I
knew this day would come, but I never expected it to come so soon. For years I
pushed against the pressure, dodged the persistent requests, and firmly stood
my ground. But finally, the day had come, and I was forced to join a social
networking site. For one of my human resources classes, we were given the task
of connecting with some Capilano alumni to ask them to take part in a speaking
event, and to do so I had to become a member of LinkedIn.
LinkedIn,
for those of you who don’t know, is a social networking site that is targeted
at professionals looking to build a circle of like-minded people, as well as
people looking for jobs. Unlike Facebook, it has a corporate, almost sterile
feeling to it. I got the feeling this was a no-nonsense kind of site. LinkedIn
is where one would post one's polished resume, list all your accomplishments (to
varying degrees of truth), and pray a Google headhunter will seek you out.
However, upon further research, there may be more to LinkedIn then just a
passing trend.
Founded
in 2003 by Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn has taken off in the past couple of years. Canadians
especially seem to be gravitating to the site, as over two million residents
have joined in the past 12 months to bring the total count of Canadians to over
five million. It’s seems as if Canadians have bought into LinkedIn sales pitch,
which promises career advancement and professional growth. The real question is
if LinkedIn can truly help you land your dream job, or if it is just another
social networking that will eat away at your valuable time.
There
is no shortage of LinkedIn fanatics, touting it as the most powerful
professional networking tool ever created. Patrice-Anne Rutledge, writer of
“Using LinkedIn”, claims that “participation in LinkedIn can enable you to find
a job or recruit qualified job candidates, develop your business by connecting
you to clients and partners, and brand yourself online with a professional presence.”
The
truth is, having a polished profile on LinkedIn will help curious recruiters get
a better picture of who you are. Unlike in the past, where employers would only
have your resume to judge your character, they now have access to everything you
post online. A 2011 study found that over 56 per cent of employers creep
applicants Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn sites when they are considering
hiring them. So what do you want them to find: a drunken picture of you at The
Caprice last weekend from your Facebook, or a headshot of you looking spiffy in
a suit and tie on your LinkedIn profile?
If
you accept the fact that potential employers are going to find you online, then
you’d be wise to control your “e-reputation”. This might sound a little cynical
and horrible, but if you’re looking to social media to increase your
professional network, then think of yourself as not just a wonderful human
being, but also a brand. That means creating a positive image that reflects who
you are in your professional life, what you are known for, and what you can
offer. LinkedIn, unlike Facebook, is a well-suited tool for personal branding
as you have more control over what goes on your page. Instead of having mildly
offensive updates from old high school friends on your front page, you’ll have
your skills and work experience.
With
that said, there is an ugly side to LinkedIn. John Flexman, a former office
manager at BG Group in England, was fired last year over his LinkedIn profile.
He ticked the box indicating he was interested in new “Career Opportunities”
and also bragged about his achievements in the company, which was apparently
sensitive information. This led BG Group to dismiss him because of
“inappropriate use of social media.” The case has been brought to a tribunal,
who will deliberate over the legality of it, but in the past, disclosing “confidential”
company information to the public has been considered a legitimate cause for
dismissal.
Basically,
to avoid this ugly situation, you should check with your human resources
department about the company’s social media policies, which most large
companies now have. Debra Benton, an expert in human resources and social
media, offers some advice: “I recommend you clearly understand your company policy
and consider the 'unwritten rules', too. Post only fundamentals: your business
photo and the minimal profile. Craft the narrative so you humanize yourself and
people will, and can, reach you if they want to.”
Despite
this case, the potential benefits from LinkedIn still outweigh the risks,
although to fully realize these benefits, you have to know how to use this
platform to its fullest.
Here
are a couple of things that will improve your chances of connecting to the
right people: first, you need to completely fill out your profile. That means
adding your relevant work experience, your volunteering history, and writing a short
summary about who you are. If you can get readers to relate to you, you have a
better chance of landing an interview, and this is why the summary section is
so crucial.
Secondly,
you need to be strategic about who you “connect” too. The idea here is to
choose quality over quantity. Connecting to a person who holds your dream job,
and can offer advice or link you to job openings, is going to be worth more
than connecting to ten of your old co-workers at Starbucks.
Thirdly,
once you have created these connections, you must nurture them. Just adding a
user as a contact and then ignoring them will not likely deliver the results
you want. Send them messages to keep you on their mind. Eve Osbourne recommends
spending “ten minutes each day in LinkedIn. Start participating in groups and
discussions and start finding new connections to make.” Like many things,
LinkedIn will give back only what you put into it.
Even
if right now it may seem like Facebook and Twitter are more your social media
style, LinkedIn may prove to be a great asset in the future once you’ve
graduated.
Katie
Kessel, a student at Capilano University, summarized LinkedIn nicely: “If I
were looking for a job, LinkedIn would be useful since I do have contacts in HR
positions that regularly post job postings for legitimate firms. I also know
many professionals who use it in sales to maintain their contacts. As a student
though, I don’t have a use for it at the moment, but I know people in the
working world who do.”
So,
if you're trying to make the jump from the student to the professional life,
LinkedIn might make this transition a little smoother. And who knows? It might
just help you land that dream job.
Jeff
Maertz is a fourth year student of the Capilano school of business with a focus
on marketing. Over the next few months, he will touch on topics ranging from
small businesses to examining the effect
current events may have on students. He is aiming to make the business
world accessible and relevant, regardless of their field of study.
//Jeff Maertz, columnist
//Jeff Maertz, columnist
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