Hi there! Welcome to Life Directions Employment Supports' VERY FIRST BLOG POST!
We are excited to use this platform to teach you, learn from you, and help our community in many ways. We would love if you would share our blog posts with friends and family members that you think would benefit from our knowledge - both local knowledge and general educational posts.
In this day and age, considering the circumstances we are experiencing with Covid19 and isolation practices, many people and businesses are turning to online platforms to reach out to their customers. Businesses are spending time creating a solid online presence to keep thriving during these tough times. You better believe this is great news for those of you that are currently in the market for a job!
Why?
This means there are more than one means of communication to reach out to potential employers and for you to BE SEEN.
Printing off a resume and physically handing it in to a company is almost a thing of the past. Don't get me wrong, face-to-face interaction is always great when applying for positions but since we are in a time of staying home with limited interaction, it's time to get internet savvy (and maybe even a benefit for those that suffer from anxiety).
So let's talk about LinkedIn.
LinkedIn describes itself as an American business- and employment-oriented online service that operates via websites and mobile apps. If you are a Facebook user you can find some similarities between the two online platforms such as having a profile page and making/sharing posts. The biggest difference is that you would use this site as a professional. Upload your resume, edit your "about" portion of your page to read similar to a cover letter and even apply to jobs. If you feel you have been inspired to learn more about how to use LinkedIn I can create a separate blog on the details of setting up an account. But let's get to it... LinkedIn is a fantastic way to get noticed by employers, I'm going to tell you my top 5 favourite ways to use LinkedIn to gain traction in your search for employment.
- DETAILS. Resumes only provide the nitty-gritty details of education, work history, certifications, etc. Your LinkedIn page is a great tool to express who you are. Sure, list all of your accomplishments, but employers can gain a good idea about the type of person you are through your style of writing.
RESEARCH. When applying for jobs, jump straight onto LinkedIn and research the company you are applying for. In the top left corner there is a field labeled 'search', here is where you can type in a person's name, company name, and location. Find out everything about the company on their page. You could even put your detective hat on and look up current and previous employees which will give you a good idea of employee turn-over, educational backgrounds, and more.
Apply. Head to the "jobs" section of LinkedIn in the top bar and browse through remote job opportunities and jobs anywhere. You can change the settings to filter your preference to filter what positions you are looking at.
Additional Help. While you're in the jobs section, on the left-hand side you will find additional help with building your resume, preparing for interviews, and more. Explore this area to be on top of your job search.- Get connecting! Once you have applied for the job, find the hiring manager on LinkedIn. You can send them a quick message introducing yourself and letting them know you have applied to the recently posted job (be specific as companies often post more than one availability at a time) and add in questions about the position or the hiring process will show your interest.
If you want to find me on LinkedIn, feel free to connect! It's always good to have another business connection, copy and paste this link into your browser and connect with me. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-bullock-202ab549/