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Permalink Reply by Bill Ward on December 16, 2009 at 1:51pm

Laura,

I conduct finance and accounting search. If you have need in public accounting and earned your CPA, make that standout in your profile. When I conduct a Boolean flip search to X-Ray Linkedin's site for people I can't see in my own network, I always include Big 4 CPA is one of my keyword phrases always. I also include CPA along witht the names of the top 10 to 12 public accounting firms just to cover my basis.

Candidate status has no bearing on whether I call someone or not. If they were just laid off, they should update their status which reflects what has happened recently. Make sure to include your current email and phone number!! There's no point in having a LI profile if you're not going to keep it updated? Not every recruiter is going to take the time to find you. I would avoid "Unemployed." How does that separate you from the thousands of other "unemployed" executives?

References: Less is more in most cases. I don't want to hear frm the HR Manager at the company who laid you off. Who cares...you're a nice guy who made the best cupcakes for holiday pot luck has no bearing on your candidacy. If you're a CFO, you better have C level and Board references either on your profile or prepared to be contacted. If the later, make sure to include that at the bottom of the page in the section on how to contact you. This gives recruiters a comfort level that what you claim to have accomplished can be verified.

Standing out from the Pack: Focus on accomplishments..not responsibilities. If you're a CFO, highlight areas that you were affective outside of the score keeping arena (preparing financial statements, SEC, etc). For example, working with supplier agreements, renegotiating debt service to secure optimal working capital, or "realigned sales comp plan to ensure emphasis on organizational goals was properly incentivized." These speak to your ability to go beyond score keeping and that's what gets a recruiter like me extremely motivated to contact you.

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Permalink Reply by Ashley J on December 16, 2009 at 4:20pm

Hi Laura,

My niche is hospitality, corporate and director level positions primarily with sales and operations focus.

As for best practices on Linkedin, #1 is up to date/active on the site. Working with Director of Sales to Senior or National Sales Manager positions, there is no excuse for these such candidates to not be active on Linked. Staying in touch with clients, associates, competitors...it can be mindless. #2 Branded Titles are nice, but it's the information on your profile that will make or break for a call. Make the info interesting. #3 Unemployed is a hard status to make a move on, to be honest. Not that we will not call on, just hard to swallow. Again, it's the information on the profile that counts. Keep unemployed off, add a branded title, make sure your 'present' status is empty, we'll get it.

#4 As for search criteria, your profile should have appropriate industry/job related skill sets. When I need a DOS with Task Force experience I will search Task Force in the Hospitality sector. Job titles, definitely search for for these, however they are tough as they are so interchangeable, reference similar titles in your profile.

#5 As far as selection process, I look for: active, strong information, wel aligned references are always nice, and lastly, approachable. Use the site for what it is worth, make sure you are open to be contacted. Agree with Bill, include your personal email.

Hope this of help.

All the best

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Permalink Reply by Julia Stone on December 16, 2009 at 4:44pm

I am pretty simple about LinkedIn. To me, what do you really need besides the name of the company they work for, a title, and a location? I preferr less in the profile because I don't have as much competition. I don't want linked in to turn into another job board either but it is very easy to tell active candidates on LinkedIn, they practically scream "Hire me!".

I will tell you that I usually look for the following :

1. Picture
2. recommendations
3. Companies they worked for & titles
4. If they are open to career opportunities &/or Job inquiries (it is a setting on the account)
5. Location
6. Groups
7. anything they have written about their industry
8 a sense of personality or humor (not found often and needs to be professional yet witty, but always call people with it)

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