Entries tagged 'linkedin'
Using LinkedIn to find a job at Microsoft: Part I of III
Dear JobsBlog:
These days, everybody’s talking about how important it is to use social networking to find a job. That sounds good and all, but I don’t know where to start. Any suggestions?-Overwhelmed by Social Networking
Dear Overwhelmed by Social Networking:
Think of it this way: How many times do we run into someone who knows the same people we know and proclaim, “It's such a small world!”This phenomenon is not as random as it may seem. There is, in fact, quite a bit of science underpinning these "coincidental" events and experiences. This short path-length connection between people is seen in pop culture as the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon and in business social networking as LinkedIn. Business social networking is simply uncovering and utlilizing these connections to find employment.
Microsoft employees are the most active in social media and some 90% of our employees use LinkedIn's 75-million-member site. If you are a looking for a job at Microsoft, connecting with our employees on LinkedIn is a smart first step.
However, simply opening a LinkedIn account is not enough. You must learn to utilize LinkedIn for "finding" information and for "being found."
Today, I'm going to discuss “finding” - the investigative aspects of the LinkedIn platform that help you to gain information and connections that will put you closer to a job at Microsoft.
Using LinkedIn to find a job at Microsoft: Part I of III
Dear JobsBlog:
These days, everybody’s talking about how important it is to use social networking to find a job. That sounds good and all, but I don’t know where to start. Any suggestions?-Overwhelmed by Social Networking
Dear Overwhelmed by Social Networking:
Think of it this way: How many times do we run into someone who knows the same people we know and proclaim, “It's such a small world!”This phenomenon is not as random as it may seem. There is, in fact, quite a bit of science underpinning these "coincidental" events and experiences. This short path-length connection between people is seen in pop culture as the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon and in business social networking as LinkedIn. Business social networking is simply uncovering and utlilizing these connections to find employment.
Microsoft employees are the most active in social media and some 90% of our employees use LinkedIn's 75-million-member site. If you are a looking for a job at Microsoft, connecting with our employees on LinkedIn is a smart first step.
However, simply opening a LinkedIn account is not enough. You must learn to utilize LinkedIn for "finding" information and for "being found."
Today, I'm going to discuss “finding” - the investigative aspects of the LinkedIn platform that help you to gain information and connections that will put you closer to a job at Microsoft.
Social media: everyone's doing it!
I am not a proponent of fads. I do not believe you do something because everyone's doing it. That said, sometimes we must join in a trend—particularly if you are looking for a job. Sometimes just because "everyone's doing it," it can be a perfect job search strategy.In a previous post, I suggested that because Microsoft is one of the most social companies, integrating a social medial strategy into your job search would make sense. To further emphasize this point; please notice below the Percentage of Recruiters Using Specific Social Networking Sites for Recruiting. Clearly, every recruiter is using LinkedIn; nearly every recruiter has a Facebook account; and the majority of recruiters are on Twitter. While The Web 2.0 Recruiting Trends Report covered a broader audience, I suspect the findings would be similar at Microsoft.
Percentage of Recruiters Using Specific Social Networking Sites for Recruiting
2009 Versus 2010- The Corporate Executive Board Company, CLC RECRUITING™
Web 2.0 Recruiting Trends Report April 2010
Note: The height of the bars in the chart indicate the percentage of recruiters that use the tool for either sourcing, branding, or conversion activities.Also, Twitter was not rated in 2009.
The Sound of Silence
Simon & Garfunkel's epic lyrics were an anthem for my generation. Who can forget a young Dustin Hoffman staring thoughtfully into a fish tank with the words saying…"Hello darkness, my old friend; I have come to talk to you again.” Today, the "sounds of silence" seems to be what job seekers experience when they apply for jobs. As one waits impatiently for some communication, the stillness is stifling. Dustin Hoffman's character (Benjamin Braddock) in The Graduate, was drawn to the silence because of uncertainties about the course his career direction. Today's graduates (as well as most job seekers) are forced into a silent mode because of uncertainties generated by a lack of feedback from their position inquiries.
