Recruiting candidates on LinkedIn

Another question from a network contact and my response. 

Q: Brenda – I know you are a marketing guru.

We have a job position available at our company and I want to figure out a way to post it on LinkedIn but don’t want to post it on a global board. Do you know of a way to post a job to just your contacts? (We would like to have a referral source to go along with the candidate.)

A: A wise man (I think it was David Benjamin) once told me that any self-respecting marketing professional who is referred to as a "marketing guru" and doesn't wince should be ashamed. He went on to explain that the use of the word "guru" is widely overused, and I think implies some super power or insight that's impossible to achieve. 

But I digress. 

Yes. There are several ways you can share a job posting on LinkedIn without posting it on a global board. 

• Post as a status update on your LinkedIn profile. And mention referrals are appreciated. Your first level connections will read it. And they can share it forward to their first level contacts, too. (these are your second level contacts). 

• Post as a status update on your company page on LinkedIn. And mention referrals are appreciated. (What, you don't have a company page? Stop everything and set one up. Now. I'll wait.)

• Post as a status update within industry groups. And mention referrals are appreciated. Read more about sharing job postings on discussion boards on LinkedIn here.

• Share with connections who work in the industry. And mention referrals are appreciated. (keep in mind you can export your LinkedIn connections list, review to determine who you'd like to target, then email them with info on the job posting. If you go this route, I'd recommend a BCC list mentioning you're sending it to several contacts at once, or personalizing each email.)

Was this tip helpful? Share your comments and experience. 

Are You On LinkedIn? Ask This and Grow Your Network

A really simple technique I use in my daily activities is to get into the habit of asking people that I meet, "Are You On LinkedIn?"


By asking this, you will typically get one of three responses. 

1. Yes. 
2. Not yet, but I've been meaning to get around to it. 
3. No. What's LinkedIn?

If they respond "yes," that's your opportunity to exchange business cards and mention that you'll send them an invitation to connect. 

If they respond "no," tell them it's a great way to stay connected and to build their professional network, as you never know where the future may lead. 

If they respond "No. What's LinkedIn?" and they are over the age of 18, walk away slowly. Chances are they have been living under a rock and you're just going to confuse them. Just kidding. (well, maybe I'm a tiny bit serious)

See this? Ask: "Are You On LinkedIn?"

My visual reminder of this question "Are You On LinkedIn?" is when I offer or receive a business card. That's my prompt to ask the question, and to demonstrate how I value a connection to this person, and how I plan to do something with their business card. 

When I send the invitation, I always make a point to personalize my invitation (read more here about why it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to personalize your invitation). Then, I will also review their profile to view their professional summary and see if there is anything interesting to note.

This tip alone will help you to continue to grow your network over time. Like this suggestion? Send me an invitation to connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/brendameller 

Requesting an Introduction

One of the most powerful features of being on LinkedIn is the ability to request introductions to connections of your connections. That is, you want to connect to someone on LinkedIn who is a 2nd or 3rd level connection.

When would this occur?

• When you are applying for a new job. It might increase the likelihood for your resume to be read if you have a warm introduction via a connection at the company.

• If you are seeking advice or insight on a company or an industry where you don't have much experience. If you don't have knowledge, find someone who does, through someone you know.

• You may be considering changing professions or industries, and seeking to meet for an "informational interview." During these interviews, you are looking to pick their brain about entry requirements, candid comments about their profession/company/industry, and hopefully to gain insights to help you affirm your consideration of this potential move.

Basically, you are seeking a warm introduction. As with many other features of LinkedIn, there is a process and there is also the unspoken etiquette which may help your chances of connecting. Hopefully this post helps you with both. 

Here's how to request an introduction to connect to a 2nd or 3rd level LinkedIn connection:

1. Click on the person's name who you wish to connect with. This will bring up their LinkedIn profile page.

2. Check to see if this person is in your LinkedIn network. If so, you will see a small blue "2nd" or "3rd" next to their name. Note: if you see "1st," you are already connected. 
3. Click on "Get introduced through a connection," which is located on the right side of your screen. See image below. 
4. Select a name that appears in the list.
   
   I recommend choosing the person you know the best from this list. If the person you are looking to connect to is a 2nd level connection, your note will go through one connection. If it's a 3rd level connection, your note will go through your direct connection, and then that person will have to send it through one of their connections to help you connect.
5. Follow the steps to compose your request to connect. Select the appropriate option from the drop-down menu and provide your contact information. Then, type a short, professional, gracious note explaining why you wish to connect.
6. Keeping in mind that your note may be forwarded along to the person you wish to connect with, compose your request to your connection. Be specific. Explain why you wish to connect and be honest. Provide a bit of detail and if necessary, remind your connection how you know each other. Then, make sure you politely request an introduction. This involves a sentence with a question mark, not one with a period. (ex: "Can you please connect me with Kari Kovar?" versus "Connect me with Kari.") Remember that your note may be forwarded along, so be sure to be professional and gracious.
7. Proofread your messages, then click send. Did I mention to keep in mind that your message to your connection may be forwarded along? Yes, it's worth mentioning this again. You'd be surprised how often people assume this message is deleted, and therefore they aren't as professional or gracious in their request.

That's it! Hopefully within a few days your request will be reviewed and approved, and you'll be directly connected to the individual you are seeking.

Hide or Seek? Sharing Slides Using SlideShare

LinkedIn has an application directory that you can select to add to your profile. I'll admit I don't use every application that's offered - just the ones that appeal to me. 

Having some experience presenting social media to job seekers as well as the professional community, I'm always on the lookout for new tips as well as to learn from my peers. One way I do this is by searching through presentations that the LinkedIn community has uploaded to SlideShare.

To Hide or to Show?

As a LinkedIn user, you have the ability to upload your presentations and then either make them viewable/downloadable or invisible by others. Personally, my thought would be "why bother" to upload unless you're planning to share your resources. But, there are some who may want to maintain all rights and ownerships of their content, so there may be the occasion where you cannot download slides from this directory.

How to Seek?

To find the application directory and add Slideshare to your LinkedIn profile:

1. From the top menu bar, go to "More"
2. Hover over "More" and then click on "Application Directory"
3. Click on "SlideShare Presentations" and follow the instructions to add it to your profile

Then, once you are on SlideShare, start using it immediately! The fastest way to do this is by a keyword search. What are you interested in? Perhaps more tips on LinkedIn? Then enter "LinkedIn" in the search box and click "Search."

Within seconds you'll find thousands of results. 

Want to make those results more meaningful? Click the tab titled "Your Connections" and you'll instantly have access to all Slideshare presentations shared by your network.

Happy searching!