The Most Engaged UK Recruitment Women on LinkedIn

The Most Engaged UK Recruitment Women on LinkedIn LinkedIn UK have compiled a top 10 power user  list of the most engaged UK women in the  recruiting industry on the world’s largest professional network. The power user list, which includes professionals from across the UK and from a mixture of large and small recruiting agencies as well as large organisations such as the BBC and Harrods, is a snapshot of the wide range of talent acquisition professionals using  LinkedIn in their career. LinkedIn compiled the list by looking at a range of engagement metrics including status update frequency, network strength, engagement in groups and a number of other factors. This power user list comes off the back of  new research  from LinkedIn which shows that 66% of professional women in the UK believe it is possible to have it all (fulfilling  career, relationship and children)  in todays working environment. The research also identifies that the majority of women in the UK (62%) define professional success as having the right balance  between work and personal life, compared to 40% five to ten years ago. Here at The Undercover Recruiter we like to share best practices from the recruitment world so we set out to ask these women their best LinkedIn tips. Here is the list: Laura King of The Curve Group: The advice I always give people (recruiters or otherwise) is that LinkedIn is a tool and should be used as such. Keep your profile up to date and fully populated. Network widely, join groups, read discussions, share updates, seek opinions, engage and respond. LinkedIn is a networking tool and not a candidate pool as a recruiter, yes, you will find candidates via LI, and yes, you will contact them via LI but a good recruiter will also be looking for MI (all the time!), to build their network (widely), to map the market and will be happy to chat, share market info and advise if possible. Jennifer Howlett of Vertex Solutions International: My tip would be to use LinkedIn to share and talk about what affects you at work. As someone who is really just starting out, LinkedIn is a valuable learning tool as I talk to CEOs and Directors on a daily basis. Grace Solanki of the BBC I guess my best LinkedIn tip would be to try and be enagaged and keep in contact with them on at least on a monthly basis with your contacts so you know what is going on in the Recruitment world in my case. It gives both yourself and them a chance to have a catch up and see if they or I can help in terms of recriting for a role. Also advertising roles on your status on Linkedin is a great way to connect with great connections or search for people and add to your connections list for future reference. Zoe Lloyd of Arrows Group Sharing unique content in your field allows you to open debate with connections, for them to share to others outside your network and places you as hub for discussion in your network. Donna Price at Harrods There’s no need to post for posting’s sake. Be genuine in what you “like” and share engaging with your LinkedIn community should be organic. The results derived from this approach will be much more fruitful and long-lasting. Natasha Mills of OCC Computer Personnel I think the most important thing to remember whilst using Linkedin is to make it personal!! Dont just be a jobs feed! People like to know they are dealing with a human being. Leesa Fernandes at Thomson Reuters Use LinkedIn as a way to connect with and remember everyone you meet at networking events, conferences, social gatherings â€" you never know when a connection may become useful or when you might become useful to them in the future. I also use LinkedIn as a way to research people before I meet them â€" having some background on them makes conversation a lot more relevant and engaging. Ella Liang at Portland Resourcing   Keep LinkedIn messages or InMails short, sweet and professional Keep your LinkedIn profile updated with latest news Use LinkedIn as a job board update jobs in related groups, your status updates and even on your profile Keep your eyes open on the news and update in your network then react! e.g. say congratulations, like or comment someones update, endorse skills etc Expand LinkedIn network/connections every day Download LinkedIn on ALL mobile devices and check it whenever you have a minute Keep calm and LinkedIn Work hard and play hard Do you have any useful LinkedIn tips? Please share below in the comments!

4 Ways to Dress for the Job You Want

4 Ways to Dress for the Job You Want You have probably heard the old adage “dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” While this may seem like another old saying that is unusable, it is actually quite applicable for many work situations. If you want to be treated like you are in upper management, begin dressing like you belong there. The air you give off at work can change the perception you give, from being “receptionist” to “CEO.” Included here are a few ways to alter your appearance and dress for the job you want. Become More Modest While prudes aren’t popular, it is much worse to be viewed as the office floozy. Beginning by lengthening your skirts a bit and fastening that top button, you can keep your coworkers and clients eyes on your face. A woman who relies on her assets to get her attention and promotions is one who lacks confidence and capabilities. While you may still be looking for a lifelong partner, save that search for outside the office and keep things professional while you’re on the clock. Change Your Hair If you have ever been into dying your hair unnatural colors, stop it now. Unless you are working in a very forward-thinking office, you will be viewed as irreverent and un-professional. Keep your hair dyed natural colors and styled conservatively without any strange spiking or gelling. If you find yourself getting hair-boredom from the lack of color change, consider altering the length instead. Before you go cutting your hair into weird patterns, try changing the length and look with hair extensions. They will not be noticed in the workplace as radical but you can have your hair curly, straight or long with just a small adjustment. Dress Professional Wearing fluffy sweaters to work may be a nice way to stay comfy and fly under the “professional garb” radar, but it’s not doing your upwardly moving career any favors. If you want to be climbing the ladder you’ve got to bring your A-game. This means wearing crisp suits, straight skirts and heels. If you prefer to go the less feminine route, wear a business suit with flats or other dressy shoes. Add Small Personal Touches You may be concerned that dressing in a professional manner will give you the appearance of a “faceless suit” but you can still achieve individuality in other ways. Find conservative looking clothes in black, brown or taupe and made with wool or wool blends. After finding your professional bases, you can mix it up a little with a bright scarf or personalized bracelet. Keep the jewelry classy but add your own touches of color and individualization.

Personal Branding Interview Tamar Weinberg - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Tamar Weinberg - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke with Tamar Weinberg, who is the community manager at   Mashable, and author of the new book The New Community Rules.  She also just had a baby! In this interview, Tamar discusses social media tools for business purposes, blogging and microblogging, explains how important it is for companies to join the conversation online and much more. Which social media tool is the least effective for brand awareness: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Digg, Flickr or Delicious? All of the aforementioned tools are effective for brand awareness, but it depends on your actual goals. Are you looking to build a personal brand or a larger corporate brand? I suppose what comes to mind is really LinkedIn in terms of limiting how you really can build that larger brand. When I look at LinkedIn, I consider it to be a great tool for personal branding since it essentially works as an online resume and can establish the individual as a powerful expert in his/her specific subject matter. For larger brands, you should consider another alternative, such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Digg, Flickr, or Delicious, all of which can work in your favor if you leverage the communities and tools effectively. How important are honesty and transparency when building a community for a business? Honesty and transparency are critical. Nowadays, information is becoming increasingly more public and people are easily able to share their dissatisfaction about companies by starting a blog or by writing a Tweet. Its easy to publish any content online, and these messages can spread like wildfire. Your reputation is at stake here, and its really easy for that empire youve been trying to build for decades to topple down after a public relations fiasco that you simply didnt manage properly. Do you think blogging will fade out and microblogging will completely replace it in 2 years? Nope I dont. I think that there will still be plenty of thought leaders who will continue to build their personal brands and names by writing long, lengthy articles that can be referenced in the future both online and in print. I certainly understand that 140 characters is easier for many, but I think its a bad idea to only Tweet and not maintain your blog. With Oprahs foray into Twitter, most of us are lost in a sea of folks who use Twitter to network and chat with friends, but Id love to read more than 140 character thoughts from some of these folks who have instead decided to choose Twitter over their really powerful blogs. If you have something to say in more than 140 characters, dont turn it into a 280-character Tweet instead; use your blog. ?? Do you have a case study where a company was successful using social media for marketing? I sure do, but youll have to read Chapter 4 of the book to find out! ?? Small and large businesses can benefit from social media marketing and I strongly encourage all businesses to seek out the various opportunities available to them. Actually, if you really do want a case study, I found one via Guy Kawasaki on the OPEN Forum blog (a blog that I strongly recommend for small to mid size business folks). In a nutshell, Mayo Clinic involved themselves in podcasting, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, the latter three which cost $0. They also invested in a Flip Video camera and created three customized blogs, all of which cost less than $200. The bottom line is that social media marketing is an affordable tactic to market your business and if you understand and leverage the communities efficiently, you really can harness and unless the power to get people to start talking about your brand and build a strong following behind your product or service. Should every company get into the social media game? If a company refuses to, where will they be left? I would say that there is absolutely no reason for companies NOT to get into the social media game. The big issue for most companies is giving up control of the message. I argue that people are already talking about you in social media channels, and its best for you to get involved with social media to nurture the mindset of the community. You cant always change how people are thinking but you can respond favorably and help build strong relationships that can last for the long term. You certainly can help improve negative perceptions, but you must be willing to try. Im hoping that all companies involve themselves in social media over the next few months or years. I wouldnt recommend that anyone sits on the sidelines and hopes that this technology goes away. I firmly believe that social media is here to stay; people prefer to foster relationships with other folks who have similar interests, and there are online communities on just about every corner of the web that make this happen. People are always asking about baby products on baby forums; carpenters are always looking for the latest and greatest tools or services on their woodworking forums. Many conversations go back to how individuals can use real-life tangible goods and services to benefit themselves; its important to tap into these communities or youd be missing out on powerful opportunities to establish yourself. Those who dont involve themselves are likely not going to see long term growth because the word of mouth marketing that occurs so easily online is simply not there. - Tamar Weinberg is a freelance writer who specializes in social media consulting and strategy, blogger outreach, reputation management, and search engine marketing (SEO, link building, and Pay Per Click Marketing). She has been involved in the Internet since the early 90s and has dabbled in social online interactions for more than fifteen years. Tamar has been working nearly exclusively with Internet Marketing side since 2006, though she also has experience with web hosting and technical support and can handle complicated WordPress installations and configurations with ease. She provides consulting in internet marketing and blogs for numerous online publications, most notably Real Simple Magazine, Lateral Action, and Mashable. She is also a former Lifehacker and Search Engine Roundtable contributor. Tamar is also the author of The New Community Rules, which is scheduled to be released in June 2009.

The Portable Brand Communicate and View People Wherever You Go - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Portable Brand Communicate and View People Wherever You Go - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career One of my predictions for 2008 and beyond is that our online brands will transition from email to blog and become portable. Not only that but they will be fully mobile and viewable by anyone at anytime. Again, those who dont build a thorough and Googleable presence online will suffer from reach, but gain from privacy. Either way, if you dont define your brand online, others have the ability by either purchasing yourname.com or blogging about you. Just about everything will be electronic in the future, so the need to brand yourself online will always grow. Enter the Apple iPhone and Amazon Kindle. When your online, you can be searchable through Google and when there are mobile devices that have browser capabilities, your brand can be found just about anywhere. You can be in a car, on a plane, in an exotic location, in the bathroom, maybe even the shower at some point (waterproof iPhone?) and find just about anyone who has a Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, Twitter or blog profiles. I wouldnt be surprised if hiring managers use their phones to do a background check on candidates before, after and even during interviews at some point. The Amazon Kindle is Amazons attempt to digitize all things print, including books, magazine and newspapers. Due to the decline of advertising in print, radio and broadcast, many companies, such as Amazon are forced to provide for more flexibility and innovation in their offerings. It is possible that a decade from now, print may be dead altogether. There was even an open debate about it in Fast Company Magazi ne. Here are some statistics that may shine some light on that theory: 14% of respondents called the newspaper their most important source of news. 31% of young adults called TV newscasts the most important source for news(Carnegic Corp Research). Newspaper ad sales continue their long, sad decline, down 7.4 percent in the third quarter of 2007. The Australian version of the well regarded print magazine PC World is to cease publication in an offline form as off January. Surgeon Generals Warning All media is going portable rather quickly, which should be a quick alert for you. In 2008, please work harder on brand maintenance and reputation management, so that you are better prepared for this massive transformation. With camera phones, digital cameras, web cameras, your brand can easily be exposed and there are so many different outlets where it can be submitted now, including Seesmic (video Twitter), YouTube, embedded on blogs and within social networks such as Facebook. After submission, it can be read on the Kindle or seen on an iPhone. What are your thoughts readers?

Our guide to the dos and donts of self care at university - Debut

Our guide to the dos and donts of self care at university - Debut This piece was written by an external contributor. Chloe Smith thinks self-care at university is key for students mental health. Check out her guide to improving your self-care regime below: Ah, uni. Only uni can simultaneously be the best years of our lives and the most stressful. Stress can come in the form of money worries, tight deadlines or even people-related issues. More often than not, if youre a student, youll be pushed to the limit, and often. The best way to look after yourself on your busy university schedule? Do some good old self-care. To help you get into the swing of self-care as a stressed-out student, here is a quick list of the dos and donts of self-care at university. DO make self-care a routine Source: giphy.com You might be feeling like self-care doesn’t need to be a regular thing but it does. You deserve to feel good most, if not all, of time, right? The best way to do that is to make self-care a consistent routine in your life. It can be as much as every day, or as little as every week. As long as you practice self-care regularly, you’ll start to feel better with time. After all, they say you need to do something for 30 days to turn it into a habit. Besides, who doesn’t want a scheduled excuse to pamper themselves? ‘Oh, sorry, I can’t do that right now I’ve got plans’ is the best thing to say to someone right before your scheduled self-care time.  You owe it to yourself. DONT have overboard  with your spending when you treat yourself Source: giphy.com While going all out on Lush bath bombs and expensive chocolates might be all the rage when it comes to self-care, you can get a similar result without breaking the bank. It might not as be as flash, sure. However,  something as simple as going for a walk, starting a journal or re-reading your favourite book will work just as well. Don’t believe all the hype online. When you’re a stressed out student with money worries, you carry out the self-care techniques that work well for  you (and your current account.) However, if  retail therapy is your way to self-care there are resources that can help you?  Student discount services like UNIDAYS or the NUS Extra card can help you save, and the Monzo card will help you keep track of your spending. DO little random acts of self-care when you can Source: giphy.com You dont have to follow your self-care schedule to the letter. Sometimes, a little goes a long way when it comes to self-care at university.  Whether it’s a cake and a coffee after a lecture or something you’ve had your eye on from your Amazon wishlist after you’ve submitted your latest assignment, little rewards for small victories are a great way to improve your mental health. Like bamboo, be flexible when it comes to your self-care regime. DONT brush it aside Source: giphy.com Sometimes you’ll feel like you can’t be bothered or that you simply don’t have time to do any self-care, even with a routine in place. Maybe your deadlines are looming. Maybe youre focusing on other more important things. However, your emotional well-being should always be your no.1 priority. Obviously, you need to get your work in on time, but that doesn’t mean you should sacrifice self-care. Even if it means sleeping in the morning after an assignments submission date or buying your favourite (more expensive) food the next time you get your weekly shop, make sure you still carry out self-care somehow. It may seem difficult at times to squeeze self-care in, but itll be worth it in the end. Like I said before, university is an incredibly tough time for most of us. The best way to get through it? Show yourself some love. If you follow these tips then you’ll be well on your way to an overall improved emotional well-being. So go on, what are you waiting for? Download the Debut app and get Talent-Spotted by amazing graduate employers! Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Five Steps to Making the Best First Impression

Five Steps to Making the Best First Impression We all know it’s important to make a good first impression on a buyer or anyone else we want to influence. What we don’t often realize is how quickly that impression is made and how lasting it is. Brian Tracy (Psychology of Selling) says it happens within 30 seconds. Michelle Tillis Lederman (11 Laws of Likability) says it takes at least six months to dispel an unfavorable first impression if ever. I asked John Asher, CEO of Asher Strategies and author of a new book Close Deals Faster (October 24), what’s important in making that vital first connection. John was a Navy submarine commander, has been a successful businessman, and now heads a global sales advisory firm. Here’s John’s advice for making a good first impression. Use your social media to prepare for a positive first impression. Know who you’ll be talking with; their professional and personal interests. Look over their biography in LinkedIn and send them an email before your meeting. That way your first meeting will seem more like the second. Dress the part. Dr. Albert Mehrabian, UCLA, found that visual information could account for as much as 55 percent of total communication impact, making appearance disproportionately important. That coincides with neuroscience studies showing decisions and judgments are often made in the emotional “Old Brain,” which is predominately visually-oriented. If you aren’t sure, ask someone to advise you on what’s appropriate to wear. Smile and make direct eye contact. If you’re nervous and uncomfortable, you won’t smile or make eye contact. They’ll feel it and respond accordingly. A smile and direct eye contact show interest, excitement, empathy, and openness. You can direct the dynamic of the emerging relationship in a positive fashion and build trust. Have a firm handshake. A handshake is the only time in society when strangers are expected to touch each other. When we do, information is passed. It’s the same for both men and women: a web-to-web grip, several pumps up and down, and a mutual release. Avoid the bone-crusher and limp fish and leave the double-handclasp to the politicians. Get them talking about what they want to talk about. Based on your research and the situation, prepare an opening statement. As a general rule, don’t start with personal information; keep it conversational and simple. Ask open-ended questions and, please, don’t interrupt them. They’ll feel good about the conversation and about you. Later they may not remember much about what you talked about, but they’ll remember how you made them feel for a long time. Summary Making that good first impression isn’t hard: set the stage, dress the part, smile and make eye contact, have a firm handshake, and get them talking. Join Dana Manciagli’s Job Search Master Class now and get the most comprehensive job search system available!

When good jobs go bad - Hallie Crawford

When good jobs go bad This is a great article on Linkedin, When Good Jobs Go Bad.  Unfortunately I think many people can relate to this whether it was you in this situation or someone you know. It happens frequently. We start a new job with fresh prospects, excited about a new challenge, a new organization, or a new industry. And the honeymoon period can last for a while â€" months, even years. But for many of us, whether it’s a dramatic change or a smaller shift, our jobs can start to wear on us for many reasons. I spoke with a friend last week in Missouri who had a very successful consulting business for 12 years, then burned out and decided to go back to working for someone else. Another friend and former client last week in Texas who loved his job at first, then about a year into it, it started to wear on him when he realized he didn’t have the team he needed to be successful and his company was in worse shape than he realized. A client in Chicago recently took a new job, and days later her boss (who was one of the main reasons she took the job) quit and left her hanging. It can happen to anyone, and again â€" some situations are more dramatic than others. Depending on your situation, you need to evaluate what happened as rationally as possible. It’s too easy to become emotional, understandably, when our once good job has gone bad. For some of us, it happens over time. For others it’s a dramatic change that blindsides us and leaves us feeling out of control and frustrated. You need t o realize that it’s not personal and, make a decision about what to do from an attitude of empowerment not fear. If the situation happened suddenly, determine whether you need to make a change or a move, and how quickly. To avoid it happening over time, check in with yourself continuously regarding how fulfilled you are there â€" are you being supported and empowered â€" and are you using your talents and skills regularly. Either way, take control of the situation by assessing what happened and what you can do about it, creating a plan of action, and continuously managing your career path so if you do need to make a change, you are ready. Atlanta Career Coach P.S. Be sure to check out our  LinkedIn Consulting Program  where you can  learn how to effectively leverage your LinkedIn account for your job search and ongoing professional development.