How to Sell on LinkedIn
(How to use LinkedIn as an effective personal marketing
tool!)
Today LinkedIn has become the most effective virtual
visiting card there is that people can utilize for many purposes. Sadly over 97% of any and all Pakistani’s do
not know the value that LinkedIn can provide to a Job Seeker, a recruiter,
vendor or a client! Most profiles that
are created online on LinkedIn are not what they really seem and whilst a CV
can only tell you so much people do not utilize this tool to its full potential
to “market” their own worth properly!
I have been laughed at by the likes of top HR outsourcing companies
when I was searching for a job over 36 odd months ago and the names go from
HRSG, Rozee, Brightspyre, BAYT, and any other brand name simply dis-respected
me by playing emotional e-mail ping pong with me and delaying getting me any
form of an offer in any way until I got so frustrated that I decided to take
matters in my own hands and today I am where I am and that is a successful
entrepreneur. One of the tools that I used
to effectively position my self was LinkedIn but it only opened a door for me.
I will tell you in my own way how to use LinkedIn to procure
business and find the right person to suit your specific needs. Please do not think that this will mean you
can substitute a LinkedIn Search for the services a recruiter or specialized
head hunter can provide. Kindly do note
that if you look up a person on social media what may be presented as the “perfect
husband” (employee) for the potential “wife” (job) may not be all that
fantastic after they start working for you because technology can and never
will be able to replace the “Human” element of Human resource!
If you are to use LinkedIn to market yourself then you must
follow these rules (which are basically common sense) if you want to get called
and noticed by the people you want to notice you!
- BE HONEST TO YOURSELF –
Sit down and make a 5 year plan.
Anything over that does not matter because the world changes so
rapidly that you need to only assure an employer / client that you will
focus on the here and the now with the experience you have and a 5 year
target is respectable to show your vision.
Once you have it honestly thought out (this should be about you
personally) then please put it down as a mission statement and edit it 3 –
4 times with maximum 2 closing lines that should state what your end goal
is and what you want it to be 10 years from now! (Note! Keep the entire length to not
more than 250 words)
- BE HONEST TO YOUR CAREER –
Recruiters or clients get really upset when they read that you have worked
for a BIG brand name and assume that you have a lead position but in the
due course of reference checks and interview processes they find out that
you were in the middle of the food chain and whilst you were a team player
you in reality were not what you presented yourself to be. Also please note that if you land a job
where they ASS-U-ME that you will deliver results and prove to be a tiny
gold fish in a shark pool then it will be very expensive for your
professional relationship. I have
seen a business group that was completely sales oriented hire the likes of
a Chief Marketing Officer that managed to flush down over 8 crores into a
toilet and then bail out and run to another company whilst leaving the
organization at a staggering loss as there was no one there to execute his
vision after him. So this works
both ways for recruiters and HR managers as well when it comes to hiring
the perfect fit.
- KEEP IT SIMPLE –
Please ensure that you keep it simple! Just state your core Job
Description and make sure that you note down a reason for leaving your
previous employer / client! Leave
some area for discussion during an interview where you can go into your JD
in depth. What you must elaborate
on are the ways for recruiters to contact you and give multiple options. As
far as cell phone numbers / land lines and email addresses go! (It would help to have a decent email
address like your full name and to avoid something like this example given
here (decent_sweetie_69@HOTmail. Com or Awesome_BrandMgr786@Yahoo. Com) –
for personal email addresses a web mail address is fine but just ensure it’s
professional and not obnoxious!
- ADD CONTENT ONLINE –
Video content of Maximum 3 minutes of personal short statements and facts
that can add value are a bonus.
Feel Free to upload original concepts and PDF files that will help
you sell your vision of the industry that you wish to work in. Please do not plagiarize as people have
google and now sadly most people know how to use that very well. If you are struggling for an OOH
managers job then rather than post pictures about what sites you have sold
– it would be good that you upload a 1 page short document on your
analysis of where the industry stands and where you can personally add
value with your experience.
- RECCOMENDATIONS –
Get professionals who have remained as colleagues you reported to /
clients to recommend you and don’t worry about asking them for it. Ask them to list down specifics about
what your attributes are professionally.
This will help clients / recruiters to profile you and kindly note
that a recommendation that basically says “she’s a great girl!”
does not constitute to anyone taking you very seriously!”
- ADVERTISE & FLAUNT IT – Be
confident and add something like my signature below (hyperlinked) to your
e-mail signature!
You should add a LinkedIn address
to your printed visiting card and always make sure you email your profile to
people you know and advertise it periodically to people you know! Today there is so much information to process
that recruitment managers overlook people who they had interviewed a week ago
because there is so much information for them to retain & digest daily that
human limitation makes them forget you!
So keep reminding the world that you are special, also it won’t hurt you
to know your actual “professional” worth every 6 odd months!
I hope the information provided will be enough for you to
find the professional nirvana that you seek but please remember that having a
fantastic LinkedIn profile is only worth it if you can walk the talk and back
it up with action!
Disclaimer! - The opinions I post are my own and I do not intend to
hurt or offend you! If you cannot allow me my freedom of thought
then you have the right to voice an opinion and navigate away on the web.
If you follow my blog I thank you as it’s quite ridiculously
entertaining...that is if you like what & how I write!
Let's be professional friends - (please see my reccomendations) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amynaghulamali/
If you would like a direct FREE consultation please contact me on - amyn@ghulamalis.com
And if you want to
criticize me then please e-mail me at amyn@ghulamalis.com
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