Did you know that, although there are more than 400 million members on LinkedIn, less than 1% of them write articles for the business networking platform? What a wasted opportunity for job seekers, particularly executive job seekers.
As a Career and Job Search Coach I have long recommended that my clients seriously consider blogging to position themselves for effective long-term career management. But with the rollout of LinkedIn’s publishing platform to all members the #1 stumbling block to blogging has been removed: You no longer have to worry about how to set up a blog – simply author periodic articles on LinkedIn.
Until LinkedIn opened its article writing feature to everyone in the network, most had to import, link to, or attach blog posts in order to showcase them in their profile. Now everyone can post longer content than status updates directly on their profile for the whole LinkedIn network to see.
If you’re an active or passive job seeker in full-time or part-time search mode, you can’t afford to ignore this opportunity.
The phrase I often hear from job seekers is, “If only I could get my foot in the door with hiring executives or recruiters, I know I could get an interview.” Well, LinkedIn’s long-form communique option gives you a very valuable way to bring yourself to the attention of your target market without sounding desperate, begging, or annoying them to death. Why not dive in?
While status updates and discussion posts run the risk of alerting your colleagues to your search, LinkedIn long-form posts do not. They will elevate your brand inside and outside the company, simultaneously promoting your career brand for promotions within your current company and new opportunities within your industry. And if you’re strategic about what you write about, these posts can also lay the groundwork for a transition to a new industry or a new career.
Which brings me to the #2 stumbling block to blogging I hear most: I don’t know what to write about.
When it comes to LinkedIn long-form posts, begin by identifying the top 3-5 industry-specific key words you’ve built your resume and profile around. Rotate through the list, writing a long-form post that showcases your experience with each topic. Aim for at least one such post weekly if you are in a full-time job search. If you’re in a part-time search try to write a long-form at least monthly.
Any of these content options would work for those who are searching for a job while already employed or those who are presently unemployed:
- Write a mini case study.
- Share a CAR (challenge | action | result) story.
- Relate a problem you faced in your job and how you solved it.
- Author a multi-part white paper and publish it as a series of long-form posts.
- Showcase data and information describing your current company or industry.
- Detail how your company’s (or an industry) product or service solves a problem your target market faces.
- Outline the trends you perceive will impact your industry in the years ahead and detail your recommendations for how to leverage them.
The important thing is to start now. Step into the limelight a little and your career will thank you for years to come.
[This post was originally published on LinkedIn Pulse. It has been updated with current executive job search best practices.]
This post first appeared on BrandYou Blog | Executive Resume Rescue, please read the originial post: here
