trying to do, show people on benefits and how day to day life is for them warts and all, but does it go too far? One thing that is portrayed is the community spirit people helping each other out like an episode of Eastenders, but maybe they should all go and just get a job.

The King's Speech

The film which has won a string of Golden Globe awards, tells us of the debilitating stammer,  which affected King George VI, (the current Queen of England's father). Second in line to the throne, the prince was was not focused on to take the helm and lead the country. This all changed when his older brother Edward VII, abdicated the throne, after he had to make a choice between being a King or marrying an American divorcee (something that isn't allowed in the Anglican Church).

I went to see the King's Speech a couple of days ago, apart from being a historical film, it's a  film about over coming problems and being courageous and strong. The leading actors were exquisitely chosen and captured the attitudes and behaviours of the Queen mother and the King. I like how the speech therapist is depicted as a renegade, radical using techniques such as shouting swear words, singing, and using singing as a distraction technique.

Most of all I would urge people to see it, you'll learn something.

Sleeping Beauty Syndrome

What would you do if one day you slept for 8 hours a day, then suddenly you felt so tired you sleep for 10 days straight, missing important activities such as work, weddings, birthdays and exams. This is the fate of people who suffer from Kleine-Levin Syndrome an extremely rare sleep disorder where sufferers sleep for weeks at a time, at random, from 16-22 hours, woken only by friends or family  to eat and go to the toilet. At these times, sufferers may be irritable, react rudely, binge eat, and feeling in a dream like state.

The cause is not known, but it is thought to have a genetic base, and no medications are proven to have an effect. Additionally this disorder  can often get misdiagnosed with other sleep disorders. So the next time you wish you could go to sleep for about 2 weeks, spare a thought for those who actually do and miss crucial parts of their lives. For more information please use this link.

Examination nightmare!!!

So the exam season of January is upon us, here are a few tips for those who are sitting them at what not to do it your exams to wind up the invigilators.

• Listen to the invigilators, or they will get annoyed and write things down next to your student ID. 
• Don't try and get rude either, they will get annoyed and write things about you. 
• Don't be late
• Don't try and cheat, even if you don't get found out, you will feel guilty and that you are living a horrible hideous lie. 
• Try not to look suspicious 
• Always answer the question, even if you have no idea what the answer is, the marker may take pity on your useless answer.  
• Try and keep calm. 
• If you feel sick, don't vom everywhere... 

If you follow these guidelines then you'll probably be ok.

New Years, Smew Years

So New year was like sooo last week. How many of you have broken your new years resolutions already? Some people's resolutions will centre around may be getting a new job for the new year. If you want a new job because you are unemployed, over qualified or just thinking about a change, here are some simple pointers to help you on your way.

1. What industry do you want to move into, which are you qualified for? If you aren't qualified, what could you do to get qualified?It is important for you to be specific in your job search as you may coast through life aimlessly, moving from job to job. 
2. How will you know that you have succeeded? In short write down what you want to do and measures of success that you can follow, e.g. when I earn this amount, when I receive x years of experience, when I gain this professional qualification. 
3. Are you career aims to be a millionnaire as Delboy always said? Do you want to be a pilot but are scared of heights, do you want to be a doctor but hate science? Well make sure you career aims are actually achievable and realistic, other wise you will fail, simples. 
4. Make sure you have a time limit on all of your plans other wise like point 2, they will probably never get done. So for example, next year I want to put my self forward for promotion, or in the next 6 months I will do a time management course. 
5. Networking works, tap into it, find out what openings are at your friends companies, enquire, email and attend events. You never know who you may meet. 
6. Research properly on the industry and the job that you want, there's nothing worse then being ill prepared or ill informed. 
7. You may not be in the financial position to totally move to a new industry, but possibly volunteer within the area you want to move into. Yes I mean work potentially for free, this really opens doors. 
8. Never give up- as cheesy as that sounds it's true, you can get there if you want it.  

Finally these pointers are not step by step guides but just something to open you up to other possibilities. Life's too short to be stuck in a rubbish job.

The real meaning of christmas....

It is not my intention to go all puritanical on you or anything, but i just thought I'd let you know a few things about the festivities that we are experiencing. Have you ever wondered why people put trees in their houses this time of year, and decorate them with lights and tinsel? Why people exchange gifts on Jesus' birthday? (surely he is the one who should be getting gifts, its his birthday).

Ok so the long and short of it is, that Jesus was not actually born on 25th December, historians mainly put the date of Jesus' birth as occurring most likely in October or September about 6 months after passover. The celebration of this holiday is not biblical, but came into prominence after Roman Emperor Constantine in the 4th century BC when Christianity was not so vogue, and most people were Pagans. So Emperor Constantine decided to merge some pagan festivities, with some biblical things and out came Christmas.

The original 25th of December was the birth date of Nimrod, a Babylonian king and the 25th December was his birthday. After his death, his mother  claimed that an ever green tree grew over night and the spirit of her dead son would visit her every year  and leave gifts upon it. This shows the origin of the Christmas tree. So people, this is just a short summary of what Christmas is actually about.

You can think I am a weirdo, a freak or a kill joy, and i am far from telling any one what or what not to do, however, the symbolism of this once pagan festival has been hidden and swamped in commercialism and a frenzy of present and gourmet food buying. However, it does bring families and long lost friends together and remember that a man called Jesus did indeed live...

Happy holidays people

What came first, the chicken or the egg? (Personality...)

The age old question of whether personality is  predetermined in the womb, by genetics or can it be influenced by our environment? Well, one of my jobs is working with small children tutoring them, yesterday I accidentally made a 5 year old cry, not because I did any thing nasty, but simply because of an eraser. Yes an eraser, a rubber, something that eradicates lead pencils.

The child was working on his handwriting, writing the letter d, and he asked for an eraser. I couldn't find one and told him so, a few minutes later a crying 5 year old approached me. I asked him what was wrong and he said he needed an eraser and insisted that I find him one, i asked him what he so desperately needed one for, (whilst consoling the poor child) and he said it was because he wrote one of the letters wrong, (the letter looked perfectly fine to me). I managed to locate an eraser and then he was happy. I then began thinking about his personality, extremely smart, strong willed and very conscientious, with a perfectionist streak. Whilst I tried to let him realise that was doing his best and not being so hung up on the negatives, this is indeed his personality, very formed at the age of 5, he will probably end up being an engineer or some high powered business man.

It really made me think though that people's personalities can be changed but the essential essence of our personality is brought from or genetic make up and altered by our experiences.

A portfolio career?

Whether we like it or not, a career, a job, or just a way to make money is what most of us will have to do for a large proportion of our lives. There have been lots of theories and ideas which try and explain why and how people chose their chosen career paths.  So what is a portfolio career? I'm just going to find out...


So the main idea of portfolio working is that people tend to concentrate on a range of different working arrangements that are termed: wage work, fee work, homework, gift work  and study work (Mallon 1998).  Basically, due to an increase of temporary workers and less traditional formal careers some people think that there has been more emphasis on the self employed, and those who charge for services and outputs. 


What does this actually mean? It means that you can chose to carve out a living which is entirely of your own making, you can consult on your expert area, such as design or I.T. whilst charging by the hour, you can work for free for charities at the same time also. You are in effect in charge of your own career, not tied down to any one organisation or any one profession and not bound by any career hierarchies. Therefore you can  go in do your stuff and leave in a few weeks, months or years. You can be a plumber,  a hairdresser and an IT professional if you so wish. 


Now let me put in a disclaimer, this kind of career is NOT for everyone, if the thought of not knowing where you are going to work tomorrow, fills you with dread and you have a set career such as a doctor or a nurse, this may not be for you. However, if you want to be savvy in the post recession world, a portfolio career offers many interesting benefits, such as: being your own boss, concentrating on you skills, increasing your networks and giving you variety in life. However, you need to be careful in how you do this and not just jump into the deep end expecting other people to just understand. If you think this is really the career path for you, make sure you plan  and have many contingencies, friends, money to fall back on and a vision!